First here’s some links:
Generic New Forest List
https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/things-to-do
10 popular walks
https://newforestwalks.co.uk/
Sleepy Oaks Cycle routes
https://sleepyoaks.co.uk/cycle-routes/
Now here’s our list:
- Walking. You cannot come to the New Forest and not walk in it! It’s open access, you can walk anywhere, If you come to a gate, just go through, it’s to keep the ponies out, if you come to a gate with a high fence, just go through, it’s to keep the deer out.
If you’ve never visited before, simply walk down the high street, keep going straight until you see Bolton’s Bench to your right, walk up to it then just keep walking.
For more formal walks, here is a link to some of the most popular:
https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/things-to-do/walking/new-forest-walks/ - Pondhead enclosure. OK this is still walking, but it’s different to anywhere else in the forest, it’s an Enclosure (keeps the deer out. Walk the rest of the forest and you will see a browse line, there is nothing growing from most trees below 5ft as the ponies and deer have eaten it all) – but not in an Enclosure. But, more importantly it is the largest actively coppiced area of crown land in the country as well as the only place you can witness charcoal being made
https://pondheadconservation.org/
There is also a 1.1 mile waymarked route around pondhead with QR code information points
https://pondhead.info/ - New Forest Wildlife Park
They have otters! they have other animals as well, but they have otters!
https://newforestwildlifepark.co.uk/ - Longdown Activity Farm
Great for kids, lots of hands-on experiences
https://longdownfarm.co.uk/ - Beaches from East to west
Callshot spit – Pebble beach with views of the ships going into Southampton port. There is sand and a sand-bar at low tide (ask us for tide times)
Lepe beach – Country park behind with a modern cafe. Stoney beech with historic remains from the D-Day landings.
Milford-on-sea beech and Hurst spit – pebble beach and spit with Hurst castle at the end https://www.hurstcastle.co.uk/
Barton-on-sea beech – still pebbles, with eroding cliffs behind; a precursor to the Jurassic coastline.
Highcliff beach – transitioning from pebbles to sand. Cliffs behind
Avon beech – sand,sand, sand - Lymington Nature Reserve
Sorry, more walking, but this time between saltwater marches and the sea, great for bird watching - Liberty’s Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre
https://libertysfalconry.com/ - National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/ - Paultons Park
Theme park, great for kids. It also features Peppa Pig World which is great for smalls (in the hols. there can be quite a queue to get in first thing in the morning)
https://paultonspark.co.uk/ - New Forest Reptile Centre
Now this is just native reptiles, so although nice don’t expect too much, best to visit as part of a walk or cycling trail
https://www.forestryengland.uk/new-forest-reptile-centre - Exbury Gardens
With a steam railway, beautiful gardens with plenty to do for kids
https://www.exbury.co.uk/ - Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
Get up with the sun head down past Boltons’ Bench and you can often see deer grazing, made easier to spot as there are a couple of albinos in the herd – but you’re on holiday so if you don’t want to get up that early head to the deer sanctuary to see them any time of day.
https://www.new-forest-national-park.com/bolderwood-deer-sanctuary/ - Buckler’s Hard
A unique 18th century village where warships for Nelson’s Navy were built. Free to visit but expensive to park, you can park in Beaulieu then walk down the river. If you’re renting canoes at Beaulieu, this is the place to stop for a visit and a pint.
https://www.bucklershard.co.uk/ - New Forest Activities
Canoeing,Kayaking, Archery and BattleZone
https://www.newforestactivities.co.uk/ - Jaunt-ebikes
https://www.jaunt-ebikes.co.uk/