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New Forest Cycle Ride - 2
Woodland near Ashurst, including Busketts Lawn, Lodgehill and Ironshill Inclosures

Location: 1 kilometre (0.6 mile) north-west of Ashurst.

Distance: 5.5 kilometres (3½ miles), including a short stretch of Woodlands Road.

Start: Park beside Woodlands Road, 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) north-west of Ashurst station, by a telephone box, and gate leading into Busketts Lawn Inclosure - SU 324111. Note, parking is somewhat limited here – enough only for 4-5 cars.
Station: Ashurst, 1 kilometre (0.6 miles).
Forest Holidays camp site: Ashurst, 1.5 kilometres.

Alternative starts: There is another gate with even more limited parking – enough for 2-3 cars - a little closer to Ashurst, on Woodlands Road. Alternatively, try the Busketts Lawn car park – continue along Woodlands Road, turn left at the first T junction, and the car park is a short distance away, on the left. Those cycling from Lyndhurst can join the route close to Lodgehill Cottage, on the A35 Lyndhurst to Ashurst road.

Cycle ride 2 map
� Walking Distance (Maps) Ltd 2008. Reproduced by permission.    Walking Distance cycle maps.    Map purchase and contact info.

Directions:
(Only designated cycle tracks, and roads are usually mentioned; not footpaths and other tracks).

1)   Leave the parking area by the telephone box, turn right along Woodlands Road, turn right again at a        gate, and continue along the cycle track through Costicles Inclosure.

2)   Follow the cycle track for 0.5 kilometres (1/3 mile), to leave Costicles Inclosure just before a 'T'        junction is reached – the cycle track goes left here.

3)   Skirt Costicles, Busketts Lawn, Busketts and Lodgehill Inclosures, and eventually, after a further 1        kilometre, reach the grounds of Ironshill Lodge, where the cycle track swings sharply to the left.

4)   Almost immediately after, go straight across at a X-roads – the intersecting track is well-made and        compacted, but is not a cycle track.

5)   After a further 0.3 kilometres (1/5 mile), turn sharp right at a 'T' junction (cycle track sign number 44),        and continue to follow the track through Lodgehill Inclosure, and then Ironshill Inclosure.

6)   Enter Busketts Lawn Inclosure, cross Bartley Water, and follow the cycle track to the right, on through        Busketts Lawn Inclosure.

7)   After a further 1 kilometre, reach a 'T' junction, and turn left. (Again, although well-made and        compacted, the turn to the right is not a cycle track).

8)   After a short distance, follow the cycle track to the right, and return to the Woodlands Road ‘telephone        box’ car parking area.

Points of interest:

Lodgehill Inclosure
First enclosed 1810, now primarily conifers.
Ironshill Inclosure

First enclosed 1810. Small but perfectly formed. Its circular shape is said to betray the prior presence of a woodland coppice, so management here probably pre-dates creation of the inclosure. Now primarily mature broad-leaved trees - mainly oak, with some beech – although a small number of conifers are also present, and so is hazel. A magical woodland!
Costicles Inclosure

First enclosed 1829. Primarily mature broad-leaves, with occasional conifers.
Busketts Lawn Inclosure
First enclosed 1864. Primarily conifers.
Ironshill Lodge
An earlier building on this site was used as a prison in Napoleonic times, but has since been demolished.
Bartley Water
A beautiful, in places steep banked New Forest stream.

And finally, find out about the countryside and wildlife that can be seen during the cycle ride:

Woodland inclosures - a bit of history
Broad-leaved inclosures
Coniferous inclosures
New Forest streams
    

 
New Forest Places to Stay
New Forest Days Out
New Forest
Pub Guide
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