This weekend I was supposed to be on a two day course with the SCC. It actually ended up only being one day, and so I made the most of the weather and headed out to the New Forest for a walk.
I first created this loop a few weeks ago, and posted about it here.
This time, however, I decided to branch out a little more, making it 10.89 miles I thought I’d only done 10.5 so thanks Strava) instead of 10.08. Much of the walk remained the same. I started at Buckler’s Hard, walked to Beaulieu, on to Hatchet Pond, East Boldre, across to St Leonard’s and back to Buckler’s Hard via the road down to the Yacht Harbour.
If you don’t want to complete the whole walk, a good turning point is Beauleiu and you can loop back to Buckler’s Hard along the cycle path, or along the river!
Buckler’s Hard
I’ve previously posted about Buckler’s Hard on a number of occasions, including here, but in case you were not aware, it is an old shipbuilding village in the New Forest, situated on the Beaulieu River. Many of the ships for the Royal Navy were built here, including HMS Agamemnon, known to be Horatio Nelson’s ‘favourite’ ship. The Euryalus was also built here, and in later years left Portsmouth alongside HMS Victory on 14 September 1805 prior to the Battle of Trafalgar.
There is a small museum and gift shop, a cafe, and a lovely pub/hotel. You can also head out on a boat trip up the river if you so wish. I’ve never actually been on the boat trip, but I’m told it’s beautiful. Next time, perhaps!
You do have to pay to get in to the village unless you walk in from Beaulieu, but it’s not very expensive, at around £6.50 for an adult ticket.
I have a season pass, and so I can park, come and go as I please. Plus, it paid for itself within 2 trips.
The New Forest is such a beautiful location. I love how there are horses wandering freely around.
Interesting to read your comments about mountaineering with “Ken”. When I was growing up the girl across the road from me insisted that my Action Man would make a better boyfriend than Ken because “Barbie needed a real man”!
Oh wow! Poor Ken seems to get a lot of stick, it would appear!!
K