New Forest Cycle Ride - 4
Heathland and woodland between Brockenhurst and Beaulieu, including Beaulieu Heath and Frame Heath Inclosure

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

1) Leave the car park, cross the minor road (B3055) – the first Bronze Age barrow is to the right here - and continue south along the cycle track, which is actually an old, airfield service road. Notice here also distant views across the heath to the hump-backed hills of the Isle of Wight.

2) Reach a ‘T’ junction and turn right along a long-since disused, airfield taxiway.

3) Follow the cycle track as it eventually swings round to the right where the concrete gives way for a short distance to compacted gravel. Notice here to the left, the rounded hillock of a second Bronze Age barrow, opposite a quite large, concrete rectangular area – a World War 2 hangar was here; this is probably its site.

4) And then shortly after, turn left at another ‘T’ junction. Almost immediately, ignore a turning on the left (it is not a cycle track) and continue along the concrete track – this was the service road that linked the airfield with staff living quarters in the area around what is now Roundhill camp site - to reach Hedge Corner and the edge of the camp site.

5) Notice to the right, half hidden amongst a group of conifers, the disused Second World War water tower, whilst straight ahead can be seen an eroded, fenced Bronze Age barrow – the name, Pudding Barrow’, presumably refers to its shape.

6) Follow along the narrow tarmac road with farmland on the left, and Roundhill camp site on the right. After 0.5 kilometres (1/3 mile), follow the track as it goes sharp right, then after another 0.5 kilometres swings left past Round Pond to join the road out of the camp site, through Perrywood Ironshill Inclosure.

7) Cross a minor road – it’s the B3055 again – and enter New Copse Inclosure, following the sign for New Copse Cottage.

8) After 0.75 kilometres (½ mile), reach a crossroads and turn right, then after 1 kilometre (0.6 miles), leave New Copse Inclosure and turn left at a ‘T’ junction to travel along the driftway between New Copse and Frame Heath Inclosures.

9) After a short distance, at another ‘T’ junction, turn right into Frame Heath Inclosure; then after 1.5 kilometers (1 mile), turn right at cycle track sign number 41.

10) After another 0.75 kilometers, go through a gate out of Frame Heath Inclosure, cross the narrow driftway between Frame Heath and Hawkhill Inclosures, and enter Hawkhill Inclosure at another gate.

11) After a short distance, turn left at a ‘X’ roads – cycle track sign number 42. Note, though, that the way straight ahead is not a cycle track. After 0.5 kilometres, take the next right turn at a ‘T’ junction.

12) Reach the gate out of Hawkhill Inclosure, and the car park is to the left. (In Hawkhill Inclosure, by the trackside not far from the exit gate, can be seen old, low walls, and the outline of building foundations. A Second World War, Beaulieu Airfield bomb storage site was located here – maybe these remains date back to that time).

Points of interest: