Brockenhurst in the New Forest - Village meets rural

With your back to the village hall, turn right on the road then immediately left on footpath behind houses.When you reach a paved road, turn right through a gate and cross over the railway.  Continue to the main road. Cross the stile, then cross the busy main road very carefully.  Turn left and walk on the verge for about 100 metres. Turn sharp right signed St Nicholas Church. (A) The existence of a church on the site of the current St Nicholas Church was recorded in the Domesday Book.  On the south west side of the church stands a great yew tree which has been dated at more than 1000 years old.  On the east side of the central cemetary are the graves of more than 100 New Zealand, Indian and other commonwealth soldiers who died in field hospitals in Brockenhurst during the first world war. Follow the road past the Church until you reach a farm on the right, poorly signed 'Beechtree Cottage'

Opposite the farm, turn left on the bridleway between the two metal gates. Follow the enclosed footpath (muddy in winter) until you enter Roydon Woods. (B) Roydon Woods is part of the New Forest, and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is a working wood and trees are felled, furniture produced and the deer are harvested for their venison. Continue straight with woods on the right, then bear right to enter the woods on a lane.  Follow this for a long way, leaving the woods through a gate, until you reach a T junction with a three-way finger post.  Turn right. Pass logging sheds (surprisingly called Dawkins Cottage) until you reach Setley Farm (the sign is on the garage). Continue ahead on tarmac lane until you reach the main road. (C) The Filly Inn public house is on the right just before you reach the main road.

Cross the main road very carefully and take the road opposite, signed 'Sway'.  Walk on grass verge on left. Very shortly, just at the bus stop, fork 45° left away from the road.  Follow this grassy track straight for quite a way. At the top of a rise, where the path forks, take the right fork down towards the road and a house. (D) The New Forest is the smallest of England's national parks.  Families living in the Forest, called Commoners, have the ancient right to graze donkeys, ponies and cattle in the Forest.  In addition, New Forest ponies are a semi-wild indigenous species that are very hardy, living out doors all year round and eating the scrub and gorse.  You will most likely see some of the ponies and wonder why they have collars on - apparently these are reflective to reduce road accidents.

Cross the road, follow the sign to Brockenhurst B3055.  Follow the road carefully over the railway bridge (you may see donkeys on the left), joining footpaths after the golf club and crossing road as appropriate.  After about 1km, turn right where signed to Village Hall. Return to start.