Today we are riding out in the New Forest, slightly outside of our usual patch, in celebration of International Mother Earth Day. This ride will take place mainly on gravel paths - road tyres are not suitable. This ride will suit MTB, gravel and hybrid bikes with decent off-road tyres.
International Mother Earth Day is a special celebration, established by the UN, that brings together people from around the world to remember that planet Earth is our home and we want to live in harmony with nature. On this ride we will visit the Knightwood Oak, unquestionably the New Forest’s most famous tree and thought to be one of the oldest, with age estimates up to 600 years old. The girth of the trunk close to ground level is just over seven metres, a size only achieved after several centuries growth.
We will start at Beechern Wood car park, just off Rhinewood Road (location: SU 28429 02631). This is a fairly flat loop in the Forest; there is no coffee stop, but there are public toilets about half way round. The ride will take us a little over an hour.
Please come with a trail-worthy bike, spare inner tube, suitable clothing and a helmet. Also, a drink and a snack if you think you'll need it. I'd recommend bringing some cash, just in case the ice cream van is there this weekend.