Hatchet Pond
Beaulieu, New Forest
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0
The largest body of fresh water in the New Forest, a small, shallow lake on open heath between Beaulieu and Brockenhurst. It is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation for its rare wetland plants and freshwater wildlife, and has been through a major restoration in recent years.
Highlights
- Open water and heathland views
- Rare wetland plants and freshwater wildlife
- Coarse fishing at Hatchet Pond and Little Hatchet with a permit
- Short wander from the car park
Good to know
- No swimming, boating or watersports, and do not let dogs into the water
- There are no toilets; the nearest are in Beaulieu, Brockenhurst or Lymington
- Take your litter home
Getting there
Hatchet Pond, Hatchet Pond car park, junction of the B3055 and B3054, near East Boldre, Hampshire, SO42 7WEParking: Forestry England car park where the B3055 from Beaulieu meets the B3054.
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More things to do in Brockenhurst
Nearby
Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
A national collection of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia on the Beaulieu estate, running from early motor carriages to Formula 1 cars and land speed record breakers. Entry is part of the single Beaulieu ticket, which also covers Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey, the gardens and the monorail.
Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey
Palace House began as the gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey and has been the Montagu family home since 1538, remodelled in the 1800s as a Victorian country house overlooking the Beaulieu River millpond. Close by are the conserved ruins and cloister of the Cistercian abbey founded by King John in the 13th century, set in gardens laid out over the old abbey grounds.
Buckler's Hard Museum and Village
An 18th-century shipbuilding village on the Beaulieu River where warships for Nelson's navy were built, including three that fought at Trafalgar. The museum and reconstructed cottages tell the story of the shipyard and the families who lived there, and the wide village street running down to the river is free to explore.