New Forest
 - Explorers
     Guide
New Forest
Explorers Guide
days out in the New Forest composite image
Pony near Hampton Ridge
For comprehensive information about the New Forest National Park
For comprehensive information about the New Forest National Park
MENU
***** For information about New Forest access restrictions and related matters, check out the Forestry England website and the websites of the individual venues you wish to visit. *****

Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive and Bolderwood Arboretum

Bolderwood Arboretum
Bolderwood Arboretum

The Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive leads from the A35 (the Lyndhurst to Christchurch road), past the Knightwood Oak and through the glorious ancient woodland of Mark Ash Wood, to Bolderwood Arboretum.

Way-marked trails, varying in distance from 0.75 kilometres to 4.75 kilometres, are provided to take visitors around the Bolderwood Arboretum, which was originally part of the extensive grounds of Bolderwood Lodge, a master keeper’s residence from at least 1732 until demolition in 1833.

Beside one of the trails - the fittingly named Radnor Trail - can be seen the Radnor Stone, a memorial to the Earl of Radnor, Chairman of the Forestry Commission from 1952 until 1963 and Official Verderer of the New Forest from 1964 until 1966.

Along the way, a variety of introduced ornamental coniferous trees planted in 1860 will be encountered although, unfortunately, many were lost in the great storms of 1987 and 1991.

Look out, in particular, for Douglas fir, deodar cedar, Lawson’s cyprus, western red cedar, giant redwood and black pine.

Adjacent to the Bolderwood Arboretum is the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, whilst alongside the Bolderwood car park is a wide expanse of grassland that is ideal for picnics. A Forestry Commission information centre is nearby and so is a barbeque site.

Note: Access to the Bolderwood Arboretum is not available from the nearby A31 intersection as there the minor road passes below the major road.

Quick links

More links


 Search this site


** New Forest ponies and other animals**
The New Forest
Commoners' ponies, cattle, pigs, sheep and donkeys are a popular part of the New Forest scene, but during 2019 agisters attended 159 road traffic accidents involving these animals, a small but disappointing increase on the 154 accidents attended in 2018.

Sadly, 58 animals were killed - 35 ponies, 13 cows, 8 donkeys and 2 sheep, whilst a further 32 were injured - 3 pigs, 9 donkeys, 11 cows and 9 ponies.

(Forty-three accidents occurred in daylight, 15 at twilight and 101 in the dark. Twenty-seven accidents were not reported by the driver involved).

Here's just one horrific example - Three donkeys killed in collision with van at notorious New Forest blackspot (Advertiser and Times)
** Always take care when driving **
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley