Beaulieu and Bucklers Hard

The route skirts the edge of Beaulieu village, then goes through arable fields and meadows. In summer, the meadows and hedges are rich with wild flowers and a wide range of attendant butterflies. As well as many common species, the much scarcer white admiral butterfly may be seen.

Across farmland it is worth making a slight detour to visit Bailey's Hard, once the site of a thriving brickworks. To the left of the hard, where small boats can be temporally beached, are several old buildings and two chimneys. The small beehive shaped brick building close to the hard is a brick kiln constructed around 1918.

Brick production started here in 1790. As well as red bricks, Beaulieu was renowned for its pale 'white bricks'. The business eventually closed down in 1932 when these durable hand-shaped bricks were unable to compete with cheaper mass produced products.

The first shipbuilding on the Beaulieu River took place at Bailey's Hard. In 1698, a warship The Salisbury was built here. More recently, in 1966, the Beaulieu River was used as a setting in the film A Man For All Seasons which starred Paul Scofield as Thomas More. The unspoiled river was selected because it most resembled the Thames of the 16th century.

Next, the path winds through woodland along the side of the estuary. Much of Keeping Copse dates back to the early 18th century. Many of the trees were originally planted to provide timber for shipbuilding at Bucklers Hard. Others were coppiced to encourage the growth of small trunks for making charcoal.

As you follow the path beside the estuary you can see a large modern and mainly glazed house on the opposite bank. This intriguing structure was designed by, and originally the home of architect Sir Basil Spence, who also designed many famous buildings of his time including Coventry Cathedral.

Beside the path is a seat which overlooks an area of salt marsh. A path of duckboards allows you to get closer without walking on the delicate plant life. Cordgrass, with his extensive root system, helps to make the mud more stable and so allow other plants to root. Glasswort and Sea Purslane have fleshy leaves that allow them to retain fresh water in summer. Sea Lavender, with its pink tinged blue flowers, provides colour.

Soon you come to Keeping Marsh. During clearance works for the nearby Marina, a thick layer of mud was dredged from the river bed and dumped on the marsh. Much of it has now been covered by plants and trees. The mudflats here and along the estuary provide a rich source of food for many wading birds. Look out for the black and white Oystercatcher with its long orange bill and the brown speckled Curlew with a slim downward curved bill that is used for probing deep into the mud. In summer, Shelducks, with their black white and chestnut plumage, may be seen passing by with their broods of ducklings.

After summer, the range of birds to be seen increases, as residents are joined by winter visitors and passing migrants. These include flocks of small, dark Brent Geese, which were once rare, but now winter regularly in the area. The first Cuckoo of the year is often heard here.

As you near Bucklers Hard, the number of boats on the river increases, until you arrive at the Marina, where many yachts are moored. Bucklers Hard was the home port of Sir Francis Chichester's Gypsy Moth IV which he sailed solo around the world in 1966. His return trip from Sydney, Australia to Plymouth, England took him 119 days and he covered over 15,500 miles (25,000 kilometres). It was the longest distance that any small sailing vessel had gone without putting into port. The yacht is now kept in dry dock at Greenwich in south London.

Beyond the marina, there is a pier from which, at most times of the year, it is possible to take a pleasant half hour cruise. This is a delightful alternative way to explore the Beaulieu River.

The village of Bucklers Hard looks much as it would have done in the 18th century. John, second Duke of Montagu, had wanted to build a major port on this site, and plans were drawn up for Montagu Town, intended to overshadow nearby Southampton and Lymington. However, the Duke lost money in an enterprise in the West Indies. So only part of the central 80 foot wide street was ever completed. And the village returned to its former name of Bucklers Hard.

In spite of the setback, the quay was built and Bucklers Hard became an important site for the building of warships. The river here was sheltered and deep enough to launch large vessels. There was plenty of good timber available from the nearby New Forest and from the Beaulieu estate. The forge at nearby Sowley produced iron.

On the return leg of the walk, the path leads through Keeping Copse and rejoins the outward path close to Bailey's Hard. Small two toed indentations in the ground here are evidence of Roe Deer, which can often be seen from the river.

Finally, the walk leads back to Beaulieu, and you find yourself on the short Main Street. The village is well worth exploring. Most of the buildings date from the 17th century and are built of the renowned Beaulieu brick. All the property was originally owned by the Montagu family. Those buildings that have now been sold are governed by covenants that help to protect the character of the village.

Other attractions include Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey, which has been in the family of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu since 1538, wwhich was around the time of Henry VIII's Dissolution Of the Monasteries. Palace House, its gardens, the Abbey exhibition and ruins, and the renowned National Motor Museum are all nearby, and are all worth a separate visit.