Cycling in the New Forest

If you’re coming by train, direct trains from London Waterloo to the New Forest take about two hours.

The excellent New Forest cycling website has lists of cycling routes and downloadable route maps. There are bike hire outlets all over the Forest, so choose your route first, then find bike hire nearby.

The central town of Brockenhurst is the main cycling gateway – there’s a convenient bike hire shop at the train station that can also provide advice on the many routes from the village, but you can get off at any of the villages on the route and start exploring.

Another good option is Forest Leisure Cycling in Burley. They offer bike hire and maps for nine cycle trails that start from the shop front door. You’ll need a car to get there though.

It gets crowded in school holidays (July and August) and the roads get clogged, so plan routes away from the main hubs of Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst if possible. Spring is lovely, with forest floors carpeted with bluebells and yellow daffodils; Autumn (September-October) sees a riot of colour, as the deciduous trees start to shed their leaves.