New Forest Cycle Ride - 3
Woodland near Brockenhurst, including Parkhill, Pignal and Ramnor Inclosures

Directions:
(Only designated cycle tracks, and roads are usually mentioned; not footpaths and other tracks).

1)     Leave the car park and turn left to take the gravel track leading north-east towards Standing Hat.

2)     Pass alongside the Standing Hat car park, ignore a cycle track to the right, and almost immediately          go through a gate. Take the left-hand cycle track through Pignal Inclosure.

3)     After 0.5 kilometres (1/3 mile), follow the track as it goes to the left, then shortly after, leave Pignal          Inclosure and follow the track as it goes 90 degrees left to run between Pignal and Ramnor          Inclosures. After another 0.5 kilometres, follow the track 90 degrees to the right, into Ramnor          Inclosure.

4)     Reach a ‘Y’ junction after a further 0.5 kilometres, and take the track downhill to the right, then after a          similar distance, as the track swings left, leave Ramnor and enter Parkhill Inclosure.

5)     After a very short uphill stretch, follow the track as it turns 90 degrees to the right, then turn left at a ‘T’          junction - cycle ride sign number 35 – opposite the Frohawk Ride.

6)     After 0.5 kilometres, pass a number of huge ornamental conifers at the edge of the woodland to the          left, reach a ‘Y’ junction and go to the right. Pass another small group of ornamental conifers,          continue uphill and then turn sharp right, downhill, at a ‘T’ junction. (Opposite the ‘T’ junction, the          Park Pale can be seen as a wasted bank and accompanying ditch running parallel to the track, 15          metres, or so, into the wood). 

7)     After 0.75 kilometres (½ mile), reach another ‘T’ junction at the other end of the Frohawk Ride, turn          sharp left, and continue, eventually uphill, for 1 kilometre.

8)     Leave Parkhill Inclosure through a gate, and enter the magnificent ancient, unenclosed woodlands          of Denny Wood - notice here the haphazard, natural placement of the trees, contrasting sharply with          the adjacent, regimented inclosure plantings.

9)     On the left can be seen the corner of Denny Inclosure. Follow the track here as it swings round to          the right, and then, after 0.3 kilometres (1/5 mile), turn right at the next ‘T’ junction, onto the tarmac          road leading towards Denny Lodge. (This is the road from Denny Wood camp site. A sign here          warns motorists that there is ‘Access to Private Properties only)’.

10)   Continue straight ahead, past two rather odd-looking man-made mounds on the right of the track,           then follow the track as it goes left, downhill, past the white-washed bungalow that is Denny          Cottage. (Look out for fallow deer in the meadows beyond the cottage – this is a favourite feeding          and lying up area).

11)  Go through the gate into inclosure woodland, and continue along the track for just over 0.5          kilometres. (This is presumably Parkhill Inclosure again, although the Ordnance Survey map does          not make this particularly clear).

12)   Pass a gravel track on the left – it is not a cycle track – and shortly after, notice on the right, a corner          of Stubby Copse Inclosure. Continue on for a short distance to pass a cycle track going off to the          right.

13)   After a further 0.5 kilometres, turn right at a ‘X’ roads – cycle track sign number 39, but note, the left          turn is not a cycle track – and then follow beside Perrywood Haseley Inclosure.

14)   After 1 kilometre, reach a ‘X’ roads and go straight ahead - cycle track sign number 38. Follow the          track first left and then right into Pignalhill Inclosure, pass Victoria Tilery Cottage on the left, go          through a gate and on into the area adjacent to the car park at Standing Hat.

15)   Turn left at the ‘T’ junction, and return alongside Balmer Lawn to the Tilery Road car park.

Points of interest: