New Forest driving roads

[Alex Michaels]

Hello!

I am heading down to the new forest for a long weekend this thurs and thought some of you guys might know some good driving roads and can reccomend some areas? I am staying in Redlynch.

Thanks,

Alex

Edited by Alex Michaels on Monday 22 January 14:11

[Kermit power]

Alex Michaels said:

Hello!

I am heading down to the new forest for a long weekend this thurs and thought some of you guys might know some good driving roads and can reccomend some areas? I am staying in Redlynch.

Thanks,

Alex

Edited by Alex Michaels on Monday 22 January 14:11

I think you'll have to head out of the forest itself. Blanket 40mph speed limit iirc, and tbh rightly so to avoid rather nasty car/pony interface incidents

[Alex Michaels]

Thanks, I didn't realise that! I will have to make my way out of it then, does anyone know any good driving roads within that area?

[RDE]

The road that bisects the forest isn't bad if I remember, but you'd have to be willing to get up early to catch it in an exploitable state. It's a crying shame that there is need for the 40 limit, because the majority of the roads in the forest are gorgeous. I have to sheepishly admit i've pushed the limit a couple of times, but only in the areas where it's flat and open and a horse would stand out like a sore thumb.

Ginger

[Rochester BMW]

Only just joined up with piston heads, shame i didn't earlier.

I was down the new forest over the weekend to take my new car for a long drive, just picked up a new BMW 335i.

Ive been going down the New Forest for around 15 years now, great roads but the 40 limit is a pain, there are places mind you where you can see for miles so its safe to go a little quicker....

failing that, i can reccomend the road that links woodgreen (in the forest, nw) to the sw of salibusy. its a newly re-laid twisty country road, some parts a narrow so be carefull if you do get the chance again.

[anonymous-user]

Problem with the new forest is it can be very busy, even early in the morning.This time can be the worst time as this is when the animals that live there are moving around. Also there are a lot of Cyclist and Pedestrians, Head further north and try Salisbury plain

[Schmalex]

I come from the New Forest, so know it fairly well.

Firstly a couple of tips - if a horse has got it's head down eating, you will be fine(I've not hit one yet!). Secondly (probably dumb), but watch out for deer early in the morning - my wife nearly hit a F big stag at 5.00am on her way to work once.

Now to driving roads. Previous posters have talked about the 40 limit, which is quite a pain but there a still a few good runs:

1: "Ten Bends" on the Brockenhurst to Burley road - a great stretch of linked bends stretching out for 2 miles or so that you can almost straight line.... Keep following this road to the "Manic Mile" - nickname says it all.

2: The back road from Beaulieu to Lyndhurst is brilliant fun (pass the car museum on your right & keep going straight on that road) - about 10 miles of sharp corners, drop offs etc, etc (watch the humpback bridge at Beaulieu Road Station)

3: A33(?)from Lyndhurst to Christchurch - a 15 mile flat out blast, but watch for plod on the long straights (this is a brilliant road in the early rush hour...)

4: Sway to Brockenhurst, diverting through Longslade Bottom - probably my favourite part of the forest. An undulating straight for a mile or 2, then hooks you into 10 bends (see above).

5: The "back road" from Downton to Salisbury (turn right coming down this hill into Downton before you get to the Tannery). About 10 miles of twists through fields with views of Salisbury Cathedral in the distance if you get behind stuck someone (be careful though, as this is a narrow road in general - not sure of the speed limit here nowadays.

Enjoy

Alex

[edb49]

www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=426000&Y=108000&width=700&height=400&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=&zm=0&scale=25000&down.x=149&down.y=3

Anyone drive Ornamental Drive? I think it's an awesome road...

[308mate]

Schmalex said:

3: A33(?)from Lyndhurst to Christchurch - a 15 mile flat out blast, but watch for plod on the long straights (this is a brilliant road in the early rush hour...)



Alex

I can vouch for this one cause I live in Christchurch

There is one crest on the way out of Lyndhurst towards Totton which launched the GSXR1000 K5 I was riding 2-up a good 6 inches in the air! Its not much but it feels like orbit at 130mph - maybe that contributed....

I stay below 110 exiting Lyndhurst now.

My advice would be to get thee the other side of Salisbury. See especially roads linking Salisbury to Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury to Gillingham, Wimborne to Salisbury or Wimborne to Shaftesbury. They will all give you a crackin ride and (mainly) bugger-all Kojaks with Kodaks.

ETA - Forget blasting in the New Forest. Enjoy it for what it is, have a gentle flip/flop through there, check out the Red Shoot or few of the other pubs there and get further north for good roads.

Edited by 308mate on Thursday 12th April 13:10