The New Forest is the ideal location for a break outside of the hustle and bustle of city life. Just 90 minutes from London Waterloo, The New Forest is an enchanting area on the south coast of England, where wild ponies roam freely across the 218 square miles of heathland, moorland and woodland.
If you have a day, a week, or even just a few hours you must visit the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive.
The Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, which starts at Whitefield Moor in Brockenhurst and finishes in Bolderwood, is a fantastic drive with some lovely walks and beautiful scenery along the way.
Start out at Whitefield Moor (location and map can be found here) park in the car park for free with toilet facilities; where the New Forest ice cream van can be found during the busier season. Enjoy spectacular views across the moorland for miles, where you can see dozens of ponies and cattle (weather permitting; if it rains they’ll be hiding amongst the trees!).
Jump back in the car and drive along the narrow road for about a mile into the woodland towards the heart of Rhinefield. Drive amongst the trees and shade, passing the beautiful Rhinefield House Hotel on your left, the perfect pit stop for afternoon tea.
Arrive at Blackwater car park on your right. Park again for free with toilet facilities; an ideal place to stop for a picnic, with many benches and also an opportunity for a barbecue. Walk along the Tall Trees Trail where you can see some of the tallest and oldest Douglas fir trees in Britain as well as two enormous redwoods visible from the path.
Take one final drive across the A35 and into Bolderwood passing the Knightwood Oak on route, the largest and most famous oak tree in the New Forest with a 7.4 metre girth - it’s definitely some tree!
Your final destination on this route is Bolderwood car park and deer sanctuary. Park up in the free car park and walk across the road to the deer viewing platform where a lovely family of fallow deer will be waiting to greet you. The area has way marked trails for you to explore ending a perfect day out in the New Forest.
Thirsty for more? Why not make a week of it and enjoy what else the forest has to offer in one of our charming holiday cottages.
