Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
This is a short walk in the New Forest taking you around the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. Here you will find a large herd of fallow deer with a viewing platform overlooking the meadow where the deer congregate. The deer are fed daily by the Forestry Commission keeper so it's highly likely you will see a large number of deer in the early afternoon. There is a good sized car park right next to the sanctuary and a number of graded walks taking you through the surrounding woodland. There is also a large lawn area, picnic tables and an information cabin.
The sanctuary is located about 4 miles west of Lyndhurst and about 6 miles east of Ringwood.
To extend your walking in the area you could follow our Lyndhurst Circular Walk and visit the Knightwood Oak. The tree is over 500 years old and the largest oak tree in the New Forest.
Postcode
SO43 7GQ - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsBolderwood Deer Sanctuary Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
After your walk head to the Royal Oak in the nearby village of Fritham. The pub is popular with walkers and located just a few miles north of the sanctuary. Features include a partly-thatched roof and a nice big garden to relax in during the summer months. You can find it in the small village at postcode SO43 7HJ. The Frogham to Fritham Circular Walk can also be picked up here. It climbs to the the viewpoint on the Hampton Ridge before heading to the lovely Latchmore Brook and Hasley Hill Inclosure near Fordingbridge. Near Frogham you can pick up the Godshill Walk and enjoy the rhododendrons of the Godshill Inclosure before a climb to the Castle Hill viewpoint. The Ashley Walk area is located just south of the Godshill Ridge too. It's another popular area to start a walk with its large car park and pleasant heathland trails. The Bramble Hill Walk can also be picked up in this area.
Dog Walking
Dogs are welcome here and there's some fine woodland trails for them to explore on in the surrounding area. The Royal Oak mentioned above is also dog friendly.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
The sanctuary is surrounded by miles of lovely trails in the Bolderwood Arboretum. There are a number of waymarked trails to follow through this area which includes wonderful ornamental coniferous trees planted in 1860. The Arboretum was formally part of the extensive grounds of Bolderwood Lodge, a master keeper's residence from around 1732 until its demolition in 1833. Just head south from the sanctuary to explore this beautiful area.
Also nearby is the village of Minstead, located a few miles north east of the sanctuary. The unspoilt village is well worth a visit with its pretty village green, thatched cottages, popular local pub and historic 13th century church. The Minstead Walk visits another scenic highlight at Furzey Gardens before heading to the Rufus Stone just to the north east of the gardens. This historical stone apparently marks the spot where King William II was fatally wounded with an arrow, during a royal hunting outing in the Forest, in the year 1100.
The Acres Down Walk circular walk visits the site from the east. The walk starts from the nearby Acres Down car park and visits the pretty streams and woodland of the Highland Water Inclosure before heading to the sanctuary.
For more walking ideas in the area see the New Forest Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Deer spotted from the viewing area in the sanctuary during the autumn of 2006.
Deer Lawn in Bolderwood Grounds. This is a small open area surrounded by woodland which is kept open to provide grazing for deer. New grass has been sown by the Volunteer Rangers of the New Forest
Entrance to Bolderwood car park. The tarmac road in the picture leads from Emery Down to Moyles Court on the western edge of the Forest. The short wooden posts (dragons' teeth) prevent cars from parking on the verge - this is a very busy forest car park in the summer, probably the busiest in the Forest. The long shadows in the foreground are cast by the low winter sun behind the tall redwoods planted on Bolderwood Hill.
Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive.
This part of the ornamental drive is close to the Barrow Moor car park.
The narrow drive winds its way through a variety of attractive broadleaved trees, screening the less attractive (but more practical) conifer plantations beyond.
Pony in a holly holm. This pony was grazing on the very wet lawn beneath a small clumps of holly trees. The Bolderwood car park is nearby - a parked car can be seen through the trees on the left. In the summer this triangular area between the car park and two roads is dry and a popular spot for picnics and ball games.
Bolderwood cottage. Set within Bolderwood Grounds is this enclosed private land belonging to the cottage.
The nearby Mark Ash wood was used as a "Sherwood Forest" location during the filming of "Robin Hood: Prince of thieves" in 1990, and this field was a base camp for the film crew.
Fallow deer on the edge of the farm. A pair of fallow deer looking back at the photographer having just retreated behind the fence of the farm - there was a calf with them too. They are probably used to being stared at by people since the northern part of the farm is a well-visited Deer Sanctuary. The three-wire fence is substantial enough to prevent access by commoners' ponies and cattle, whilst allowing the more nimble and slender deer to get in and out easily.
Road to Bolderwood from Slufters. This road has just crossed Bratley Water in the valley and is leaving Slufters Inclosure. It climbs up the hill to pass beneath the A31(T) dual carriageway. It is the only road underpass beneath the trunk road between Cadnam in the east and Picket Post in the west, and is thus the only minor road that directly connects the northern part of the Forest to the larger southern part.