Autumnal Ashurst Ramble Round Lyndhurst

Location

New Forest, Hampshire

OutdoorLads shares the exact meeting point with people who have signed up, closer to the date. See the OutdoorLads listing for details.

About this event

This walk and its write-up are largely based on the assessment walk led by the lovely Patrick Revell back in February 2023.This circular walk from Ashurst Railway Station explores the timeless landscapes of ancient native woodland and open heathland in the New Forest. The route visits the small villages of Emery Down and Bank on the outskirts of Lyndhurst, both of which have traditional pubs.Throughout the day, we will see plenty of the iconic New Forest ponies, quite likely some cattle and donkeys, and possibly also some families of pigs out foraging freely, as we will be visiting during 'pannage season' when pigs are turned out into the Forest to hoover up the fallen acorns which can be poisonous to the ponies and cattle.The first part of the walk follows the sinuous course of Bartley Water. Here there are fine examples of oxbow lakes that have formed (or are in the process of forming) where the river cuts off its own bends as its course evolves over time. There are numerous impressive Douglas fir trees growing along the riverbanks here, planted in 1864, among the tallest trees in the New Forest.After crossing the A337 the route passes through chestnut woodland, then follows a bridleway into Emery Down. From here we'll climb to the top of Lyndhurst Hill and pause for lunch. Despite its prominence over the surrounding landscape, I can't promise extensive views, as the hill is covered in a dense oak, beech and birch woodland. After a steep descent we'll cross the A35 to the small hamlet of Bank, and take the opportunity to call in at The Oak Inn, built in the 1850s.From Bank we start to heading back towards Ashurst, initially along about a mile of gravel cycle paths before branching off-piste into far more interesting open-access ancient native woodland, crossing under the A337 via an underpass, and continuing through more fine woodland and open tightly-grazed lawns. As we emerge out of the woodland we'll pass by Limewood Hotel, one of the Forest's highest rated hotels, which has hosted many celebrity functions including the weddings of Noel Gallagher and Jamie Cullum (although not to each other!)The final couple of miles are across open heather-clad heathland, crossing the fledgling Beaulieu River, and back into Ashurst. The New Forest pub is right by the station, and offers food and drink for those of us who are in no rush to head home.Dogs well-behaved dogs are welcome on the walk, but must be under close control at all times and on a lead in the vicinity of livestock or where wildlife may be disturbed. Also note that the majority of this walk will be in areas where livestock is free-roaming including many areas of dense but vast woodland. Your dog will be aware of nearby animals long before you are, and so you will need to confident that your dog will remain under control otherwise it could be gone for a VERY long time if it starts a chase.Don’t Waste That Space!Walks can get filled up quite quickly, so please only sign up if you know you are free to attend. Plans do sometimes change, but remember to free up your space so someone else can attend. If there is a waiting list, please sign up, as spaces often become available closer to the date.New Members:If this is your first event or you are new to OutdoorLads we’d love to see you. Please message me if you have any questions.All images used on this page taken by the event leader and permission granted for use by ODL