GPS Cycle and Walking Routes

Ferndown Stour and Forest Trail

10 miles (16 km)

This nice easy circular walk starts and finishes in Ferndown, first taking you through Ferndown Forest to Longham where you will pass the pretty Longham Lakes.
You then join the River Stour for a pleasant waterside stretch taking you to Dudsbury before heading around Holmwood Park and finishing in Ferndown.
Just to the north of Ferndown the route skirts the Holt Heath National Nature Reserve where there's a series of good walking trails and lots of interesting flora and fauna to see.
You'll also pass through Ferndown Common where there's pretty heather and a Bronze age barrow to see.
The popular Castleman Trailway links with the route in Ferndown Forest. This shared cycling and walking trail runs along a dismantled railway line from Ringwood to Poole.

Ferndown Stour and Forest Trail OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Ferndown Stour and Forest Trail Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Just to the west of the trail there's the picturesque town of Wimborne where you can visit the historic Wimborne Minster and enjoy more river trails. The National Trust's Kingston Lacy and the pretty village of Pamphill can also be visited near here.
The expansive Hurn Forest lies a few miles to the east.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Dorset Walks page.

Photos

Holt Heath National Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 35055

Holt Heath National Nature Reserve. View looking north from the trail.

New growth beside Trail - geograph.org.uk - 436592

New growth beside the Trail

Castleman Trailway in Ferndown Forest - geograph.org.uk - 29592

Castleman Trailway in Ferndown Forest

Ferndown Memorial and Garden of Memories, Ferndown - geograph.org.uk - 2427122

Ferndown Memorial and Garden of Memories

Ferndown, larger pond on Ferndown Common - geograph.org.uk - 1352722

Large pond on Ferndown Common

Ferndown, small pond on Ferndown Common - geograph.org.uk - 1352717

Small pond on the Common. A small pond under cover of trees at the southern edge of the Common, alongside Pompey's Lane.

River Stour - geograph.org.uk - 2082284

River Stour

Ferndown Common, footpath - geograph.org.uk - 2037078

Pretty heather on the common

Elevation Profile

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Ferndown, Stour and Forest Trail.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Share>Save to Files')

Memory Map Route

Ferndown, Stour and Forest Trail.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Share>Save to Files)