This circular walk links two of the New Forest’s main villages – Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst. Starting from either village, you’ll wind your way along forest tracks before discovering the history – and tea shops – in each village.

Route from Lyndhurst | (Route from Brockenhurst)

From the centre of Lyndhurst follow Gosport Lane southward, past Goose Green, to Beechan Lane, opposite the Foxlease Girl Guiding centre.

Walk down the lane until you come to the double pedestrian gate into the forest inclosure and continue straight ahead for about 1.5km until you reach a cycle route waymarker post. Take a right turn through the gate.

Continue along the gravel path for about 700m until a junction with another path. Take the path to the right. Continue for another 500m and turn right, opposite the Frohawk Ride.

After 250m, turn left down the hill. After the path climbs again, turn right and continue for 400m. At a fork in the path, turn left downhill through a gate which will take you to the edge of the Hollands Wood campsite.

Follow the path straight through the campsite and on to the A337 in front of the Balmer Lawn Hotel. Walking towards the village, you’ll pass the ‘Brockenhurst Beach’, a stretch of the Lymington River which is a very popular bathing spot for families in the summer.

As you head in to Brockenhurst, you can either grab a tea or coffee in the village, or crack straight on with the return leg to Lyndhurst. Cross the A337 and walk down Meerut Road and past the village allotments to join the straight path across Black Knowl.

 After 1.2km turn right into the trees and another popular river bathing spot – Bolderford Bridge. Cross the bridge and go through the gate into New Park Plantation. After 90m turn right and continue on the cycle route. In spring this woodland is a great place to see a display of bluebells.

At the inclosure gate, turn right and continue on the path through the small open grass area of Butts Lawn and through another gate into Brick Kiln Inclosure. After a gentle climb through the inclosure, you’ll exit on to Pinkney Lane. Turn left to visit the small village of Bank and the popular Oak Inn. Or turn right and follow the lane back towards Lyndhurst.

Crossing Chapel Lane and passing along Sandy Lane to get to the high street, you’ll then walk past the King’s House. The imposing red brick building has been the seat of power in the New Forest going back centuries. The current building is on the site of the original manor house of Lyndhurst where the king’s official, the Lord Warden of the Forest, would reside. It’s called either the King’s or the Queen’s house depending on the reigning monarch. It houses the Court of Verderers which administers the rights of the New Forest’s 300 Commoners.

Beside the King’s House, go up the path into the grounds of the Parish Church of St Michael and All-Angels. The Victorian church dominates the skyline of the village and if you follow the path round the back of the building, you’ll see the memorial to a Mrs Reginald Hargreaves in the graveyard. As a girl, Alice Lidell was the inspiration behind the Alice in Wonderland story written by a family friend, Charles Dodgson, under the pen-name Lewis Carroll.

The church itself was built in the 1860s, replacing one dating from a century before. However there is evidence of religious activity on the site dating back to medieval times.

The interior features lavish decorations, including a fresco of the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins behind the altar created by Frederic Lord Leighton.

Follow the zigzag path downhill through the church grounds which emerges on to Church Lane. A short walk down the lane will take you back to the car park. Or you can turn left and spend a while exploring the shops and cafes on the high street.

Route from Brockenhurst

From Brockenhurst Station turn down Brookley Road, past the cycle shop and Foresters Arms pub. Continue down the street until you reach the ford known as the Watersplash. Turn right on to Rhinefield Road and continue for 400m until you reach Meerut Road. With the village allotments on your right, take the straight path across Black Knowl.

At the end of the path, turn right into the trees and another popular river bathing spot – Bolderford Bridge. Go through the inclosure gate and follow the marked cycle path into New Park Plantation, turning left after about 90m. In spring this woodland is a great place to see a display of bluebells. At the next inclosure gate, turn right and continue past the small grassy open space of Butts Lawn and through another gate leading into Brick Kiln Inclosure. After a gentle climb through the inclosure, you’ll exit on to Pinkney Lane. Turn left to visit the small village of Bank and the popular Oak Inn. Or turn right and follow the lane back towards Lyndhurst.

From Chapel Lane, cut through Sandy Lane towards the centre of the village.

You’ll walk past the King’s House – the imposing red brick building has been the seat of power in the New Forest going back centuries. The current building is on the site of the original manor house of Lyndhurst where the king’s official, the Lord Warden of the Forest, would reside. It’s called either the King’s or the Queen’s house – depending on the reigning monarch. It houses the Court of Verderers which administers the rights of the New Forest’s 300 Commoners.

Beside the King’s House is the Parish Church of St Michael and All-Angels which dominates the skyline of the village. In the graveyard behind the church you’ll see the memorial to a Mrs Reginald Hargreaves. As a girl, Alice Lidell was the inspiration behind the Alice in Wonderland story written by a family friend, Charles Dodgson, under the pen-name Lewis Carroll.

The church itself was built in the 1860s, replacing one dating from a century before. However evidence of religious activity on the site goes back to medieval times.

Its interior features lavish decorations, including a fresco of the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins behind the altar created by Frederic Lord Leighton.

Exit the churchyard on to Church Lane. Turn left on to the High Street and at the bottom of the street, turn right on to Gosport Lane. Walk for about 1km following Gosport Lane southward, past Goose Green, to Beechan Lane, opposite the Foxlease Girl Guiding centre.

Walk down the lane until you come to the gate into the forest inclosure and continue straight ahead for about 1.5km until you reach a cycle route waymarker post. Take a right turn through the gate.

Continue along the gravel path for about 700m until a junction with another path. Take the path to the right. Continue for another 500m and turn right, opposite the Frohawk Ride.

After 250m, turn left down the hill. After the path climbs again, turn right and continue for 400m. At a fork in the path, turn left downhill through a gate which will take you to the edge of the Hollands Wood campsite.

Follow the path straight through the campsite and onto the A337 in front of the Balmer Lawn Hotel. Walking towards the village, you’ll pass the ‘Brockenhurst Beach’, a stretch of the Lymington River which is a very popular bathing spot for families in the summer.

Continue to walk down the A337, past the Huntsman Pub, back towards the train station.