new forest walking routes · inclosures from fritham plain, on the way back to the car park. step...

Fritham Walk (2 1/2 hours - 4 1/2 miles) Fritham walk is one of the most popular walks within the New Forest, which could be due to its proximity to the famous Royal Oak pub in Fritham village. There may be some good opportunities for deer-spotting on this walk, so keep your eyes peeled! Plus, if you have seen Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, you’ll recognise the view looking north over Island Thorns and Amberwood Inclosures from Fritham Plain, on the way back to the car park. Step 1: From the inside of the car park, walk back towards the road, then double-back on yourself just before the road and walk down the lower car park track. Look out for the low-level ‘Cycle route to Frogham’ sign on the right of the track. Step 2: Follow the main Forestry Commission track which will lead you through a mixture of wooded area and open land. This will lead into the Island Thorns Inclosure after about half a mile. Step 3: Once you arrive at a fork in the track, keep to the main path that bears left. There will be several junctions along this path, one of which will bear sharply right, whilst another track comes in from the left. Cross the stream in front and bear sharp left on the main track. Step 4: After the sharp bends you will come across the start of a small hill with a cycle route sign to your right. Turn left down through the gate which is on the opposite side of the path to the cycle sign. You will now be entering Amberwood Inclosure, which is home to the Ancient & Ornamental Woodland. This gravel track is narrow, but as before, keep to it and ignore any junctions. After a mile or so, the track seems to go straight ahead, but make sure to stick to the main track, which bears left. After the bend, you will see a wooden memorial bench dedicated to New Forest ﬁlm maker Eric Ashby on your right. Shortly after this bench, cross the wooden bridge over Latchmoor Brook, then pass through two sets of 5 bar wooden gates, which are on either side of a wide grassy ride. Cross over and continue on the gravel track. Stick to this track, ignoring the one bearing left shortly after the second gate. Step 5: Now, passing through a mixture of Ancient & Ornamental Woodland and forested pine, keep a look out for the Fallow deer who are plentiful in this area. After a mile or so, you will come to a ﬁve bar gate which exits the inclosure. Follow the track through the gate and round to the right, before turning left at the top, where another track joins in from the right. Step 6: You are now walking across Fritham Plain, which leads straight back to the car park. Leaving the inclosure to reaching the car park is around a mile. Half way there, don’t forget to look over to your left which is where you will see the spot where Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman stopped on horseback to look over Sherwood Forest. Step 7: Soon you will enter the car park. Walk through the car park, across the village green and head for the Royal Oak to have a well deserved drink! To see the map of this route, please turn over. NEW FOREST WALKING ROUTES

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Page 1: NEW FOREST WALKING ROUTES · Inclosures from Fritham Plain, on the way back to the car park. Step 1: From the inside of the car park, walk back towards the road, then double-back

Fritham Walk (2 1/2 hours - 4 1/2 miles)

Fritham walk is one of the most popular walks within the New Forest, which could be due to its proximity to the famous Royal Oak pub in Fritham village. There may be some good opportunities for deer-spotting on this walk, so keep your eyes peeled! Plus, if you have seen Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, you’ll recognise the view looking north over Island Thorns and Amberwood Inclosures from Fritham Plain, on the way back to the car park.

Step 1: From the inside of the car park, walk back towards the road, then double-back on yourself just before the road and walk down the lower car park track. Look out for the low-level ‘Cycle route to Frogham’ sign on the right of the track.

Step 2: Follow the main Forestry Commission track which will lead you through a mixture of wooded area and open land. This will lead into the Island Thorns Inclosure after about half a mile.

Step 3: Once you arrive at a fork in the track, keep to the main path that bears left. There will be several junctions along this path, one of which will bear sharply right, whilst another track comes in from the left. Cross the stream in front and bear sharp left on the main track.

Step 4: After the sharp bends you will come across the start of a small hill with a cycle route sign to your right. Turn left down through the gate which is on the opposite side of the path to the cycle sign. You will now be entering Amberwood Inclosure, which is home to the Ancient & Ornamental Woodland. This gravel track is narrow, but as before, keep to it and ignore any junctions. After a mile or so, the track seems to go straight ahead, but make sure to stick to the main track, which bears left. After the bend, you will see a wooden memorial bench dedicated to New Forest film maker Eric Ashby on your right.

Shortly after this bench, cross the wooden bridge over Latchmoor Brook, then pass through two sets of 5 bar wooden gates, which are on either side of a wide grassy ride. Cross over and continue on the gravel track. Stick to this track, ignoring the one bearing left shortly after the second gate.

Step 5: Now, passing through a mixture of Ancient & Ornamental Woodland and forested pine, keep a look out for the Fallow deer who are plentiful in this area. After a mile or so, you will come to a five bar gate which exits the inclosure. Follow the track through the gate and round to the right, before turning left at the top, where another track joins in from the right.

Step 6: You are now walking across Fritham Plain, which leads straight back to the car park. Leaving the inclosure to reaching the car park is around a mile. Half way there, don’t forget to look over to your left which is where you will see the spot where Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman stopped on horseback to look over Sherwood Forest.

Step 7: Soon you will enter the car park. Walk through the car park, across the village green and head for the Royal Oak to have a well deserved drink!

To see the map of this route, please turn over.

NEW FORESTWALKING ROUTES