Cycling activities New Forest
Off road fun you'll love!

New Forest cycling - please watch out for the New Forest ponies

Cycling activities New Forest are boundless! This stunning National Park offers you and your trusty bike, over 100 miles of Forestry Commission owned off road cycle tracks. The gradients all vary but virtually all are all-terrain gravel type cycle routes and trails. What more could you ask for?

Latest Update:

Cycling is allowed on the New Forest ONLY on the way marked numbered cycle routes. More people are going off road across the forest which will damage this sensitive environment.

Please make sure you stick to the allowed cycling routes and help protect this beautiful place and all our livestock and wildlife too.

Can I just ask you one more thing please? You will encounter free roaming animals wherever you cycle. It's their habitat and they have the road and cycle sense of a pea so please watch your speed and be very careful of them and for yourselves. My New Forest cycling sermon is now over!

What better way to really experience and explore this beautiful area? Here are some of my personal recommendations for your New Forest cycling adventure on two (or more!)wheels. The main areas I've covered here are: Brockenhurst, Bolderwood, Burley, Lyndhurst and Fordingbridge and the N.W. area.

Cycling Activities New Forest - my personal recommendations

• Here's a handy map for walking and cycling routes courtesy of the New Forest National Parks Authority
• Villages to cycle from and hire your bike
• The very best bike hire places I know
• Routes and Trails to cycle on
• How to cycle safely
• Suggestions if you want to go further afield like Dorset or the Isle of Wight

Cycling Activities New Forest - the villages

Brockenhurst

If you need to hire a bike it couldn't be simpler. Cyclexperience offer two locations in Brockenhurst, both close to the railway station so you can come by train or car.

You can hire or even buy your bike here and as much gear as you might need.

• They're open all season
• Can deliver to your hotel
• Offer Traffic Free Routes and trails
• Offer Corporate Days - chill out or team build!

Find out more from my Cyclexperience in Brockenhurst page

Cycling Activities New Forest - the cycling holiday option

Country Lanes is an active travel company for your cycling activities in the New Forest. They are based in a railway carriage right beside the Brockenhurst railway track!

As well as hiring a bike here you can book your cycling holiday.

Here's what they offer

• Trafffic free cycling on New Forest tracks
• Well researched, easy to follow routes for all ages
• Free use of safety helmet, lock and key
• On site parking and easy access by rail

Find out more from my Country Lanes New Forest bike hire page

Burley

This is a very popular village too for cycling activities New Forest. It has lots of lovely trails to follow to really enjoy the New Forest up close!

Forest Leisure Cycle Hire in Burley offer

• Rides for all ages
• Open all year
• Lovely routes and trails
• Free parking

Find out more from my Forest Leisure Cycling Activities Hire page

Burley village is well known for its witches, as you will see from some of the shops when you arrive. Hopefully you wont encounter any on your New Forest cycle! You also combine 2 New Forest activities here and have a go at horse riding. You may find it hard to walk for a few days after so much leg action though!

It's also got some good Tea Rooms I can recommend.

Fordingbridge and the North Western area of the National Park - cycling activities New Forest

Cycling activities in the New Forest in this area means being away from the main tourist areas and one of my favourite places for New Forest cycling .
It is a quieter area and so you should encounter less traffic as you puff up and down the hills on your bike. I often meet families having a wonderful day out.

The road traffic that you may encounter is mainly local people just getting about and so you should be able to stop easily, park the bike and have a good look at the animals. If you don't see a donkey on this cycle, I'll be surprised.

The best place to hire a bike for a great day out in this area is at the Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, one of the best New Forest cycling and bike hire centres for all the family. Your cycling activities New Forest will be well covered here.

If you arrive with your own bike they are also great at bike repairs...... and for biking gear too.

Why does your chain break at the furthest point from home when you're out - usually after you've just left the pub?

Find out more from my Sandy Balls New Forest Bike Hire page 

Cycling Adventures outside the New Forest

Here are some top routes which can be included in your holiday if you want to go further afield than the New Forest for your cycling experience.
FAMILY FUN DAYS OUT - ON YOUR BIKES

Isle of Wight

The troll trail between Merstone and Shide is well surfaced, traffic free, and perfect for children who love magic and trolls. The trail has troll carvings and other types of art for them to take in all along the trail - and a good excuse for a break as you all get your breath back.

Follow the Troll Trail

ISLE OF WIGHT
This is flattish and a round the island cycle, which means 62 miles so you must be fit and have a good bike. The sights are to die for and you wont believe where you are.

Discover all the routes, get maps and ideas for your great time out on the Isle of Wight island cycle experience.

If you meet anything like this get off and run!

Only kidding, like all the cycling activities New Forest I'll recommend, a day on your bikes is just another one where you need to be aware of the animals and take care when out on your bike. Hopefully you can choose cycling as one of the New Forest activities to do when you visit the forest and take home a truly memorable experience and not too many saddle sores!

Hire the bike, choose the route, put on your biking gear and include a pub stop and you'll have a day to remember.

Happy New Forest cycling! Enjoy your cycling activities New Forest and take home memories to remember forever.

Back from Cycling activities New Forest to cycling main page

Back to Home Page