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The New Forest
a two day ramble

The mild autumn of 2021 made this a delightful two days. We took a train to Brockenhurst, booked a hotel in Emery Down (just north-west of Lyndhurst), went up one way and came back another. Some of our best moments were coming across something unexpected - this area is full of wonders.

A detailed map such as the 1:2500 OS Explorer OL22 is essential. Paths with orange dots (cycle routes) are easy to navigate, but some smaller paths can give rise to moments of doubt. Here, the OS Maps App is very useful telling you whether the path you think you are on is the one you are actually on.

The New Forest was soggy! Cycle tracks are dry, but otherwise the more waterproof your boots are, the more you will enjoy the walk.


Day 1: Brockenhurst to Emery Down (8 miles)
Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst are only about 4 miles apart as the crow flies - but so does the A337. Our Hotel being in Emery Down, we set off left through well-heeled suburbs, past a Church (photo 1), aiming for the car park at Beachern Wood. There we set off diagonally across Whitefield Moor, picking up the footbridge over Ober Water thanks to the OS Maps App. We joined (photos 2 & 3) Rhinefield Road on up to the lovely Arboretum. Then we took smaller tracks through Brinken Wood (photos 4, 5 & 6), crossed the A35 at New Forest Gate and continued east of north to join the road into Emery Down. The New Forest Inn is the first building you come to, and we had a good time there - the breakfasts are particularly good.
Day 2: Emery Down to Brockenhurst (7 miles)
We walked out of the pub along the road (photos 7 & 8) to, and through, Lyndhurst, on the path through White Moor (photo 9) parallel to the Beaulieu Road. We went down (photos 10 & 11) to the footbridge by Holmhill Passage, where we glooped along a delightful stream (photo 12) before joining the track to the site of the Royal Hunting Lodge. There was nothing to see there except a suspicious pony (photo 13), so we then made our way south, to cross the railway at Pignal Hill. We then went south-west to the road, and Mill Lane leading back to the station.

(Click on a photo to see a large version.)
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