Words John Whitney
DESTINATION
Thundering down a pristine off-road track, part of a network over 100 miles long across the New Forest, this feels like British gravel riding at its finest. Britain’s smallest National Park, at 219 square miles, is best digested at bike speed through this dense network of tracks. The foundations of many of these originated during World War II, when the forest, with its vast expanse of flat countryside ideal for aircraft was seconded as a training base for the troops, primarily ahead of D-Day.
This is a place with a feel of its own. Created by William the Conqueror in 1079 as royal hunting ground, almost 1,000 years later it’s a vast oasis of calm, of sprawling open heathland and dense, brooding woodland, sandwiched between the bustling coastal conurbations of Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth. Its uniqueness is emphasised by the free-roaming animals – ponies, cattle and pigs – that wander through villages and forest, grazing on the land and shaping the gently rolling landscape. Be sure to slow down and give them a wild berth. You’ll find them everywhere in the forest, even in places which you, as a cyclist, aren’t allowed. Stick to waymarked routes as open forest and some Forest England tracks are no-go areas.
There’s also plenty of brilliant minor-road tarmac lolling its way along this up-and-down but never hilly or steep land. Stay clear as much as possible of the A and some busier B-roads that bisect the park and connect its bigger towns such as Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst to the rest of the country. That’s what makes gravel bikes the ultimate choice here, allowing you to stitch together the best of the rough and the smooth into a challenging ride at arm’s length from motor traffic. For multi-day holidays, basing yourself in the aforementioned towns, or somewhere smaller like Burley, is recommended; for day trips, come between Tuesday and Thursday and you’ll find plenty of parking space – and free parking space at that – in over 100 locations. Friday to Monday, especially through the summer months, can be a fight for space in this popular area.
Big dates
Cycling events are a bit thin on the ground in 2024. UK Cycling Events run a couple of road rides – the New Forest Classic (13 April, 17km-127km) and the New Forest Tour (14 September, 17-162km), while UK Velo organise 39-100 miler sportives, on 8 June.
