Holmsley
Children will enjoy the pond, looking out for ponies and a visit to the nearby quaint shops and tea-rooms of the village on this walk.
The Basics
Time: 1hr 20mins for the all terrain circular route or 50 minutes each way for the linear pushchair walk
Distance: 4.4 km
Terrain: Heathland, disused railway
Pushchair: The disused railway track is perfect for pushchairs - follow this for a linear walk
Dogs: Yes
Refreshments: For the circular walk, you could have a picnic on the lawn near the car park or Burley is a short drive away with plenty of cafes, tea-rooms and pubs. Our recommendation for the linear pushchair walk is to walk as far as The Old Station Tea Rooms, Holmsley and then return
Toilets: Only if visiting the tea rooms
Parking: Burbush car park, just south of Burley (Postcode: BH24 4EF - W3W: deflation/refrained/launcher)
We went looking for a walk in The New Forest that would celebrate the late summer heather of the heathlands and this is what we found. Add in a trip to nearby Burley for an excellent day out in the national park.
The Route
From the car park, join the disused Southampton and Dorchester railway line, which is now a straight, flat and gravelled path perfect for recreations like walking and cycling. For the linear pushchair walk, we recommend that you follow this track for around 50 minutes to reach The Old Station Tea Rooms.
To complete an all terrain circuit passing Whitten ponds, walk along the track as far as what remains of Greenberry Bridge. Here there is a crossroads. Take the right hand path up the hill. The path will gradually climb and then curve to the right where it will then meet the wide, heathland path that traverses along Holmsley Ridge. Veer right and follow this path.
Continue until you reach a fork in the path. Take the right hand path which will lead you down through the gorse. Below, you will see Whitten Pond which is your next target.
Go left around the ponds when you reach them (this is also a nice picnic spot) and then head right along the path parallel to the road.
This path will end by meeting the road at an old railway bridge. The entrance to the car park is just on the other side. A visit to the village to Burley as part of this walk is highly recommended.
We recommend viewing the map as a ‘Trails Map’ to ensure you see all the paths:
Did you know?
Burley is a beautiful old village with quaint shops, tea-rooms, cosy pubs and thatched cottages. But Burley also has a surprising association with witchcraft owing in part to one former resident, Sybil Leek, a white witch who was said to wander the village with her black cloak and pet jackdaw on her shoulder! Her influence can be seen in some of the shops which still sell all things witchcraft.