5 of the best bicycle routes in New Forest

5 of the best bicycle routes in New Forest

We have explored one of the latest National Parks of the UK by bike. Here is our selection of the best bicycle routes in New Forest for all skill levels

A total of 15 national parks are available in Great Britain. The New Forest in Hampshire, founded in 2005, is the second youngest National Park in Great Britain and one of the easiest to explore by bike.

The park is only an hour and a half by train from London and houses over 160 km (100 miles) excellently neat (mostly gentle) hilly bike paths - ideal for cyclists of all performance levels.

We settled in a cozy little B&B in the well -lying village of Burley, which lies in the slipstream of a hill, surrounded by strong oaks and high pines. The village is located in the heart of the national park and offers excellent access to some of the best New Forest cycling routes and a practical bike rental in the village center.

We spent three days to explore the area around the village and put together our favorite bike routes in the New Forest. Maps and route descriptions are all available in the Forest Leisure Cycling Center in the village, but it is also worthwhile to get an Ordnance Survey card from the New Forest before the trip.

1. The old railway

distance: 8km (5mi) duration: 1-2 hours

Alt = “New-Forest-Radwege-1-Eisenbahn”> Atlas & Boots 3,000 beautiful wild ponies roam the New Forest National Park

We started our journey with a morning bike tour along the disused railway to the beautiful village of Brockenhurst. The gravel cycle path runs almost exclusively along the disused railway line off the street from the village.

On both sides you can see dozens of the 3,000 beautiful wild ponies that roam the New Forest. The route stops at the Holmsley Station Tearooms, perfect for a little refreshment before returning to Burley on the same route.

2. The hill fortress

Distance: 14.5 km (9 miles) Duration: 2-3 hours

Alt = “New-Forest-Radwege-2-Schloss-Hügel-Gasse”> Atlas & Boots The view from the Castle Hill Lane

We combined the above Old Railway route with a challenging trip to the Iron Age Wallburg on the Castle Hill. Do not expect high -towering fortifications because hill fortresses from the Iron Age were essentially earth walls that took advantage of a natural difference in altitude for defense purposes. Instead, on a clear day you have an impressive view of the park, which is usually covered with grazing ponies, cattle and donkeys.

3. The deer protection area

distance: 19km (12mi) duration: 2-3 hours

Alt = “New-Forest cycle path 3-Hirsch protection area”> Atlas & Boots The Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary is an excellent picnic area

This was our favorite among the New Forest bicycle routes, which we tried because it was almost completely off the street and offered the opportunity to observe deer. The path meanders from Burley to the north via Blackensford Brook and Bratley Water and gently climbs to the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary.

We stopped here for a picnic before crossing the street and continuing to the Acres Down Farm, where Cream Teas are available. We did not cover the entire circular route, but have taken the way back that we had come.

4. Villages, views and valleys

Distance: 24 km (15 miles) Duration: 4-5 hours

Alt = “New-Forest cycle path 4-villages”> Atlas & Boots The view from the main street to the village of Bransgore

This circular route offers an excellent cross -section through the area of ​​the New Forest south of Burley and leads through some of the smallest villages in the park. The route runs almost exclusively on paved roads, which means that cycling is calmer even though more traffic can be mastered.

The true attraction of this route are the countless villages, pubs and tea stubborns. The Carpenter’s Arms and Three Tuns Inn At Bransgore are both awarded!

5. The royal oak

Distance: 51.5 km (32 miles) Duration: 4-5 hours

Alt = “New-Forest cycle path 5-royal-oak”> Atlas & Boots The route is a great mix of dirt roads, off-road cycle paths and quiet villages

Our last bike tour led us to the northwestern border of the national park and was by far the most demanding. We extended our journey to the game reserve above with elements of the Royal Oak route.

Although we did not complete the entire route, we spent a whole day in the saddle. The route is a great mix of dirt roads, off-road cycle paths and quiet villages with traditional pubs and excellent food.

The bike route is not only demanding in length, but also quite complicated! However, don't worry if you deviate from the route. With a smartphone or even the simplest local cards, you can easily find your way back to Burley.

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New Forest bicycle routes: The essentials

What: Explore the bike paths of the New Forest from the village of Burley.

Where: We stayed in the charming Wayside Cottage, which is led by the even more charming trish and Ian. The cottage has six adorable rooms, all with WLAN, flat screen TV, own bathroom, super comfortable beds and large windows that let a lot of light in.

The holiday home also has free parking spaces on site. In the morning, a delicious (and rich) breakfast is served in the elegant dining room, and tea, coffee and homemade cakes are ready for you during your stay.

When the weather is nice, it is worth using the area of ​​the hut that is surrounded by beautiful purple glycinia. Take your time to talk to Trish and Ian, who have led a fascinating life as a cook (trish) and line pilot (Ian) in Zimbabwe.

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When: Unfortunately, you are never guaranteed a completely dry period in England, but June to August is undoubtedly the driest and warmest time of the year. However, it is also high season and availability could be a problem, especially during the school holidays from late July to August. Against this background, the irrelevant seasons (April to May and September to October) are also good times to explore the New Forest bicycle routes.

like: We have rented bicycles from the Forest Leisure Cycling Center, which has a fleet of bicycles, including tandems, children's and electric bikes as well as bicycle trailers for dogs and children. The prices given below apply to 24 hours and include helmets, backpack, pump, castle, tool set and a mobile replacement mechanic. See your website for additional equipment, prices and discounts.

You also conduct local travel guides and detailed cards (also available in your online shop).

The visit to the national park is free and there are countless free parking spaces in the entire park with access to hundreds of kilometers of hiking and cycle paths.

South West Trains drive from London Waterloo to several large train stations near the New Forest, including Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole. The travel times are usually between 1-2.5 hours. Other stations within the park are Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, Hinton Admiral, Lymington, New Milton, Sway and Totton.

National Express offers a number of connections from London and southern England that hold in Lyndhurst, Lymington and Ringwood as well as at other stops in New Forest.

We stayed in France at the time, so we took a ferry from St. Malo in France to Portsmouth in Great Britain, the closest cross-channel harbor to the New Forest, 50 km (30 miles) and 65 km (40 miles) from Burley. Brittany Ferries runs a route between St. Malo and Portsmouth.

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Lonely Planet England is a comprehensive travel guide for England, including the New Forest National Park, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and choose fewer roads.

New Forest OS Explorer Map is the most detailed and easiest to read card in 1: 25,000 scale. It contains tourist information points, popular sights, viewpoints, sights and information on paths.

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