Brockenhurst is located between Lyndhurst and Lymington. I have often felt that it is a village of two halves.
The “public” part of the village is on the main road. As you enter the village you will pass Brockenhurst College, the local sixth form college. The road is not wide and there are parking places marked on the road, so you may find a small amount of congestion.
On this road, you will find a variety of pubs and cafes and a general store. At the end of the village, you will find the railway station. You should expect the level crossing to cause delays as this is the main line from London to Bournemouth.
As you turn off the main road, you will see a cycle shop. If you have arranged to hire a bike, then that is located at the far end of the station car park, which is on the other side of the level crossing.
The other, more “private” part of the village is set back from the main road.
After passing one of Brockenhurst’s many hotels, you will find a number of local shops including a hardware store and a car dealership.
Once you cross the cattle grid, you will come to a very busy cross road. Once you have passed this, you enter the world of the true New Forest village, where it is quite likely that you will pass a pony or donkey as you walk down the street.
The village is much larger than you might think and boasts a number of characterful hotels and B&Bs, all within easy walking distance of the village centre.
As you enter this part of the village, you will pass the entrance to the public car park, which supplements the on-street parking.
Here you will find mainly independent shops designed to meet the day to day needs for locals and visitors alike.
At the far end of the road, you will find will find the Splash where the stream frequently flows over the road. The marker post shows how deep the water is, or isn’t.
From here, whether you choose to turn left or right, you will soon find yourself on open forest.
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