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Pony near Hampton Ridge
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***** 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.

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New Forest seasonal highlights
May
Bluebells and other wild flowers brighten the woods, usually in relatively small numbers.
Bird song can be heard throughout the day but is at its loudest at dawn and, to a lesser extent, dusk.
Foals are born in increasing numbers and can be seen beside ever-attentive mares.
Dragonflies are more frequently observed on the wing as spring progresses.

June
Badgers can now often be watched above ground well before darkness falls.
Deer - fallow, red, roe, sika and muntjac deer are all present - give birth, although the youngsters are unlikely to be noticed until July.
Heath spotted-orchids add delicate pink colour to many of the heaths.
Hobbies, dashing birds of prey, can often be seen aloft, hawking for insects.
** 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