BH25 5SL SZ 2544 9912 Good gravel tracks and very muddy off-track paths. With a very small car park just down from the Rising Run pub on the way to Wootton , Broadley Inclosure can
BH25 5SL SZ 2544 9912
Good gravel tracks and very muddy off-track paths.
With a very small car park just down from the Rising Run pub on the way to Wootton , Broadley Inclosure can also be accessed from various gateways on its boundaries. Near the village of Sway, this inclosure in in the southwest corner of the New Forest is on the route of the tour bus that operates seasonally. It is only a mile or so from the centre of Ashley, which is well served by the X1 and X2 buses – check the timetable though!
Please do be aware of the uneven tracks and many branches underfoot – just over three years ago I tripped and very badly dislocated my shoulder in these woods, needing surgery and still in pain at times. (Thanks again to the lovely guy Charlie and his dog who stayed with me and Cwtch Collie until my daughter got there, by the way!) This is such a magical place, that I was soon back there again a few months later as soon as I could drive again!
The main paths are wide and gravelled, but I note from other online walking features that people find it is easy to get confused if you explore the minor tracks and end up coming out at the wrong gate or to walk down the wrong path – glad it is not just me!
The car park faces onto a wide plain with many New Forest ponies while the forest trails are behind. There is a circular walk on wide gravelly paths all around the Wooton Coppice part – even this can get muddy in winter so boots are recommended.
First enclosed in 1860, these woods are mainly oak and beech and were once famed for butterflies and wild flowers.Since the 1930s underplanting took place and there are times now when access is restricted due to forestry works with heavy machinery.
Occupying 72 hectares south of the river at Wootton, Broadley Inclosure has been identified as ripe for restoration under Forestry England’s latest plans, which may further improve the habitat for wildife and flora. The plain area can get busy in high summer with picnickers, but it is still easy to find yourself alone once in the woodland, especially on the many side tracks. In this peaceful inclosure, I have seen deer quite frequently.
