From Furzey Gardens Around Minstead

Start : Furzey Gardens Car Park, car park at the end of a narrow lane. (Nearby postcode SO43 7GL) Grid ref. SU 273 114

(S/E) Leave the car park by the lane you came in on and turn right (East) and then shortly after right (South) again onto a minor lane a little way along.

(1) Follow the lane for 230m and look for a signpost and stile to the left. This is partially hidden. Walk across the field East, keeping the hedge on your left. You will cross a small bridge, over a stile, and up a slight hill. At the road turn right (South-East). Continue down the road and you will reach a Pub on your right.

(2) Leaving the pub on your right go up the lane (South-West) to the church. There is a small gate to the right of the church leading down a narrow gravel path alongside a field. Follow the track and at the third gate turn right, then left onto a road, over a footbridge, across the ford and slightly uphill. Turn left past a beautiful old oak and follow the road, which bends to the right, past houses on your right until you come to a T-junction. Turn right on to a busier road until you come to a lane on your left to Acres Down.

(3) Turn left (South), go down the hill, over a footbridge that crosses a small stream, up the hill past the farm shop and then sharp right (North-West). This gravel track is signposted Acres Down House and Cottage. It looks like a private track but is a right of way. Go straight down the lane onto open forest, it can be muddy, and aim for the clump of trees ahead. There are numerous animal tracks, but walk in a North-Westerly direction, pass the trees, leaving them to your left, and continue on a poorly defined track in the same direction.

(4) You will come to a broader track and crossroads but turn right onto the least obvious path (North-West). Take the muddy dip on the right, or a small narrow path a few yards further on. In this case keep right, over tree roots onto an open grass /gravel path, and then up a short hill. At the top of the hill turn right (North-West) onto an obvious wide track. A bit further at the V-junction again take the track to the right (North-East), gravel rather than grass.

(5) You will eventually reach a road which you go across to a track signposted Pinelands. Follow this lane, through a gate onto a much narrower grass path. Down the hill, it can be muddy, and cross a stream. __Be
very careful here. Go up the short hill to a 3 bar wooden fence. TURN LEFT DON'T go through the gate,__ but follow the fence on your right. Turn sharp right after a short distance.

(6) Follow the narrow path, bearing right, towards a stile, but again turn left just BEFORE the stile, down the hill, through the trees and across a wooden footbridge. Up the wooden steps and the short hill until you reach the wooden gate.

(7) Go through the gate, follow the track, over another wooden bridge and up a hill to arrive at the car park, where you can get well earned coffee and cake at Furzey Cafe. (Check opening hours). (S/E)

Start : Furzey Gardens Car Park, car park at the end of a narrow lane. (Nearby postcode SO43 7GL) Grid ref. SU 273 114

Parking : There is no public transport but Furzey Gardens is clearly signposted (Brown Signposts) from Minstead village and is at the end of a narrow lane.

Terrain: It is a fairly easy walk although it can get muddy in places.

Refreshments : Furzey Gardens Car Park where there is a delightful cafe serving drinks and light refreshments.

Note : Furzey Gardens are a charity to help people with learning difficulties and are open to the public. A reasonable donation is requested on entry.