Family cycling in the New Forest

Here is a cycling loop we love to do as a family in the New Forest: the Rhinefield Ornamental Woodland route around the village of Brockenhurst. This part of the forest is particularly beautiful because it is home to the tallest trees in the National Park, including huge Douglas firs and giant sequoias. Of course, as always in the New Forest, we have the pleasure of coming across plenty of free-roaming ponies! You know how much we love this forest, which is right next to where we live. I’ve already described all our loveliest walks in the New Forest. So, for a change, I invite you to follow us by bike!

A family cycling loop in the New Forest:

We recommend the Rhinefield Ornamental Woodland loop for a family bike ride that will give you a lovely overview of the New Forest.

It’s a 17.4 km route that starts at Brockenhurst station. Over the whole itinerary, we ride on tracks for 65% of the way and on quiet roads for 35% of the way. In terms of difficulty, it’s accessible to the whole family. There is very little elevation gain. I’d say it’s ideal from around the age of 8, with children who cycle well and aren’t afraid of riding on a road with cars at times. If your children are younger, we’d recommend the Hawkhill trail instead, as it’s a completely traffic-free route.

We’ve done the Rhinefield Ornamental Woodland loop several times with Ticoeur and Titpuce. Let me show you our latest ride in pictures…

The start of the loop:

We first downloaded this map from the official New Forest website. Then we decided to start the loop at point 10, by the Brock Hill Car Park. If you come by train, you’ll start at point 1, in the village of Brockenhurst.

We wanted to begin by admiring the tall trees, so we first made a little 750 m detour south of the car park to go and see the two finest giant sequoias in the New Forest (you’ll also see them marked on Google Maps). They are part of the famous tall tree trail, a 2 km walk. The sequoia on the left of the photo is 51 m tall and the other reaches 47 m.

The cycle route:

Then we rode clockwise for 2 hours, at a leisurely pace, with photo stops.

The cycle paths are clearly indicated with small markers. However, when several cycle paths cross, it’s best to check the map to know which is our route, as the names of the trails aren’t specified.

Practical information:

Our cycling kit:

hybrid bikes and helmets.
a pannier with a small repair kit and our ponchos, in case of rain.
a rucksack with snacks and water bottles
footwear: trainers. Avoid tackling this ride after heavy rain, as part of the route might be muddy.

Getting there by train:

If you arrive by train at Brockenhurst, it’s very convenient since it’s the official start of the loop. From London, it’s about a 1 hr 30 train journey from Waterloo Station. Just a stone’s throw from the station, you can hire bikes at Boost Bike Hub.