Best Beaulieu Walks
8th Apr 2022
The New Forest is one of the most beautiful locations in the country. With 219 square miles of unenclosed pasture lands, heathland and forest, there aren’t enough words in the English language to describe its beauty.
Despite its name, the forest is certainly not ‘New’ at all. William the Conqueror formed it as a Royal Forest in 1079 to hunt deer. This is why it has ‘New’ in the title, as it was created for a specific purpose – which was unusual in those times.
The Forest is the perfect place for a ‘Staycation’, with so many things to do you’ll be planning your next trip before you’ve left.
If you’re an active person, there is a host of facilities to keep you busy - cycling , horse riding and hiking are incredibly popular, so we've rounded up our top 3 favourite routes to take you on a an adventure around the forest.
Hatchet Pond
1 or 1.9 miles | Easy
Hatchet Pond is one of the largest areas of fresh water in the New Forest and boasts a beautiful view, especially if you can catch the sunset! This is an easy walk which will take you around the lake, crossing several small streams.
If you don’t feel like walking, why not take a picnic with you to enjoy riverside. Just watch out for any animals who may want to share!
Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard
2 miles each way | Easy
This route will take you from the quiet little village of Beaulieu to picturesque Buckler’s Hard, along the Beaulieu river bank. Roughly 2 miles each way, this is an easy route, following footpaths for most of the way. You will find yourself enriched with history, from Palace House in Beaulieu dating back to 1538, to an abundance of maritime history at Buckler’s Hard which was once a thriving ship building village where ships for Nelson’s fleet were build.
Beaulieu to Brockenhurst Village Walk
5 miles | Medium
Feeling like walking slightly further, why not head over to Brockenhurst, just 6 miles away, for a walk which will take you along some of the most beautiful forest landscape. From heathlands to riverside woodlands, you will see much of the beauty that the New Forest has to offer.
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