The first walk is suggested for dogs of all sizes, whether you require a short and varied walk past water and weaving through coppiced woodland, or a longer run out onto open heathland.
1. King's Hat Inclosure, nr Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire
This gate leads southeast out of the King's Hat Inclosure to the northwestern slopes of Beaulieu Hilltop Heath. A few self-sown Scots pine can be seen to the left of the track on the open heathland, with the planted conifers of the Crabhat Inclosure beyond.
King's Hat Inclosure offers a really varied walk in the spring, summer and autumn months as it includes many types of typical New Forest scenery: open heathland, forest, scrub, grazing animals (normally cattle and ponies), and watering holes.
Another view from within the Inclosure
The woodland is not enclosed, and is grazed by deer and the Commoners' stock. The name 'hat' refers to the brimmed appearance of a clump of trees that have had the foliage on their lower branches eaten away by the ponies and deer. As you walk through the woodland you will find very few branches below head height.
© Copyright Jim Champion and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
As you enter the Inclosure from the car park you cross a picturesque wooden bridge over a large-ish body of water. In Spring and Summer the water is clear and inviting for dogs.
In Autumn the water is beginning to turn muddy and not so inviting for dog owners, it has to be said...! The grazing ponies that roam free on the heathland nearby are also frequent visitors to the water, wading in and turning the water even muddier with their efforts.
The banks of the water are full of interest for dogs to sniff about in, and not too muddy apart in Spring and Summer.
From here there are well-trodden pathways which weave through the woodland towards the open heath. Here the sun filters through the trees and the effect can be quite transformative. Despite the nearby Beaulieu road, the area is very quiet and peaceful.
Once on the heathland there are many other enticing paths that traverse along the edge of the woodland, offering varied but shorter walks for more sedate dogs. You can easily find the way back to the car park without having gone too far.
Alternatively, for a more robust walk, stride straight out following the path uphill. This leads out onto open land typical of the New Forest with heathers, ferns and gorse, and plenty of room for dogs to run and explore! As it quite open it is easy to keep an eye on your dog off the lead, however be aware that there are often plenty of ponies and sometimes, cattle in this area.
In the Autumn I have watched with interest as a 4 x 4 drove up to the area along tracks, and as it approached dozens of cattle appeared knowingly and huddled nearby in expectation. Two men got out of the 4 x 4 and offloaded sacks of feed which they distributed to the waiting animals.
The dogs I was with were very interested too, but had to be kept away in case they got a bit too involved! Nevertheless, it was quite an interesting spectacle.
Good things about this walk:
* varied scenery
* can be as long or short as you wish
* lovely peaceful area
* usually meet a few other friendly walkers
* dogs can enjoy splashing in the water, which is quite shallow
* idylic in warm sunny weather
* natural places to perch for a drink or with a flask
* lots of car parking space
* car park is sufficiently away from the road to safely let dogs jump in and out of the car
Things to be aware of on this walk:
* lots of ponies and cattle about
* although car park is well away from the road, the passing traffic can be fast - beware if your dog has a mind of his own
* can feel isolated if walking alone
* muddy in late Autumn
* can be unpassable in Winter or after heavy rain - often closed to public in Winter due to flooding
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