Size : 40 Ha

Ownership: ARC

Designation: SSSI, SAC,SPA, Ramsar

Restrictions: Open Access Land, please keep dogs on a lead.Please keep to main paths. Horse riding and cycling is only permitted on statutory
bridleways. No camping or fires of any kind.

Access:
Gravel Hill Road 
BH17 9BQ

Grid ref: SZ 01592 96510

Dunyeats is a medium sized piece of heath boasting a large south facing
slope that is ideal for reptile viewing.

The Reserve

Dunyeats consists of mainly dry heath and dwarf gorse mix which is typical of
many of the Poole heathland reserves, added to this a large south facing slope which dominates a large part of the reserve.

Dunyeats would have once been part of the much larger Canford Heath, but is now
separated by Gravel Hill Road. A recent housing development on the western edge plus a school and a cemetery on the northern boundary complete the isolation of this heathland fragment; a common case amongst our Dorset heaths.

What to see

The reserve's landscape makes it an excellent site for reptiles, notably for rare smooth snakes. Other habitats on the reserve include a large acidic pond at the base of the southern slope which is fed by a bog/mire which cuts across the south edge of the site, home to palmate and smooth newt and a large amount of common insect species including dragonflies. The north east corner of the reserve holds a further two more ponds, home to common frogs and toads, smooth and palmate newts. Hidden in the mainly coniferous woodland these well established neutral water bodies also attract the grass snake, and Kingfisher.