This circular walk starts and ends at the popular High Corner Inn family pub near Linwood in the west of the New Forest. After the woods of Broomy Inclosure, there is a climb to Hallickshole Hill before you explore Sloden Inclosure. There is also a short extension to visit the remarkable Elephant Oak – one of the most famous trees in the forest.

The route then brings you back downhill and through Holly Hatch Inclosure before returning to the pub.

Route

Starting from the High Corner Inn car park or the High Corner (Forestry England) car park, take the path heading north with High Corner Wood and the open lawn of Nices Hill to your right.

When the path splits after 400m, take the right turn past the barrier and follow the cycle path in to Broomy Inclosure.

Follow the sandy track as it climbs towards Hasley Hill Inclosure. Before reaching the inclosure, the path splits. At that point, turn right and walk for 500m across the open heath before following the left hand path as it takes you into Sloden Inclosure.

Extension

  To extend this walk, take a short diversion in to the woods to see the one of the New Forest’s most famous trees – the Elephant Oak. With a branch bearing a remarkable likeness to an elephant’s trunk, it has been nominated one of the UK’s top ten favourite trees for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year 2024.

Take the track to the right when the straight path across the heath forks, shortly before Sloden Inclosure. You’ll find the tree located a short distance into the woods. Retrace your steps back to the fork in the path to resume the main route.

Shortly after the gate you join a path that crosses Fritham Plain. Turn right to head downhill for 1.2km – though woodland and then open heath – before crossing the footbridge at Dockens Water.

Follow the path as it turns right and then take a left turn, before Holly Hatch Cottage, into Holly Hatch Inclosure.

Follow the main path as it loops around and brings you into Broomy Inclosure after about 2km.

The path splits after 400m – take the left fork which will take you through the woodland before rejoining the main cycle path.

Turn left on to the cycle path and out of the inclosure. Turn left at the barrier to retrace your steps back to the High Corner Inn.

In Pictures