New Forest

Nick Pedley said:

I'm contemplating a weekend stroll in the New Forest sometime next
year and am wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for routes
to walk in the area?
Places to camp would also be nice as I am told wild camping is
strictly verboten there.

Well I've only wild camped there three times, and got caught once! So
I'd recommend camping well inside the trees so as to avoid being spotted
from a distance.

My favourite camp site of the three was on the Beaulieu River, between
Ipley Manor and King's Hat enclosure IIRC.

A lot of the dense forestry isn't too interesting IMO. There were some
more interesting bits, particularly the steeper, hillier bits on the
west side, but after looking at the map I just can't really remember
exactly which bits offhand.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

"Nick Pedley" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I'm contemplating a weekend stroll in the New Forest sometime next
year and am wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for routes to
walk in the area?

Barkers of Ringwood http://www.barkers-ringwood.co.uk/ have some walks on
their website (they sell (and fit) walking boots).

I have done the Oct '03 one, Abbots Well to Fritham. Good pub at Fritham,
the Royal Oak I think.

I have camped at the Ashurst site
http://www.forestholidays.co.uk/caravanandcamping/sites/ashurst.asp which
was good. ISTR eating at an Indian restaurant in the village.

John

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Nick Pedley said:

I'm contemplating a weekend stroll in the New Forest sometime next
year and am wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for routes
to walk in the area?
Places to camp would also be nice as I am told wild camping is
strictly verboten there.

Well I've only wild camped there three times, and got caught once! So
I'd recommend camping well inside the trees so as to avoid being spotted
from a distance.

My favourite camp site of the three was on the Beaulieu River, between
Ipley Manor and King's Hat enclosure IIRC.

A lot of the dense forestry isn't too interesting IMO. There were some
more interesting bits, particularly the steeper, hillier bits on the
west side, but after looking at the map I just can't really remember
exactly which bits offhand.

The steeper, hillier bits are on the west, south of the B3078
Fordingbridge to Cadnam road, south of Godshill, northeast of Fritham
or west of Linwood. That's the area you probably want if you want wild
isolation, though public transport is a bit of a pain from the east
side (easier from Bournemouth or Salisbury).

The deciduous woods are nice at this time of the year, notably if it's
sunny: you might want to try the area between Lyndhurst and
Brockenhurst to the west of the A337 main road; or the area south of
Brockenhurst to the east of the main road (not really the Forest as
such - access restricted to rights of way).

Beaulieu Road station is a good place for getting to an isolated spot
easily on public transport: a lot of open heath and undulating enough
to give views of a few miles. Also some deciduous wood in the area.
Unfortunately in the name of profit SWT (the train company)
to-all-intents-and-purposes withdrew the Monday to Saturday service,
though it still has an hourly service on Sundays.

Nick

Sorry - meant north*west* of Fritham and *east* of Linwood.

Nick

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the delicate perfume
* of violets, as John Yale <[email hidden]> descended on a shaft
* of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

I have done the Oct '03 one, Abbots Well to Fritham. Good pub at Fritham,
the Royal Oak I think.

Ahhh - memories of 'Old Thumper', the local brew!

Regards: Jim Ford