Beginning in the pretty village of Boldre, this is a peaceful and varied walk through country lanes, farmland and an ancient woodland nature reserve. The route is dotted with traditional Forest properties and visits St John the Baptist Church, which has a fascinating literary connection with the village. The walk returns alongside the meandering Lymington River to Boldre Bridge.
Calculated time: 2h10[?] 
Distance : 4.3mi
Vertical gain : 200ft
Vertical drop : 210ft
Highest point : 151ft
Lowest point : 13ft 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : New Forest 
Location : Boldre
Starting point : N 50.783829° / W 1.549533° (D/A) From the Red Lion pub turn right and walk downhill past a cottage with a 1786 date stone to Boldre Bridge and across the Lymington River.
(1) Turn left onto Rodlease Lane and follow the road past Rodlease House, a grand Georgian manor. There is a waymarker on your left which will be your return route. Continue uphill and turn right at a waymarker opposite Rodlease Farm. Follow the path uphill through woodland, past the wholesale nursery on your left, to join Church Road. Turn left and follow the road to Boldre Church.
(2) Facing the church turn right at the waymarker and walk through the car park. Follow the path to Haywards Farm and turn left at the farmhouse. Follow the gravel for 1/2 a mile and then. Turn left onto a side road. This leads to Roydon Woods Nature Reserve. Continue ahead into the reserve along a bridleway which can be very muddy.
(3) At the track junction turn left at the waymarker signed to Brockenhurst. Go through woodland and downhill to a pretty ford (below) and footbridge across the Lymington River. On the way look for a small flooded pit amongst the trees on your left, which was the site of a brickworks used to build Roydon Manor.
(4) Cross the ford and continue ahead to a wide metal gate and junction. Turn left and follow the track. Turn right at the next waymarker and head uphill into a conifer plantation to a gate and junction. Turn left at the waymarker and sign to Boldre, following the track downhill, through two gates and onto Roydon Lane.
(5) Turn right and follow the road to a junction. Go straight on following the sign for Boldre and past traditional red brick houses. As the road bends to the left look for a waymarker in the hedge. Turn left through a gate and across fields, keeping the hedge on your left. Cross two stiles and a footbridge over the Lymington River as it winds across the fields. Follow the path through a small wood and alongside a utility works fence.
(6) Turn right when the path ends and join Rodlease Lane. Turn right onto the road and retrace your steps back to Boldre bridge and the Red Lion pub.(D/A)
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 26ft - Red Lion pub
1 : mi 0.12 - alt. 13ft - Boldre Bridge
2 : mi 0.87 - alt. 102ft - Boldre Church
3 : mi 2.26 - alt. 108ft - Roydon Woods Nature Reserve
4 : mi 2.51 - alt. 33ft - Sandy Down junction
5 : mi 3.35 - alt. 39ft - Roydon Lane
6 : mi 3.95 - alt. 36ft - Rodlease Lane
D/A : mi 4.3 - alt. 23ft - Red Lion pub
Accessibility : Mostly easy walking with gentle gradients. One short uphill and downhill section. Gates, footbridges and two stiles.
The New Forest is great for dogs but to minimise disturbance to wildlife, livestock and other people, please keep your dogs close by you and visible at all times - if necessary use a lead. Pick up after your dog, especially around car parks, on paths and where people play or picnic.
https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/news/new...
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Global average : 4.89/5
Number of opinions : 3
Description quality : 5/5
Routemap quality : 5/5
Walk interest : 4.67/5
Global average : 4.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 15/09/21
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Good
Very enjoyable walk, easy to follow directions.
Global average : 5 / 5
Date of walk
: 29/07/21
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
A very enjoyable walk including a lovely church with links to HMS Hood. Good directions although we did not find the last waymarker in the hedge at point 5 so we just carried on down the road which leads straight to the Red Lion pub.
Global average : 5 / 5
Date of walk
: 07/09/20
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
Really enjoyed the walk no problems with finding directions etc
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
