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Minstead - church treasures in the New Forest

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Our view

"Combine a varied walk through New Forest inclosures with a visit to Minstead's church, burial place of Sir Arhtur Conan Doyle"

Walk directions

Go through a kissing gate to the right of the churchyard and walk down to another gate. Continue on a fenced path to enter a wood. Exit the wood via a gate, bear right and then left on to the road. Cross the ford and keep to the lane, bearing left by a disused phone box, now a community library.

At a crossroads, go straight over, following the sign to ‘Acres Down’. Cross a ford, then, at the crossroads just past the farm, bear right. Almost immediately take the left fork along a track, signed ‘Acres Down Car Park’. Walk past the car park and a low gate on the broad gravel track.

Stay on the track as it first bends left and then swings sharp right between gateposts. Ignore the track on the right, keep ahead and descend to cross a small stream, and continue for 380yds (347m) to a crossways at the top of a gentle slope.

Turn right, by markerpost 99, then immediately left into a young conifer and birch woodland. Crest a rise, going down beside mature conifers on the right.

At a junction of five tracks turn right, still on a wide gravel track. As the track bends right and before it starts to rise, turn left on a sandy track that gently rises, passing an open area to the right and wire fence to the left. Pass through a gap in the fence to emerge at a grassy five-track meeting point. Take the second right through the wood and emerge on the edge of heathland. Turn right and soon merge with gravel track coming from the right. Follow this through a small patch of woodland onto the edge of the heath. Swing right, to reach the road.

Cross over and walk left down the verge. Pass Grovewood House and turn left down the bridleway, signed to King’s Garn. Pass the house, take the left fork and join the track merging from the right, keeping to the left. Continue downhill and just before reaching a road, turn left over a stile and continue between boundaries.

Drop down and up to a stile. Enter woodland and immediately turn right down the slope at a waymarker post. Cross a stream on a footbridge and go along a stepped boardwalk then fork right through a kissing gate. Cross a plank bridge, go through a kissing gate and continue a gentle ascent. Join a path from the right and go ahead into a car park. Fork right past Furzey Gardens and down to the road.

Turn right, then right again and again. Take the footpath left over the stile and walk along the left-hand field edge to a bridge and stile. Maintain direction through the next field to a stile by a gate onto a road. Turn right into Minstead, then right after the pub, back to the church.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Field paths, bridleways, forest tracks, roads, 5 stiles

Landscape - Pasture and farmland, forest inclosures and heathland

Dog friendliness - Let them off lead on heathland

Parking - Minstead church or by village green

Toilets en route - Furzey Gardens

Walks in Hampshire Dog-friendly walks in Hampshire

About the walk

Of the New Forest’s half-dozen delightful villages, enchanting Minstead is among the most visited and the least spoiled. Completely encircled by forest, with thatched and weatherboarded cottages nestling in a maze of high-banked lanes, it is one of those communities which seem completely isolated... from the outside world, the lush landscape of rolling pasture and scattered woodland contrasting with the ancient surrounding forest. Whitby in Miniature Referred to as Mintestede – ‘the place where mint grows’ – in the Domesday Book, the village has remained relatively untroubled since William Rufus was killed while out hunting at nearby Canterton Glen in 1100. Crowning a little hill overlooking the village is the church of All Saints, one of the hidden treasures of the county, which dates back to at least the 13th century. Originally thatched and looking more like a cottage, with its series of different-sized gables, dormers and attractive little extensions, it has immediate appeal and you should allow time to explore its fascinating interior and churchyard. According to Pevsner, its wealth of old furniture and fittings is surpassed only by St Mary’s at Whitby, North Yorkshire. All Saints is built of traditional New Forest materials, wattle filled in with rubble and daub, with stone only spared for the arches and quoins in the main walls. Beyond the porch and the arched main doorway, ancient wooden door and deeply worn step that has seen the passing of worshippers and pilgrims for over 800 years, you will find a surprisingly intact Georgian interior. Note the rare and unusual three-decker pulpit, made of oak and patched with pine, dating from the 17th century. The lowest deck was used by the parish clerk who said the ‘Amens’; the middle deck was where the scriptures were read and the sermon was preached from the upper level. The fine nave is filled with a double tier of galleries, built in the 18th century to accommodate musicians and the growing congregation, with the plain upper gallery added to provide seating for children and the poor of the parish. You will also find the 17th-century box pews of interest, in particular the three family pews for the local gentry, each with their own entrance and one equipped like a cosy sitting room with comfortable seating and a fireplace. If you take a stroll around the churchyard you’ll find the grave of the best-known Minstead resident, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1869–1930), creator of Sherlock Holmes and his wife on the south side by an oak tree. He lived at nearby Bignell Wood.

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About the area

Hampshire’s varied landscape of hills and heaths, downlands and forests, valleys and coast are without rival in southern England. Hike across the chalk downland of the north Hampshire ‘highlands’, meander along peaceful paths through unspoilt river valleys of the Test, Itchen, Avon and Meon, or explore the lonely salt marshes and the beautiful medieval forest and heathland of the New Forest.

Route details

Difficulty:

Easy

Gradient:

Gentle

Distance:

5.3 miles (8.6kms)

Ascent:

554ft (169m)

If you like this walk, you can try more routes in the area.

Find more walks in Hampshire

Minstead - church treasures in the New Forest

Recommended by

Our view

"Combine a varied walk through New Forest inclosures with a visit to Minstead's church, burial place of Sir Arhtur Conan Doyle"

Walk details

Difficulty:

Easy

Gradient:

Gentle

Distance:

5.3 miles (8.6kms)

Ascent:

554ft (169m)

Walk directions

1 of 8

2 of 8

3 of 8

Turn right, by markerpost 99, then immediately left into a young conifer and birch woodland. Crest a rise, going down beside mature conifers on the right.

4 of 8

5 of 8

6 of 8

7 of 8

8 of 8

Location

Starting point

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Field paths, bridleways, forest tracks, roads, 5 stiles

Landscape - Pasture and farmland, forest inclosures and heathland

Dog friendliness - Let them off lead on heathland

Parking - Minstead church or by village green

Toilets en route - Furzey Gardens

Walks in Hampshire Dog-friendly walks in Hampshire

About the walk

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Hampshire

Minstead - church treasures in the New Forest

Been on this walk?

Walking in Safety

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Minstead - church treasures in the New Forest

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