New Forest Holiday Lets - Scenic Drive to Frogham September 2017

Driving Instructions

Part One - Lymington to via forest villages

 Leave Lymington: cross the river towards Beaulieu on the B3054 then turn right at the bend, to pass the Isle of Wight ferry terminal on your right.  Follow this road for 6 miles to the T junction at Hatchet Pond. Among many picturesque scenes starting rural and becoming open forest you will pass Goodalls Strawberry Farm and Pick Your Own http://www.lymington.com/700-goodalls-strawberries on your left round the bend just after the ferry terminal – if it’s between May and August stop for a few minutes to pick or buy the most delectable strawberries in Britain!  Follow the road past the Pylewell Park Estate on your right (also home to the now annual Curious Arts Festival in July)  Drive through the tiny hamlet of South Baddelsey with its thriving Primary School  (At the junction at the end of the Pylewell Estate you can if you wish turn right and make a detour to drive along the Solent Way through the hamlet of Sowley to Bucklers Hard, it’s like stepping into time a couple or so centuries ago. However you may prefer to leave this for another day and combine with a visit to Beaulieu.  But what you could do for 5 minutes is turn right and immediately right again down a tiny no through road called Tanners Lane. If you drive to the end you can take a look at the Isle of Wight from the Solent shore. You may also see some kite surfers practising. But please note the easiest place to turn your car is on the beach which is tricky at high tide - so forewarned is forearmed.  Otherwise just carry straight on and you’ll drive through the village of East End and out on to the open forest and through the long “ribbon” village of East , originally built by squatters along what’s known as the “Beaulieu Rails” and nowadays home to probably the Forest’s largest contingent of donkeys.  The Turfcutters Arms will always give you a warm welcome, and if you’re short of diesel you’ll find Garage very helpful! This is the site of the Flying School which pre- dated WW1. And the Beaulieu Letters which guided WW11 planes in to land on adjacent Beaulieu Heath can be viewed from ground or air. More about East Boldre here http://www.eastboldre-pc.gov.uk/History.aspx . And for a gallery of images from the 100 years anniversary of the flying school http://www.lymington.com/gallery/gallery/11-east- boldre-remembers-ww1#fwgallerytop  Turn right at the T junction with the B3054 and pass part of Hatchet Pond on your left:  Hatchet Pond http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/englandhampshirenoforestnewforesthatchetpondcarp ark is the largest body of water within the Crown Lands of the , managed by the Forestry Commission. Created in the 18th century to provide power for an iron mill, the pond today provides valuable habitats for wildlife as well as being a scenic backdrop for a picnic or wildlife watching. Worth a brief stop especially if it’s sunset – the sunsets over Hatchet Pond are renowned by photographers and enjoyed by everybody, because they’re simply some of the best sunsets you’ll see in this country!  Almost immediately you’ll reach the T junction with the Brockenhurst to Beaulieu road (B3055). Turn left for Brockenhurst  After 6 miles drive first across open heath then through mixed woodland, you’ll reach the outskirts of Brockenhurst at the Balmer Lawn Hotel.

Part Two Brockenhurst to Bolderwood

 Turn left at the junction on to the busy A337 heading into Brockenhurst, past Brockenhurst Bridge, take the first right turn into Meerut Road, and drive to the end.  Turn right at the T junction and drive past the Forest Park Hotel on your left, straight on past a big open green.  This next part of the journey is very straightforward to explain because most of it is basically one long road.  Eventually you’ll reach the beginning of the Ornamental Drive. Drive past the Rhinefield House Hotel on your left, and on into the heart of the amazing avenue through the Douglas Firs and giant redwoods  There are several stopping places along the way and it’s worth a small break to see the two tallest trees in the New Forest. If you stop at Blackwater car park you can stroll to the Blackwater Arboretum – a relatively small area that nevertheless contains a selection of trees from around the world.  Cross over the A35 straight on through more tall trees of the Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive and towards Bolderwood.  Here you will find a large Forestry Commission car park on the right with lots of information about the New Forest especially the deer population, and you can follow the pedestrian route to the Deer Hide. It’s one of the best places to see deer in the whole of the New Forest, with a purpose built platform which overlooks a large meadow. Also, there are toilets here if you need them!

Part Three: Bolderwood to Frogham

 You will drive under the A31  Follow this road across the open heathland  Ignore right hand turn to  Carry on – and on – and on across the wild open heathland. The tarmac road itself is narrow but the passing section to either side is firm, and there are a couple of car parks along the way where you could stop and experience the landscape.  Eventually you’ll pass the High Noon and Red Shoot Inns to your right, by which time you’re beginning to descend through a more wooded landscape  You’ll come down a steep descent to Rockford  If you have small children or dogs with you, make a short stop at the bottom of the hill for the steep sand escarpment on the left - which both of these love to climb up and run down!  Turn right at the bottom, to cross through the ford at Rockford - there is a detour which avoids the need to drive through it after heavy rain  Head north, in a meandering way through forest villages Mockbeggar, South and and Hyde to Frogham