Upton Heath

Upton Heath is one of the largest remaining fragments of a heath that once stretched across central southern England from Dorchester to Christchurch and beyond. Today it is confined to an area immediately west of Poole, much of which is protected. From the Heath there are views across Poole Harbour, Corfe Castle and the Isle of Purbeck.

Upton Heath is part of the natural region of the Dorset Heaths and covers an area of 205 hectares. It lies within the Poole Basin and is bounded by the village of Corfe Mullen to the north, the Poole district of Broadstone to the northeast, Creekmoor to the east, the A35 dual carriageway to the south and the hamlet of Beacon Hill to the southwest. Lytchett Matravers lies about 4 kilometres to the west beyond Lychett Heath and the village of Upton lies to the south over the other side of the A35. The highest point on Upton Heath is the trig point at SY983956, which has extensive views to the south.

Much of the area has been designated as the Upton Heath Nature Reserve and is largely managed by the Dorset Wildlife Trust. It is wild, wet and generally unsuitable for building which is why it was not developed as Poole expanded. However abandoned sand pits and clay pits reflect its historic use for the pottery and brick making industries.

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