RAF Beaulieu Walk from Hawkhill Inclosure

New Forest Walk

Walk Route Description

This is an alternative and very different walking route around the RAF Beaulieu area compared to others published online. Rather than taking you on a walk around the perimeter track and well-known aspects to the old WW2 airfield, this RAF Beaulieu walk takes you on a journey through other aspects of wartime history including the foundations of the Defence Site in Stockley Inclosure which was home to around 300 airmen, the water tower at Roundhill Campsite and the markings of the wartime communal areas to be found on the site. The route includes a walk around the perimeter track of Roundhill Campsite where the airmen and women would stay and as an aside explores a Bronze Age burial ground. The sergeant and officer quarters that are now being used to hold livestock and farming equipment are seen followed by a stroll through Perrywood Inclosure where we find more wartime airfield evidence. The walk finishes with a short stop off at Roundhill Pond before stopping off at Colt Pixies Cave in the New Forest just above the RAF Beaulieu airfield and down from Hawkhill Inclosure. In winter time you will need waterproof footwear because part of this RAF Beaulieu walk can get very wet due to the woodland and heathland.

Start in the first Hawkhill Inclosure car park on the left-hand side. Walk out towards the main road, taking an immediate right hand turn to walk adjacent to the fence line. Then walk through the gate into and start walking down towards the woods in Stockley Inclosure. From there you can exit a gate to cross the B3055 towards the cottage on the corner. Walk down the track towards Roundhill campsite, and then turn left at the water tower, following the perimeter path in a clockwise direction around the campsite. When you get the left hand turn off that says Access to Cottages Only (this road is open to public walkers) turn down there. You will soon come to an entrance to farmland on your left with two gates into Thistle Lane. You can open the left-hand gate and walk down the farm track as it is a bridlepath. At the bottom of the left-hand track, follow the bridlepath to the right, as it snakes around. This lets you see the RAF Beaulieu handcraft huts which were accommodation and now being used for livestock. Once you see those, you can turn around, and come back up the farm track. Come back through the gate and turn left to continue the journey. You will pass cottages on your left-hand side, and at the second cottage (Dilton Cottage) turn right and walk up onto the heathland to enter Perry Inclosure. Walk up into Perrywood Inclosure, through the woods, and then turn right near the stream to re-join the perimeter pathway of Roundhill Campsite. Now walk along the campsite path in a northerly direction towards Round Pound. When you reach Round Pound, turn right, and walk back through the campsite towards the water tower. At the water tower you can turn right to see the fence ringed stone age barrow briefly. After that you then walk back up past the water tower towards the B3055, going the way you came until you get back to Hawkhill Inclosure. Once at the entrance to Hawkhill Inclosure, you can cross the road to see the remains of the Colt Pixies Cave barrow which is on the entrance to RAF Beaulieu.

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