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New Forest Cycle Ride - 6
Woodland near Fritham, including King’s Garn Gutter Inclosure, Salisbury Trench and Coppice of Linwood

Location: 2.5 kilometres (1½ miles) south-east of Fritham.

Distance: 6.5 kilometres (4 miles), including a short stretch of fairly –not a ride for the feint hearted.

Start: Stoney Cross Plain car park, close to Long Beech camp site (SU 247126). 
Station: Ashurst, 13 kilometres (8 miles).
Alternative start: Janesmoor Pond car park, nearby. Forest Holidays camp sites: Longbeech is at the start of the route; Ocknell is 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) away.

Cycle route 6 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)     Turn left along the road out of the car park, and after a short distance, turn right towards Longbeech          camp site.

2)     Continue along the camp site road, pass through the site, and after 1 kilometre (0.6 mile), at the end          of the road, follow the track as it goes sharply left into King’s Garn Gutter Inclosure.

3)     After 1 kilometre, reach a ‘T’ junction beside which is cycle track sign number 2 – note, this sign is          ‘side-on’, and is not obviously a cycle track sign.

4)     Turn right, cross a narrow stretch of open ground close to which is the very narrow King’s Garn          Gutter, and pass through a gate into Coppice of Linwood.

5)     Almost immediately, miss a turn on the right – not a cycle track – and then shortly after, turn right at          the next ‘T’ junction – cycle track sign number 1.

6)     Cross a couple of small streams on this uphill stretch, and enter the conifers of Salisbury Trench.

7)     Continue on, mostly uphill, for just over 1 kilometre, and reach another ‘side-on’ cycle track sign at a          ‘T’ junction.

8)     Turn left, downhill, back into Coppice of Linwood.
 
9)     Eventually arrive back at the ‘T’ junction from 5 above, and continue straight on. Go back through the          gate, over the open ground and straight on again at the next ‘T’ junction.

10)   After just over 0.5 kilometres (1/3 mile), pass through a gate and an area of substantially thinned,          open coniferous woodland. At the next junction, pass two tracks on the right – not cycle tracks, pass          through another gate and reach the public road.

11)   Turn left and the car park is 0.75 kilometres (½ mile) away.

Points of interest:

Salisbury Trench
First enclosed 1700 - now primarily conifers with some relatively young broad-leaved trees.
Coppice of Linwood

First enclosed 1768. Some conifers but primarily mature broad-leaves, including some particularly fine, aged specimens. 

Long Beech Inclosure

First enclosed 1775 – primarily broad-leaved trees.       

King’s Garn Gutter Inclosure

First enclosed 1860 – a ‘gutter’ in the New Forest is a small stream. Primarily conifers with small numbers of broad-leaves.

Stoney Cross World War 2 Airfield

Look out for the interpretation panel at the edge of the car park - it explains World War 2 use of this area as an airfield. The car park is actually on concrete dating back to that time.


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
Heathland
    

 

 
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