New Forest.....

[tjdixon911]

I'm going for a weeks holiday to the new forest at the Begining of April, I will be taking the bike so wondering if there are any decent off road routes in the area? Will be staying in Ashurst so within an hour or so of there would be good. Never been to that area before so just looking for ideas.

Thanks

Tom

[Agoogy]

Actual routes are a bit hard to define and you'd be wise to buy a map once down there... I live in Christchurch just on the edge of the Forest and regularly 'go in'....but obviously you get to know it if you go regularly...

Most of the gravel paths and bridle ways are well sign posted...

enjoy

[Fourmotion]

Pop over to Lyndhurst whilst you're down there, they have a Ferrari garage full of exotica you can drool over!

[Spydaman]

There are official cycle routes through the forest that are marked on OS maps but they're a bit tame. Most of them are fire roads through the wooded enclosures so generally not muddy or technical at all. You can make your own routes off the beaten track but the verderers take a dim view of it if you get caught.
You could easily cycle from Ashurst to Beaulieu for the motor museum for a day out.

Edited by Spydaman on Tuesday 12th February 22:08

[Agoogy]

Fourmotion said:

Pop over to Lyndhurst whilst you're down there, they have a Ferrari garage full of exotica you can drool over!

Meridien.. mainly Maserati in the front showroom, with Ferrari strangely taking the back room option...

[Gingerbread Man]

Agoogy said:

Fourmotion said:

Pop over to Lyndhurst whilst you're down there, they have a Ferrari garage full of exotica you can drool over!

Meridien.. mainly Maserati in the front showroom, with Ferrari strangely taking the back room option...

I've found myself looking around that very showroom before.

[Gingerbread Man]

Spydaman said:

There are official cycle routes through the forest that are marked on OS maps but they're a bit tame. Most of them are fire roads through the wooded enclosures so generally not muddy or technical at all. You can make your own routes off the beaten track but the verderers take a dim view of it if you get caught.
You could easily cycle from Ashurst to Beaulieu for the motor museum for a day out.

Edited by Spydaman on Tuesday 12th February 22:08

I went cycling in the New Forest over the weekend. We started near Beaulieu (at Hatch Pond - largest expanse of water in the New Forest) and rode for hours and miles. As mentioned, I found them pretty tame. No real hard accents or descents to note but I wasn't really looking for any. I took the girlfriend down for a poodle about so nothing to major.

I'm sure there are some good routes if you look for them but I don't know why I think this, but I don't think that there would many hard routes as such.

[Agoogy]

Gingerbread Man said:

Spydaman said:

There are official cycle routes through the forest that are marked on OS maps but they're a bit tame. Most of them are fire roads through the wooded enclosures so generally not muddy or technical at all. You can make your own routes off the beaten track but the verderers take a dim view of it if you get caught.
You could easily cycle from Ashurst to Beaulieu for the motor museum for a day out.

Edited by Spydaman on Tuesday 12th February 22:08

I went cycling in the New Forest over the weekend. We started near Beaulieu (at Hatch Pond - largest expanse of water in the New Forest) and rode for hours and miles. As mentioned, I found them pretty tame. No real hard accents or descents to note but I wasn't really looking for any. I took the girlfriend down for a poodle about so nothing to major.

I'm sure there are some good routes if you look for them but I don't know why I think this, but I don't think that there would many hard routes as such.

agreed New Forest doesn't vary much in elevation...
Queen Elizabeth Park north of Waterlooville nr Portsmouth is better for that

[Spydaman]

Try this:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/finalnfcyclemap05.p...

[pdV6]

One option I've used in the past is to park up in Brokenhurst, cycle down to Lymington off road as much as possible, hop on the ferry to the IoW, a quick lap of the island and then back via the ferry again.

Was quite a nice day out I seem to remember.

[v8 jago]

We go down to a holiday camp called sandy balls And i have a little ride around there. Its nice to ride somewhere so pleasant but as im not familiar with the place i can only find the rides that the camp site gives you, And not wanting to go riding on land where your not allowed it limits you quite a lot. Have a good look at the places to ride and do some research on where you can ride and im sure you will enjoy yourself.

[Gingerbread Man]

v8 jago said:

We go down to a holiday camp called sandy balls And i have a little ride around there. Its nice to ride somewhere so pleasant but as im not familiar with the place i can only find the rides that the camp site gives you, And not wanting to go riding on land where your not allowed it limits you quite a lot. Have a good look at the places to ride and do some research on where you can ride and im sure you will enjoy yourself.

I used to go there when young! I made clay things.

[drewcole81]

Spydaman said:

There are official cycle routes through the forest that are marked on OS maps but they're a bit tame. Most of them are fire roads through the wooded enclosures so generally not muddy or technical at all. You can make your own routes off the beaten track but the verderers take a dim view of it if you get caught.
You could easily cycle from Ashurst to Beaulieu for the motor museum for a day out.

Edited by Spydaman on Tuesday 12th February 22:08

Beaulieu Park Motor Museum is well expensive to get in for what it is.

[Spydaman]

drewcole81 said:

Spydaman said:

There are official cycle routes through the forest that are marked on OS maps but they're a bit tame. Most of them are fire roads through the wooded enclosures so generally not muddy or technical at all. You can make your own routes off the beaten track but the verderers take a dim view of it if you get caught.
You could easily cycle from Ashurst to Beaulieu for the motor museum for a day out.

Edited by Spydaman on Tuesday 12th February 22:08

Beaulieu Park Motor Museum is well expensive to get in for what it is.

Agreed. I normally only go there when there's something else on like the auto-jumble. Sammy Millers bike museum is better but a bit too far to cycle.

[village idiot]

tbh... you're better off road cycling round the new forest... the off-road options are pretty dire, unless of course you are up for a sunday afternoon pedal with the family.

as for meridian modena... the reason why the bulk of the ferraris are hidden out back, is that the company appears to have a policy of not leaving any ferraris on the open forecourt outside of hours (presumably to stop oiks from half-inching badges and what-not).

[tjdixon911]

Thanks for the replies, I won't expect too much from what is said above.

[Gooby]

The rides in the New Forest are pretty girly but the scenery is beautiful (on the right ride). The new forest is a very large place. The rides closer to the costal areas are quite boring but head inland to Linwood / Gorley are quite hilly and good fun. There are some rides around Brockenhurst but I wouldnt recomend them.

For some great rides, head over to the Purbeck Downs. (west side of Poole Harbour) there are some great hills and some brilliant and underused bridalways to get throughly lost on.