New Forest - Boldrewood & Canadian War Memorial

Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive, Hampshire SO43 7GQ

Bolderwood is situated in the heart of the New Forest along the Ornamental Drive. Here you have a car park which is free of charge (although there is donation box) where you can park your car and go off and experience some of the great sites the New Forest has to offer.

There are three circular signposted walks varying in distance, each walk begins from the car park and consists of a 1/2 mile, 1 mile and 2 miles distance which are also suitable for wheelchair and buggy users as each of them consist of a compact gravel track similar to those used for the off road cycle network tracks. . Each walk will go through Bolderwood's Ancient and Ornamental Woodland the trees that you will see on your walk will consist of some of the tallest trees within the New Forest with the Douglas fir and Redwoods present as well as deodar cedar, Lawson’s cyprus, western red cedar, giant redwood and black pine, there also some native beech and oak trees too.

Way-marked trails are provided to take visitors around the Bolderwood Arboretum, which was originally part of the extensive grounds of Bolderwood Lodge, a master keeper’s residence from at least 1732 until demolition in 1833.

Beside one of the trails - the fittingly named Radnor Trail - can be seen the Radnor Stone, a memorial to the Earl of Radnor, Chairman of the Forestry Commission from 1952 until 1963 and Official Verderer of the New Forest from 1964 until 1966.

A Forestry Commission information centre is nearby in the car park - this will be our meeting point for the start and end of the walk.

Note: Access to the Bolderwood Arboretum is not available from the nearby A31 intersection as there the minor road passes below the major road.

Check out the three walking routes from Bolderwood Car Park on the Walking Routes page.

Adjacent to the Bolderwood Arboretum is the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, Bolderwood is one of the best places to see the deer as there is a purpose built platform which overlooks a large meadow. The platform is just a short walk from the car park. This is a great place if you're looking to get some great photo opportunities of the natural surroundings of the New Forest as well as the wildlife that surrounds the area. There is also information panels giving you more information about the deer found in the New Forest.

Not far from the Boldrewood car park is the Canadian War Memorial, as well as woodland, the forest paths around this area are usually a good location to photograph fungi also not too far from here is Mogshade Pond.

Once we have all met up, the walk will be self guided and you will be free to go wherever you wish to take photographs, there is a lot of choice and photographic opportunities including woodland, streams, fungi, wildlife etc.

Boldrewood Car Park

• Public Toilets
• Disabled toilets
• Disabled access
• Dogs accepted
• Picnic site

Parking

• Free Parking

I would suggest good walking boots for this walk, there are maintained gravel paths which are easy to use and if you stick to these then walking shoes should be OK but where there is open forest, you can wander from these paths and you will need walking boots or wellington boots (the areas can be wet, muddy and sometimes a little bit boggy! I would suggest taking a walking stick or pole too. If you are planning to head off the beaten track please observe and avoid any areas where access is forbidden.

The Canadian War Memorial or Mogshade Pond can be accessed by using the forest pathways or the main road, the main road is the shortest and quickest route, if using the main road please be aware there are no pavements on this forest road so please take care and be aware of traffic and horse riders.

Please also make sure that you have a fully charged mobile phone with you and I would suggest taking a whistle - just in case.

I am planning for the meeting and walk to have a duration of 2 1/2 hours but again due to the nature of the location this can be extended or reduced by each photographer as they wish - all I would ask is that if you are going to leave early or stay later that you let me know so that I won't be expecting you back at the starting point at 1300hrs.