New Forest
 - Explorers
     Guide
New Forest
Explorers Guide
Walking 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. *****

Burley walks - New Forest

Wildlife-rich Holmsley Bog, visited during the Castleman's Corkscrew walk
Wildlife-rich Holmsley Bog, visited during walk 2, the Castleman's Corkscrew walk

Check out these great Burley walks.

All can be started from Burley village centre and they are therefore convenient for users of local bus services including, in season, New Forest Tour buses. They also pass close to, or through, Forestry Commission or other car parks situated on, or near, the main walk routes, which provide convenient alternative start points.

The walks are of broadly similar length - 3 to 3½ miles (around 4.8 to 5.5 kilometres), excluding the distance from the village centre to the main start points. There are no really steep gradients, and few stiles over which to climb.

Please note: Charges apply for use of the car park near the Queens Head in Burley village centre. Free parking is, however, available in Forestry Commission car parks.

The walks

Quick links

More links


 Search this site


New Forest seasonal highlights
November
Sika deer continue to engage in rutting behaviour, and will do so until December.
Pigs seek out the remains of the acorn crop.
Beech leaves
are transformed into a magnificent mosaic of glorious reds and golds. Other deciduous trees, too, take on an autumnal cloak before their leaves fall.
Dragonflies can occasionally be seen on the wing on bright days early in the month.


December
Foxglove leaves survive the winter at ground level, and offer the prospect of colourful summer blooms to come.
Redwings and fieldfares, autumn and winter visitors, gorge on haws and holly berries.
Great grey shrikes and hen harriers hunt over the heaths and other open spaces.
Honeysuckle by the end of the month often shows welcome signs of new growth.
** 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