sign in sign up
<<
Home , Abbotsbury, Isle of Portland, Osmington

09

l

Distance

p lan your walk forestersarms) and forestersarms) and www.newforestonline.biz/ a rms ( ✆ 01590 623397, there’s t he Foresters Road). i n Brockenhurst, village high street (Brookley are lots of options along the southwesttrains.co.uk). ( ✆ 0845 748 4950, www. at Brockenhurst , stopping s from to Weymouth, West t cottage.co.uk), or try t he 623090, www.thatched- t hatched Cottage ( ✆ 01590 Landranger 195 & 196. compass is recommended. trails can get lost, so a and heathland trails. t train station ( s U302019). t Black Knowl and the t Brockenhurst to Bank, via e Getti NG Map t Start/ Where 2 ree t outhampton or outhampton or Lyndhurst B R o CK e NHUR st ati errai N t Lyndhurst F level 2 Navigatio N H o S NG magazine winter 2011 e

rail. l : e xplorer o L22; R rains operates l eND 18km/11 miles N : & est Circular walk from there e

: l Balmerlawn Woodland tracks D W B R o CK e NHUR st ri N Brockenhurst, Southern : Brockenhurst ki NG s outhampton : s outh t he s olent t he : t here 1 he he all l level 1 Fit N

l

▲ l t ess ime

PhotograPhy: aLamy 2. s scrub that makes up Black Knowl. over the expanse of lawn and ( the junction with Meerut Road a well-surfaced footpath at a church on your R to pick up and turn R. Follow the road past the ford at top of street along Brookley Road. Head to and the junction to shops a Brookley Road, past t station ( s 1. START From Brockenhurst the train at Brockenhurst. pasture accessible straight off open heath and unenclosed a patchwork of mixed forestry, timber for the . It has a major source of ship-building royal hunting ground, and then e ancient forest in South e largest-surviving swathes of The New Forest is one of the 5-6hrs s ngland. For centuries it was a ngland. For centuries it was a rms on your R, over a cattle grid rms on your R, over a cattle grid U295027), which heads north U295027), which heads north tay ahead on the path into tay ahead on the path into l U302019), turn L down U302019), turn L down

t ype Woodland and heath he Foresters he Foresters ast ast

follow the path through g 4. g with another footpath ( s for a kissing gate at t junction with the track and head bracken. footpath heading north through L off the track after 30m on to a with the surfaced track and then i heading up on to Hursthill and through a gate before t branches L by a gate on your R. turn L at the second track that footpath along the fence-line and 3. Continue following the the fence’s far corner ( s follow it northwest, turning R at boundary fence on your R and footpath. Keep in sight of the Lyndhurst on to a woodland at the gate for cycle path to across the Lymington River. t Bolderford Bridge’s boardwalk forest enclosure and over the nclosure. he path goes over two brooks he path goes over two brooks o through the gate and o through the gate and g t o straight over the o straight over the urn R where you meet urn R where you meet -junction -junction U287045). U287058). ritnam ritnam urn L urn L

▼ 10 l

Distance

p lan your walk 2233, www.traveline.info ). o smington ( ✆ 0871 200 stops at a bbotsbury and via Weymouth, with X53 between e xeter and bus service Weymouth, then take the 871243) and the o ld i lchester a rms ( ✆ 01305 a bbotsbury, including the teashops and in the-sunray.co.uk ); several ( ✆ 01305 832148, www. t he s unray, o smington Landranger 194. Ridgeway. following the s outh downland ridge-top trail, ( s Y576854). opposite the i lchester a rms o smington ( s Y725828). s outh Dorset Ridgeway. to a bbotsbury along the starting from o smington e Getti NG Map t e Start: Where: a bbotsbury 2 ati ND: errai N l level 2 Navigatio N a bbotsbury, bus stop S NG magazine winter 2011 Martinstown : os e xplorer o L15; t he s unray , 20km/12½ miles & Linear walk there: : Well-signed D D ri N , Dorset Southern England

o l R Weymouth ki NG set Dorchester os M i N gto t rains to l :

l 2/3

level 2/3 Fit N ▲ l

t ess PhotograPhy: FIoNa BarLtroP ime catch the bus back to start. , from where you can finishing in the lovely village of instead at Osmington and South Dorset Ridgeway, starting the beginning and end of on the walk. This route omits number of excellent viewpoints of the route, and is one of a Down marks the highest point The Hardy Monument on Black as henges and stone circles. tumuli and barrows, as well ancient monuments – notably the ridges and a wealth of good views seawards from fine walk in its own right, with around Weymouth. It’s a very and avoiding the built-up area Mills, taking an inland route Bexington and Osmington Coast Path between West a stretch of the South West Path. It’s to an alternative be known as the Inland Coast new name for what used to 27km/17 miles long, is the The South Dorset Ridgeway, 6hrs

l

t ype Downland take the first R, which leads you Continue along the road and village church (worth a look). leads to , passing the the south side of Bincombe Hill Hill). a broad chalk track along signs for Bincombe (via g reen tumuli and barrows. Follow the views and passing a number of top route, enjoying the fine 2. t harbour to the south. Bay, the i sle of Portland and with the sweep of Weymouth from the top is a splendid one, the early 19th century. t he view which was cut into the chalk in to Weymouth – on horseback, King g eorge iii – a regular visitor t he White Horse is a figure of to the top of White Horse Hill. church and continue up the track village of o smington. Pass the Lane through the picturesque ( s Y725828), head down Church road outside the s unray pub 1. START From the main urn L along the grassy ridge-

▼

57-58 Southernroutemaster_Walk33.indd 1 09/11/2011 14:40 57-58 Southernroutemaster_Walk33.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08

continued... 5 Oak Inn at Bank (✆ 023 8028 2350, www.fullers.co.uk). Map not to scale. Sleeping: The four-star 4 Representation of OS Landranger MAP 194 Careys Manor hotel 7 1:50,000 (✆ 01590 623551, www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk www.careysmanor.com) is 6 offering walk readers a 4 special New Forest Walk & Map not to scale. 3 Representation of Spa package for group OS Explorer MAP OL 22 FINISH bookings, including guided 1:25,000 www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk 2 walk, lunch and spa treatment. Visit www. 8 careysmanor.com/ramblers. ViSitor information: 3 1 Lyndhurst & New Forest TIC, START High Street (✆ 023 8028 2269, www.thenewforest.co.uk). guide bookS: Walks Around the New Forest National Park by New Forest Ramblers (£3.50, send a cheque to The Ramblers, New Forest Group, 5 West up to a road junction at the . Continue on the path Road, Bransgore, Dorset 9 2 continued... corner of Came Wood. Turn L that heads down into the woods BH23 8BQ); Hampshire with and after about 500m take the and turn R at the south-west Schoolhouse Tearooms & Tea the New Forest and South 1 START bridleway on the L through the corner. The Hell Stone marks Garden (✆ 01305 871808). Downs National Parks FINISH field, passing two tumuli on the the location of a Neolithic long Sleeping: Hotels and B&Bs in (Pathfinder Guide) by R. Continue across Bincombe barrow, the earliest type of southwesterly path through junction with three gravel tracks and around Weymouth, and David Foster (£11.99, Down towards the A354. At the barrow. (The round barrows are Brinken Wood. Keep to the route (SU274048) to head southeast. several B&Bs in Abbotsbury. Crimson Publishing, road, go R and walk alongside from the Bronze Age.) There over a raised track and brook and Self-catering options include ISBN 978 1854585523). it to the bridge. Cross over and are more fine views on this last local ramblerS group: through a gate on to a forest track. 8. The track bends R, then L. Then, Holcombe Valley Cottages, follow the path, which curves leg – especially from White Hill – Keep ahead over a junction until before it bends R again, turn L on near White Horse Hill New Forest Ramblers north and then west. over the coast, and ✆ you meet with the road known as to a path, passing through a gate. (✆ 01305 852817, www. ( 01425 627159, www. the Fleet lagoon. St Catherine’s the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive Turn R at the tree margin to follow holcombe-cottages.co.uk). newforestramblers.org.uk). 3. The going is now relatively Chapel, standing on Chapel Hill and turn R. Cross the A35 and a path heading south over a ford ViSitor information: straightforward as you follow just to the south of Abbotsbury, Wood, keeping R at a fork to stay follow the road to the Knightwood and out across the heathland of Weymouth TIC, The the fine ridgeway path, passing is a prominent landmark. Turn on a northerly course. At a cattle Oak (SU265064) – at more than 400 Fletchers Green, where herds of Esplanade (✆ 01305 785747, many more tumuli (especially L at a track down White Hill grid at a bend in a road, turn L years, it’s the oldest oak in the New deer often roam at dusk. Aim for www.visitweymouth.co.uk); on Bronkham Hill). Hardy’s and into Abbotsbury, and go R down the road, into Bank and Forest, with a girth of 7.4m/24ft. the cottage ahead (SU281034) and Dorchester TIC, Antelope monument is visible in the along the road. This is one of the The Oak Inn pub on the corner. head up its driveway, taking the Walk (✆ 01305 267992, distance – a distinctive landmark most attractive and historically 7. Retrace your steps to the first L on to a footpath through a www.visit-dorset.com). in the landscape. Carry on until interesting villages in Dorset, 5. Turn L at the pub and go down Ornamental Drive and pick up belt of woods to a footbridge over guide bookS: The South you reach it. famous for its Swannery. the lane to Gritnam. Follow the the circular Tall Trees Trail, going a brook. Cross over and continue West Coast Path Guide by Route devised by Fiona Barltrop track around the eastern side of south. The route meanders under ahead to meet with the corner of a the South West Coast 4. The 22m/72ft-high monument the hamlet and pick up a footpath some Jurassic-sized trees, including single-track road and turn L along it Path Association (£9.98, stands at the highest point of through bracken at the end of a 100m-high Sequoias and California to Beachern Wood car park at the ✆ 01752 896237, Black Down. It was built in 1844 row of white cottages, heading Redwoods taller than Big Ben. At road junction (SU284026). www.swcp.org.uk); 50 Walks as a memorial to Vice-Admiral southwest through woodland. the end of the trail is the worthwhile in Dorset by Ann F Stonehouse Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, Follow it through a brook and Blackwater Arboretum. Otherwise, 9. Turn L along the quiet road for (£9.98, AA Publishing, ISBN best known as the captain of straight ahead to meet with a turn L through Blackwater car about 1km to bring you back to 978-0749533380). HMS Victory at the Battle of bridge over a stream (SU276061). park, following signs for a picnic the junction with Meerut Road by local ramblerS group: Trafalgar (the Hardy of Nelson’s area into a deer conservation area. Black Knowl. Retrace your steps Dorset Ramblers famous dying words, “Kiss me, 6. Cross it and turn L, then almost Keep straight ahead over a through Brockenhurst’s village ✆

09/11/2011 14:42 ( 01202 885870, www. Hardy”). When not at sea, he immediately R through bracken, junction with a grassy, disused centre to the train station. dorset-ramblers.org.uk). lived nearby in the village of which opens up into a broad track, then turn second-R at a Route devised by Dominic Bates