Studland Bay is known to many as a leisure destination boasting four miles of beach, but its historical significance is often overlooked.

The National Trust are inviting families to learn how Studland Bay was used for military exercises during the Second World War as part of Heritage Open Days.

The open day will take place on Sunday 15 September at Fort Henry, 10.30am to 3.30pm, and will include exhibits, a display of ordnance, and children’s activities.

Learn about Exercise Smash – the full-scale dress rehearsal of the Allied invasion of Europe, involving tens of thousands of men which took place at Studland Bay and wander around Fort Henry to find out which VIPs watched the military exercises from here.

There will also be a quiz trail for families to follow which takes in all three beaches – Knoll, Middle and South Beach. Quiz sheets are available from Fort Henry and Knoll Beach.

For older children (14+) and adults, there’s a guided walk exploring the landscape, using maps and clues left behind from military operations and the thousands of troops who trained there.

The guided walk, on Sunday, September 15, 2- 4pm is free but booking essential via the website Discovering WW2 at Studland Walk - Knoll Beach & Fort Henry | National Trust.

Claire Meaden, Visitor Experience Officer at Studland Bay, said: “Given its beauty, it’s unexpected to find such unscathed remnants of WW2 here. You can feel so much history at Fort Henry and we try to bring some of that to life with our engaging family activities. We’d love to see you here.” Heritage Open Days is England’s largest community-led festival of history and culture which enables people to see hidden places and try out new experiences for free across September.