New Forest Cycle Routes

The New Forest has more than 100 miles of waymarked off-road cycle routes, run by Forestry England across the National Park in Hampshire. Most of it is traffic-free gravel forest track, with some bridleways, byways and quiet road links, marked by numbered wooden posts. It suits gravel riders, families and anyone wanting a long, mostly flat day in ancient woodland and open heath, and you can reach it by train at Ashurst, Brockenhurst or Sway. There is no built singletrack here, and cycling is allowed only on the waymarked network: riding anywhere else in the Forest is not permitted.

The Cycle Network

Forestry England describes more than 100 miles of waymarked, family-friendly cycle routes, much of it off the public highway and traffic-free. The routes use Forestry England tracks, bridleways, byways and designated routes, plus some stretches of quiet road, and the official map shows the approved off-road routes as usually gravel or asphalt. Each route is marked by numbered wooden posts that also carry Ordnance Survey grid references, so you can navigate from the post numbers on the map or from the grid references on the markers.

The ground is mostly flat to gently rolling, but it is a working forest. Expect potholes, uneven surfaces and cattle grids, and expect ponies, cattle and deer on the tracks and roads. Forestry England asks you to pass animals and horse riders wide and slow, use your bell or call out, close gates and take litter home. Some tracks close temporarily for safety reasons, and Forestry England lists current car park and cycle route closures on its cycling page.

Stay on the Waymarked Network

Cycling in the New Forest is permitted only on the waymarked cycle routes. Under the New Forest Cycling Code, supported by cycling groups and local organisations including the New Forest National Park Authority, off-road riders cycle only on the waymarked network of Forestry England tracks, bridleways, byways, restricted byways and designated routes. Forestry England permits off-road cycling only on those routes, so leave the narrow paths made by animals alone: riding them damages wildlife and habitats in an area protected as a National Park.

• Follow the numbered posts and plan your route with the official cycle routes map.
• Try to be off Forest tracks by sunset.
• Organised cycling events need permission from Forestry England.
• Read the New Forest Cycling Code before you go.

Gravel Riding

This is gravel country rather than mountain bike country. The network is made of forest roads and compacted gravel tracks, linked by bridleways and quiet lanes, and it supports full days out as well as short loops. Gravel bikes, hybrids and e-bikes are all in use, and the hire shops below rent gravel bikes.

Go New Forest publishes one ready-made loop, the Brockenhurst to Rhinefield Loop: about 11 miles and two hours from Brockenhurst Railway Station, mostly on Forestry England gravel tracks with Rhinefield Drive and a cycle track, with only gentle inclines. Hire shops also supply route suggestions and maps, so ask them for longer rides, and check each route against the waymarked network before you set off.

E-Bikes

E-bikes are allowed only on the designated cycle routes. Every e-bike ridden on New Forest cycle tracks must be a fully compliant electrically assisted pedal cycle: motor output of no more than 250 watts, and no assistance above 15.5 mph.

Guides, Shuttles and Hire

There is no uplift or shuttle service: you ride from where you start. Bikes can be hired at several villages on the network, and the three below are in the places Forestry England names as access points. Hire shops can tell you which routes they recommend and how they fit the waymarked network.

• Cyclexperience: bike hire at Brockenhurst Railway Station car park, with off-road, gravel, electric, comfort and kids' bikes, bookable online. A family-run business since 1993, it can deliver by arrangement with 48 hours' notice.
• New Forest Cycling: hire and a bike shop and workshop at The Cross in Burley, bookable online or in store.
• The Woods Cyclery: hire in the centre of Lyndhurst, with a cafe on site. Its price list includes helmet, pump, puncture kit and lock.

The Woods Cyclery's day rates include a cruiser at £25, a flat-bar gravel bike at £32, a drop-bar gravel bike at £40, an electric mountain bike at £50, an electric low-step hybrid at £45 and a kids' bike at £15. Booking is advised at weekends and peak times, and it takes 20 percent at the time of booking. Cyclexperience and New Forest Cycling publish their own rates on their websites.

Prices are correct as of October 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates on the venue's website before you book.

Getting Here

You do not need a car. Forestry England says the network is easily reached from railway stations at Ashurst, Brockenhurst and Sway, and the official map shows access from the villages of Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Burley, Lyndhurst and Sway and from campsites across the Forest. Check the train operator's current rules for taking bikes on board before you travel.

• Brockenhurst Railway Station, Station Approach, SO42 7TW: the main hub, with bike hire in the station car park and the start of the Brockenhurst to Rhinefield Loop
• Burley: bike hire at The Cross, BH24 4AB
• Lyndhurst: bike hire in the town centre, and Forestry England's Forest Office at Queens House, SO43 7NH

If you drive, Forestry England has charged for parking at all 129 of its New Forest car parks since 20 April 2026, including for Blue Badge holders. Car parks are open from 4am to 11pm. Charges are £1.50 for up to one hour, £3 for two hours, £5 for four hours and £8 for more than four hours, with a 15 minute grace period. You can pay by phone with RingGo, and 16 of the larger car parks also have card machines. Tickets are valid at any of the 129 car parks, and an annual New Forest membership is £96 (or £8 a month by direct debit). Some stations and hire shops have their own paid parking.

Prices are correct as of October 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates on the Forestry England website before you travel.

Local Organisations

• PEDALL New Forest Inclusive Cycling: a charity offering introduction, guided and group rides on the New Forest off-road cycle network, using specialist cycles with different seating positions, extra wheels and harnesses for people who face barriers to cycling. Group rides run at Ashurst and Burley.
• Girls That Ride Bikes: a women's cycling community running free volunteer-led group rides across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight, including the New Forest. Rides cover gravel, mountain biking and road, so check the ride description.

Nearby Riding

For purpose-built mountain bike trails, head to the edges of the Forest.

• Avon Tyrrell Mountain Bike Trails, near Bransgore in Hampshire
• Watchmoor Bike Park and Moors Valley Mountain Biking, near Ringwood in Dorset

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• If you have ridden the New Forest cycle routes, please share your reviews, photos, and videos to this listing.
• Photo: David Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph