This 3¼ mile walk (a little over 5 kilometres) features much relatively level ground with few significant gradients.

the New Forest – Holmsley Circular Walk Dog Walks in the New Forest – Holmsley Circular Walk

The new line was heavily promoted by Charles Castleman, a prominent local solicitor who saw the benefit and potential of the expanding rail network. The station’s finest hour and lasting memories will undoubtedly be during WWII, when it played an instrumental part of the troop and freight deployment to the aerodrome at Holmsley South.Go through the gate and turn left then sharp left again to keep the Inclosure and old embankment on the left.

The Old Station Tea Rooms Holmsley

He said communication in the planning of stage of the work had been good, as had liaising with engineers on site, but as preparation ramped up the goalposts were moved with the change to full road closures. It used to have a railway line, now long since gone, which provides an easy route for a walk, one in which you can still see the old railway bridges and platforms at various places.

A tea, coffee, cocktail, gin, wine, champagne list take up most of the menu, with just the offering of a sweet cream tea, there are no savoury options here.

Burley and Burbush Hill Circular - AllTrails

This was the name given to one of Hampshire’s oldest railway lines which ran from Brockenhurst to Ringwood and on to Wimborne. As you approach Holmsley Stationhouse, you can see the remains of one of the platforms, covered in a carpet of green moss, leaves and brambles, with trees growing out from where the tracks once stood. The line was a popular one for many years, but the increase in car ownership and the rise of Bournemouth as a destination meant that the line was only lightly used even before the Beeching Cuts of 1964 which saw the line close for good. At the next junction a few metres beyond go right again and continue along the track as it curves left around the edge of the caravan site. The afternoon tea menu includes all of the usual homemade treats with twists of Pimms, fresh berries, strawberry or tutti-frutti jam and gooey chocolate brownies in very generous portions.

As the name suggests, these tearooms were once a railway station which was last in use back in the 1960’s. When the track bends sharply to the left look for and follow a clear track, marked as a cycle route, which heads off to the right beyond a vehicle barrier.

The Old Station House Tea Rooms at Holmsley - Tripadvisor

This walk follows a particularly attractive section of the line across heathland to the south west of Brockenhurst. The railways reached the New Forest in 1847, when a line was opened between Dorchester and Southampton. About 50 metres beyond the bridge fork right along a narrow path which widens as it climbs uphill towards Hincheslea Wood.

The scones must be billowy and light, with quality, fruit-packed sticky jam, and thick, unctuous clotted cream by the bowlful. Its winding route, taking in local market towns, earned it the name “The Corkscrew”, something is is still known as today. By a ‘good’ one, we mean it doesn’t always have to come on huge cakes stands with all the trimmings of obligatory finger sandwiches, cupcakes, and tea lists as long as your arm. What’s more, the best way to celebrate a summer staycation in the New Forest is to devour one outdoors in a beautiful garden surrounded by birdsong.