Whitefield Moor and Rhinefield

Date: 13 January 2009

Distance: 7 1/2 miles
Parking: New Forest Car Park Whitefield Moor (minimum suggested donation £2)
Map: Explorer OL22
Map ref for car park: SU274027

Good waterproof footwear may be required on parts of this walk as some areas may be muddy. There is a ford to negotiate, and some areas near rivers may be flooded.

Return to car park entrance and cross the road to a path straight ahead across the moor. At a cross path before the current path goes uphill, turn right (west) through gorse and continue down to Silver Stream. Cross the two footbridges and follow the path up Holm Hill to pass to the south of a copse. Continue along the same path round past a single tree on the right and a view across to White Moor and the outskirts of Brockenhurst in the east.

Turn right along a path that runs parallel to the one you have just come along, which then runs downhill. Ignore all paths to right and left. Cross the next stream via laid-down logs and continue up to the entrance to Ferny Knapp Inclosure. Turn right along a grassy track between trees and emerge to the east on a path running down south eastward to a bridge. Be aware that this area can become flooded although not deep and the ground underfoot is generally firm.

Cross the bridge and walkway and follow the path on the other side up into Clumber Inclosure. At the crossroads, turn left and go through a gate to pass Rhinefield House Hotel. At the top of the next rise, go through another gate and keep along the path next to the fence passing more buildings, and round to the right to emerge on to Rhinefield Ornamental Drive.

Turn left and walk along the roadside to Rhinefield Cottage. Turn left along the cycle track with the Cottage on the right. Before the gate and fence ahead follow the cycle track round to the right and cross the ford. This can be quite deep and fast running after heavy rain.

Continue up the cycle path ahead. Pass over the next crossroads, then turn right to follow a path between trees to Blackwater Arboretum. This is a lovely place to spend some time wandering around, especially in summer. There are seats and picnic tables here.

Exit the Arboretum by the east gate and walk down the path to cross the Drive. Pass through the car park, straight ahead on to a grass track down to a five-way crossroads. Take the cycle track leading south eastward. Pass a path coming down to the track from the right, then further on turn left along a clear grass track to a gate.

Cross the area inside the the gate to a bridge in the south east corner. Cross the bridge and continue along a grass track between gorse bushes out on to Fletchers Green. Cross the bridge ahead and immediately after the bridge, turn south towards Aldridge Hill Cottage. Pass the Cottage on to a gravel track leading into Aldridge Hill Inclosure and continue until the first clear path left which runs downhill to a bridge over Ober Water.

From here, you can choose to cross the bridge and continue uphill back to the car park, or turn left and follow the Walk round on a good gravel track. Cross the bridge at the far end and return along the track through the trees alongside the river until it comes back to the first bridge. Cross over to the north side of the river again and turn left to follow the path through tall conifers to Puttles Bridge Car Park. Swing off on to a path running to another bridge and cross over. From here follow the gravel track uphill and back to Whitefield Moor Car Park.


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