A guidebook to 30 day walks in the New Forest National Park. Exploring the beautiful scenery of Hampshire and Wiltshire, the walks are suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike.

The walks range in length from 5–17km (3–10 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–4 hours. Routes can be shortened, lengthened or combined allowing you to adapt the walks to suit you.

• 1:25,000 OS maps included for each walk
• Refreshment and transport options are given
• Information included on wildlife and local history
• Easy access from Southampton, Bournemouth and Salisbury

Contents

Map key
Overview map
Introduction
Plants and wildlife
Geology
History of the New Forest
Walking in the New Forest
Getting to the New Forest
Getting around the New Forest
Food and drink
Where to stay
Countryside codes
Your safety
Access and rights of way
The New Forest online
Longer walks and long-distance routes
Maps
Using this guide
Walk 1 Langley Wood and Hamptworth
Walk 2 Godshill and Castle Hill
Walk 3 Hatchet Green and Woodgreen
Walk 4 Bramshaw Telegraph and Eyeworth Pond
Walk 5 Bramshaw Church and Nomansland
Walk 6 Abbots Well and Alderhill Inclosure
Walk 7 Fritham and Cadman’s Pool
Walk 8 Janesmoor Pond and the Rufus Stone
Walk 9 High Corner Inn and Ogden’s Purlieu
Walk 10 Appleslade Bottom to Rockford via Ibsley Common
Walk 11 Castle Piece and Linford Brook
Walk 12 Exploring Bolderwood
Walk 13 Minstead and Furzey Gardens
Walk 14 Portuguese Fireplace and the Knightwood Oak
Walk 15 Bank and Gritnam
Walk 16 Ober Water and Blackwater Arboretum
Walk 17 Holmsley Walk and Burley
Walk 18 Wilverley Inclosure and Castleman’s Corkscrew
Walk 19 Lyndhurst and Bolton’s Bench
Walk 20 Ashurst figure-of-eight
Walk 21 Beaulieu Road and Bishop’s Dyke
Walk 22 King’s Hat, Dibden Bottom and the Beaulieu River
Walk 23 Stubby Copse Inclosure and Balmer Lawn
Walk 24 Brockenhurst and Dilton
Walk 25 Hatchet Pond and Hawkhill Inclosure
Walk 26 Beaulieu River from Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard
Walk 27 Setley Common and Boldre Church
Walk 28 Exploring the coastline from Lymington to Keyhaven
Walk 29 Milford on Sea and Hurst Castle
Walk 30 Lepe and Exbury
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Useful contact information
Appendix C Glossary
Appendix D Bibliography
 

Seasons

Walking in the New Forest is good at any time of the year. Spring brings new life into the forest, summers are mild and the ground is usually dry making walking easier, though this is peak tourist season. Autumn brings vivid displays of colour and good clear days, winter has the least number of visitors, though some of the routes can become rather wet underfoot

Centres

The main towns within the New Forest are Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst, with Lymington, Ringwood and Fordingbridge lying just outside it. The New Forest is easily accessible from larger centres, including Southampton, Bournemouth (both with airports), Salisbury and Winchester.

Difficulty

Walks are on fairly flat terrain with no real climbs, and paths range from good gravel tracks to narrow paths over open heath. There are some stream crossings without bridges, although these should not pose any difficulties unless there has been heavy rainfall. Navigation is normally straightforward, though care is sometimes required on indistinct paths over open heath, or through woods.

Must See

Walks cover all areas of the New Forest National Park, including forests, ancient and ornamental woods, open heaths, rivers and coastal stretches. They pass numerous places of interest, from historic churches to ancient sites. The area is also a great place for seeing wildlife, everything from New Forest ponies to all six of Britain's native reptiles.

December 2021

2021 reprint route updates

July 2021

Walk 26 (page 172-3)

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