Deborah Stafford, founder of NewForestWalks.co.uk on how New Forest Walks Membership can help you discover the best walking routes the forest has to offer.
With so many wonderful walking trails in the New Forest - miles and miles of paths taking in ancient woodlands, historic villages and vast expanses of open heathland - the biggest challenge can be deciding where to go first!
Like many families, while exploring the forest we’ve been keen to learn more about the nature and habitats as well as the history of this unique part of the country.
On NewForestWalks.co.uk we’ve brought together the best routes that we have found, tried and tested as a family, along with the stories and insights into what you can see along the way.
The website has expanded to include more than 35 routes and is a complete guide to all aspects of walking in the forest.
There’s short family-friendly strolls, to pub walks and longer hikes where you can spend all day immersed in delights of the forest. You’ll also find news and features for walkers and listings of guided and accessible walk providers.
Ensuring the New Forest remains such a wonderful place is something we can all play a part in. Our routes stick to marked pathways and rights of way. Following the New Forest Code means avoiding disturbance to livestock and wildlife and ensures we all only leave the lightest of footprints.
To help you make the most of your walk, we introduced our popular Membership option.
As well as a full, detailed description of each self-guided route, members are able to view a zoomable online route map. A geolocation tracker means you can follow your progress along the trail.
If you use other mapping or walking apps, our downloadable GPX Tracks for each walk can be used on a variety of apps including OS Maps. Again it means you can follow your location in real time and - if you stick to the trail - you won’t get lost!
You also have access to all the essential information you’ll need before setting out. There’s details of car park locations for the start and finish points as well as public transport options. If the walk route is close to a bus stop or train station, you can enjoy a car-free day out in the forest.
Our online information panels also includes weather forecasts, walk durations and details of all-important toilet facilities on each walk route.
Members have access to PDF guides which you can download and print off to take with you. They contain the same information, map and walk description as on the website.
Stopping off for lunch, fuelling up with a cream tea or finishing off with a drink in a warm and welcoming pub is one of the joys of walking in the New Forest and we’ve listed some of the cafes, restaurants, takeaways and pubs convenient for each route.
So if you’d like to take your first step on a wonderful walk, you’ll find full details of how to join as a member at NewForestWalks.co.uk/join