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New Forest Cycle Ride - 8
Woodland near Burley, including Burley New and Burley Old Inclosures

Location: 2.5 kilometres (1½ miles) north-east of Burley.  

Distance: 8 kilometres (5 miles), including a short stretch of road close to the start car parks and again near Anderwood Cottage.

Start: Lucy Hill car park (SU 227045).
Station: Sway, 11 kilometres (7 miles).
Alternative starts: The car park across the road from Lucy Hill; and the Anderwood car park, close to Anderwood Cottage.   
Forest Holidays camp sites: Holmsley, 8.5 kilometres (5¼ miles); Setthorns, 9 kilometres (5½ miles).

cycle ride 8 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 car park and turn right along Lyndhurst Road.

2)   After 300 metres, turn right again, along the cycle track beside Burley New Cottage (by the Burley        Products sign) and follow it straight on, initially uphill, through Burley New Inclosure, passing after 1        kilometre (0.6 mile), at a cross roads, a cycle track turn on the left. Beyond is Cockroad Hill.

3)   Enter Burley Old Inclosure through a gate, and continue on beside a low, bracken-covered inclosure        boundary bank.

4)   After 1 kilometre, follow the track as it swings to the left, and pass through a gap in the inclosure        boundary bank, into Dames Slough Inclosure. Reach a T junction and continue straight on, over a        narrow stream - Black Water - to, after around 600 metres, join a minor road.

5)   Turn left along the road and at the first cottage – Anderwood Cottage – turn right to enter Anderwood        Inclosure at the cycle track sign number 17.

6)   After 1 kilometre, reach a ‘T’ junction and turn left at the cycle track sign number 16.

7)   After a further 400 metres, pass a cycle track on the right and continue straight ahead into Burley       Outer Rails Inclosure.

8)   Pass over Blackensford Brook and, to the left, the grounds of Burley Lodge; then pass another track       on the right and continue on for around 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) to go through a gate and rejoin       Lyndhurst Road at a junction of cycle tracks.

9)  Turn right and return to the car park.

Points of interest:

Burley Old Inclosure

First enclosed 1700 – this was one of the first New Forest woodland inclosures, and still contains trees from the original planting. The cycle route, though, passes beside more recent plantings of broadleaves and conifers. Commoners’ stock, primarily ponies, are being encouraged to enter this inclosure and also Dames Slough Inclosure – grazing by the ponies will introduce something of the character of unenclosed woodland into the inclosures. Gates are accordingly locked open. Please leave them as you find them.
Burley New Inclosure

First enclosed 1810, now a mixture of variably aged broadleaves and conifers.
Burley Outer Rails Inclosure

First enclosed 1810. Mature broadleaves that appear to be from the original planting remain. A mixture of other broadleaves and conifers of various ages are also present.
Anderwood Inclosure

First enclosed 1811. Now a mixture of broadleaves and conifers of variable age.
Dames Slough Inclosure

First enclosed 1859. Mature, mixed woodland with many fine broadleaves, predominantly oak.
Ancient, unenclosed woodlands

At the start of the route - between Lucy Hill and Burley New Inclosure; and again along the roadside close to Anderwood Cottage.
Cockroad Hill, Burley New Inclosure

Richardson, King and Driver on their late-18th century map show Cockroad Hill just as it is today; and also show a Cock Road and another Cock Road Hill north-east of Brockenhurst, on the route of the old Salt Way – LINK. It has been suggested that these names refer to the presence of a still relatively common and widespread New Forest bird: the Woodcock.   
Black Water
Look out for the ‘Restoring the Rivers’ interpretation board beside the stream in Dames Slough Inclosure.
Anderwood Cottage
A picturesque, black and white, New Forest keeper’s cottage, prominently dated 1876. Lookout for two pairs of fallow deer antlers adorning the walls.
Burley Lodge

The route passes through woodlands surrounding Burley Lodge. The Lodge was occupied through much of the 18th century by successive Dukes of Bolton, holders of the Bailiwick of Burley.


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
Ancient, unenclosed woodlands
New Forest streams

 

 
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