Beaulieu and East Boldre walks
leading to Buckler's Hard
Check out these great Beaulieu and East Boldre walks.
The first walk starts in Beaulieu village centre and follows a route to Buckler's Hard, passing through meadows and woodland, and alongside the Beaulieu River.
The three other walks start in the parish of East Boldre, which abuts the Beaulieu parish boundary. However, two of the three are closely associated with Beaulieu as they pass over Beaulieu Heath and take in the site of an old Second World War airfield: RAF Beaulieu, or Beaulieu Airfield as it's sometimes known.
The fourth walk, however, is definitely an East Boldre walk as it starts opposite the village post office and goes around the site of another airfield, East Boldre Airfield, which dates back to the very early days of flight.
All the walks can be started from points on the route of the New Forest Tour bus which, in season, provides a very convenient means of transport. The walks also pass close to, or through, Forestry Commission or other car parks.
The walks are all of relatively modest length, varying from 1½ miles (2.5 kilometres) to 5 miles (8 kilometres), there are no really steep gradients and no stiles over which to climb.
Please note: Charges apply for use of the car park in Beaulieu village centre. Free parking is, however, available in Forestry Commission car parks and opposite East Boldre post office.
The walks
Pubs along the wayPubs along the wayMore links
Search this site
Silver-washed fritillary butterflies brighten many woodland rides.
Bird song subsides as the annual moult begins - old worn feathers are cast off and new replacements grown.
Wild gladiolus plants bloom. (In the UK, this species is found only in the New Forest).
Dragonflies and Damselflies take to the wing in ever increasing numbers.
August
Heather blossom produces huge swathes of heathland colour, adding to the pinks and purples of earlier flowering cross-leaved heath and bell heather.
Fallow, red and sika deer antlers, when fully grown, are cleaned of velvet in preparation for the autumn rut.
New Forest pony drifts - the annual round-ups - begin.
Marsh gentian blooms add splashes of blue to some of the wetter heathlands.
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)