Matley walk

[The walking suggestions in this web site are merely to show you some nice, fairly short walks within the New Forest National Park, so you can enjoy the Forest at its best. The walks have been completed by me, and follow used walking tracks.
Disclaimer: I cannot and do not take responsibility for you getting lost, bogged down, chased by a pony or suffering any other unfortunate incident or accident while using material from my website!]

Matley is a couple of miles east of Lyndhurst, the 'unofficial' capital of the New Forest. Located on the road to Beaulieu, the start of the walk is Matley campsite, although the actual car park is the second gravel entrance, coming from the Lyndhurst direction. The walk lasts a couple of hours and takes you through and around all of the New Forest's habitats - Ancient & Ornamental Woodland, open heathland, grassy lawns, bogs and pine inclosures; so this particular walk gives you a great 'tour' of the New Forest!

Matley walk:

Approx location of Matley within the New Forest National Park

Car park location:
OS ref: 332075 [How do I read a map?]
GPS lat/long: 50.865,-1.532
Approximate distance of Matley walk:
four and a half miles.
Allow (time):
a couple of hours.
Nearest pub/s:
a good choice in and around Lyndhurst, or the Beaulieu Hotel is 1 1/2 miles towards Beaulieu.

[Map excerpts: Above, approx. location of the walk within the National Park.
Below, OS 1:25000, walk in red.]

Matley. Walk marked in red

The walk...

There are two gravel entrances at Matley; coming from Lyndhurst, pass the first entrance (to Matley campsite) and enter the second. Bear round to the right and park.
From the car park, you have to walk through the campsite (ie with the road behind you), and head for the gravel road on the northernmost side of the campsite. Turn right when you hit the track, and at the northeastern corner of the site there is a low Forestry Commission barrier, and the gravel track enters Matley Wood. Follow the track... Point 'A' on the map excerpt.
Follow the track through Matley Wood, a small patch of New Forest Ancient & Ornamental Woodland. After about 500 metres, the woodland ends and you walk out onto Matley Heath, a large expanse of heather with sandy tracks. Stay on the track you're on for about half a mile, walking on a north-easterly heading.
After about 500 metres you will reach a small stream and grassy area - Fulliford Bog -- and the path returns to gravel. It takes you over the main railway line. Cross the bridge and stick to the main track. Point 'B' on the map excerpt.
Walk past the gate into Deerleap Inclosure on the left, and follow the main track running parallel to the inclosure on your left. After half a mile or so, there is a turning to the right, when you're in view of Deerleap car park. Take this turn. Point 'C' on the map excerpt.
Ignore the fork off to the right, the main track goes down a dip, over a small stream and towards a pine inclosure. At the corner of this inclosure, don't follow the track straight on but turn right. You're now on a sandy track, with the pine inclosure on your left. Follow this new track. Point 'D' on the map excerpt.
After 600 meters or so, after bearing round to the left, you'll come to a definite junction in the track. The main track carries on round to the left, but you need to turn right at this point. Point 'E' on the map excerpt.
After a few hundred metres there is a crossroads, with the track that you're on bearing sharp left. Carry straight on here, leaving the main track and following the grass/sandy track instead. Looking ahead, the land drops away in front of you. Point 'F' on the map excerpt.
Stay on the path although it can be a bit vague in places. Head down the hill, and diagonally left (southerly heading). The raised railway line is very close, to your right.
The narrow, sandy and often boggy path takes you across the heath to a small patch of woodland, and there is a small wooden bridge over a very young Beaulieu River (Fulliford Passage). Cross the bridge and head under the railway, through the brick arch. Point 'G' on the map excerpt.
Once through the arch, head straight on and follow the edge of a large grassy plain. After a short distance there is an obvious track to the right, take it. Point 'H' on the map excerpt.
This narrow gravel track takes you over a small bridge over an area of wetland (King's Passage). Walk up the other side and head left, up onto the grassy area. Point 'I' on the map excerpt.
Head across the grass and head for the woodland directly ahead of you. This is Matley Wood, and you'll soon pick up the track that you were originally on from the campsite (point 'J' on the map excerpt). Head back through the trees and the car park.