Heather in Bloom
In August, our heathlands are looking their best with the purple hues of the heather blooming. Here are some walks where you will be sure to enjoy the spectacle.
A two-for-one walk with two commons to explore. Keep it short and just pick one, or form a figure of eight and walk around both.
The purple heath has a nature trail that children will enjoy with brass rubbing posts as well as a large pond.
You will find heather on most of our heathland New Forest walks, but this one will always be a certainty.
The village of Kingsley boasts a massive duck pond as well as a sandy heath, the perfect habitat for heather.
One of our favourite woodland playgrounds can be found on this woodland and heathland walk. Climb up for the best views of the heather.
Although our photos were taken in December, you will be sure to see heather in the heathland surrounding the pond in late summer.
There is so much to do on a walk at Rockford, that enjoying the heather will only be a small part of it. There is a paddling stream and huge sandpit to play in.
Sometimes used as a filmset, the heather covers a large area on Hankley Common. Also find a good pub and a play area on this longer walk.
Midhurst Common has miles of paths through pine forest and heathland, but one of our favourite parts of this walk are the ponds and the sandy ‘beaches’ around them.
Although this is in the New Forest, there aren’t many trees about on this walk. It follows the open heathland to the forest’s largest pond where ponies and wildfowl gather.