New Forest Tour - Suggestions ?

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Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
We are thinking of a New Forest camping tour this May Day weekend

A quick look at the map it would seem Sailsbury might be a good place to start, down the Avon river to Fordinbridge, a turn east to the middle of the forst and then head south to Beaulieu/Hamble area and then back to London via ????

Looking for Saturday 30 mile, Sunday 50 mile, Monday 30 mile route, so about 100 miles total

Anyone any ideas of a route ?
What to see/not see ?
Camp sites (not adverse to pub/stealth/wild camping)
Recommend pubs/cake stops


CTC site does not really have much
We could be car or train based for transport there, depending on route
 

Norm

Guest
Have you been to the New Forest? There's lots of different parts to it, are you more interested in heathland or the forested parts? I prefer the forested parts but there really aren't many of them, mostly in the south east around Beaulieu, Boldre and Norley Wood. The heathland is fascinating to look at and ride through but it can, IMO, start to all look the same after a few hours.

Places to see, for me, would be Beaulieu Motor Museum, Buckler's Hard and Sammy Miller's Motorcycle Museum. :wacko: Yeah, my petrol-head roots (or should that be Rootes? :biggrin:) are showing. My favourite pastime in the New Forest is just to ride towards something interesting, then, if it still looks good when I get there, to take a walk. It's easier on a motorbike, though.

Check out http://www.thenewforest.co.uk/ which is the park's Official Visitors Website. The Forestry Commission look after the NF's Cycle Network and, if you check out their Walking and Cycling pages, you can save yourself a pound by downloading the PDF of the cycle path map.

Hope there was something useful in that lot. :biggrin:
 

albal

Guru
Location
Dorset
The Alice Lisle, Red Shoot Inn, High Corner Inn, The Fighting Cocks.
Just a few of the popular Inns in the forest. You may or may not be interested in.
 

Bollo

Failed Tech Bro
Location
Winch
Make sure you take in the Bolderwood and Rhinefield Ornamental 'drives'. Far better on a bike. Do it from north to south to take advantage of the inclines. For the bits that I know well, my suggestion would be...

Fordingbridge->Godshill->South then East to Linwood->the 'Drives' to Brockenhurst-> Beaulieu.
 
Location
Hampshire
I wouldn't recommend Salisbury as a start point, Brockenhurst would be better as you'd be starting right in the heart of the forest and maybe finish at Ashurst after a big loop, also both are on the main London to Bournemouth line. Avoid the A35 & A338, there are plenty of small lanes which will be much nicer.
Watch out for wandering ponies, cattle and the tourists who stop in the middle of the road to photograph them!
 
Dave Davenport said:
I wouldn't recommend Salisbury as a start point, Brockenhurst would be better as you'd be starting right in the heart of the forest and maybe finish at Ashurst after a big loop, also both are on the main London to Bournemouth line. Avoid the A35 & A338, there are plenty of small lanes which will be much nicer.
Watch out for wandering ponies, cattle, and the tourists who stop in the middle of the road to photograph them!
Also Headgardener who will be out putting some miles back in his legs
 
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