New Forest Day Trip

[THOaken]

Hello. I'm going on a day trip to the New Forest for the first time and I've been researching the landscape, but I can't find information on specific woodlands or impressive areas to visit specifically.

What would you say is your favourite part of the New Forest?

Thank you.

 

[Bartooon]

That's a really difficult question! The New Forest is a big and diverse area offering all sorts of habitats and landscapes - open heath, ancient deciduous woodland, coniferous forest etc.

It really depends on what you are looking to get out of your day trip. If you can give some indication of what you are planning to do or want to see, I can probably give you some pointers.

It's all lovely though - I have just spent a gorgeous day leading a day walk for this year's Bronze D of E intake across from Fritham to Godshill in the north of the Forest. A few of the girls ended up up to their knees in bogs but that's all part of the fun!

 

[THOaken]

Thanks, Bartooon. It really is just to see what the Forest has to offer in terms of such diversity, so visiting forest and heathland areas will be top priority. My trips always start out at visitor centers so I'll probably go there first. I guess I'm asking what, in your opinion, would be considered the nicest spots, the most impressive woodland walk, etc. Thanks again.

 

[bushwacker bob]

If you enjoy wildlife go to Bolderwood deer santuary in the late afternoon.

 

[lou1661]

The Royal Oak at Fritham is always a good place to visit, nice bit of the forest and cracking Ale.

 

[Bartooon]

The Royal Oak at Fritham is always a good place to visit, nice bit of the forest and cracking Ale.

Was right outside there today, but with a gaggle of 15 year-olds in tow, I had to give it a miss!

Bushwhacker is right, Bolderwood is worth a visit to see the fallow deer which come there to be fed (though the car park does get a bit "grockly" at weekends). It is quite near Lyndhurst too, which has an excellent visitor centre and museum. If you do go to Bolderwood, stop off on the narrow road that leads north to it from the A35 and have a bimble round Marks Ash Woods. Marks Ash is one of my favourite bits of ancient woodland and from Mid-April onwards is full of breeding birds such as Redstart, Wood Warbler and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Another great area to explore is the heathland and woods around Beaulieu Road Station, which is about 3 miles east of Lyndhurst (park in Shatterford car park). Again, another good place for birds and dragonflies (in season) and there is good mixture of habitats.

Let me know if you need any directions and/or grid refs. Also if you think of anything specific you hope to see, give me a shout and I should be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Puttles Bridge, abt half a mile SE of Rhinefield House is a magical place.

http://mortimermaps.appspot.com/wtp...15&rz=18&lt=OS&rt=satellite&lov=None&rov=None

 

[Paulm]

Puttles Bridge, abt half a mile SE of Rhinefield House is a magical place.

http://mortimermaps.appspot.com/wtp...15&rz=18&lt=OS&rt=satellite&lov=None&rov=None

It is indeed, and Rginefield Ornamental Drive just after Rhinefield House is pretty impressive with all the huge douglas fir trees.

More traditional woodland around Dennys Wood in the north east area, lovely area, and next door to that is some open moorland area for contrast.

Enjoy

Cheers, Paul

 

[THOaken]

Thanks everyone. Just returned back from a lovely and very sunny day trip. I first saw the Knightwood Oak, done several walks and went up to Bolderwood to see the deer watch, but not to my surprise there were none around. Maybe it had something to do with the racket all the families were making... Plenty of horses though, roaming around in the woods and on the heath. Quite an impressive park, though it was a fair bit commercialized. I'll return when the trees have their leaves in the height of Spring.