Formerly William the Conqueror’s hunting ground, the New Forest is one of the largest open heathland and forest areas in southeast England.
With a wide variety of unique and insanely fun, and exciting things to do, the New Forest is the perfect spot for a day trip or UK staycation. To help make your planning a bit easier. Here’s a list of 7 unmissable things to do and see in the New Forest.
1. New Forest National Park
With its remarkable range of plants and animals, as well as its varied history, ancient traditions and distinctive local communities, the New Forest National Park is unique.
You can hike, cycle or horseback ride your way around 193,000 acres of forest and heathland. And don’t be put off by the sheer size of the landscape because navigating the New Forest is impeccably easy. In fact, there’s a website and app dedicated to providing useful information and interactive walking and cycling trails.
2. New Forest Lavender Farm
A remarkable and hugely popular spot that provides spectacular picture-perfect views, the New Forest Lavender Farm is a beauty!
Featuring a plant nursery, a tearoom, as well as accommodation. The New Forest Lavender Farm offers the perfect day out or overnight stay for families, couples or friends. Though it must be said that a favourite amongst visitors is the tearoom, which serves a range of dishes all made with homegrown produce.
3. Foraging in the New Forest
Foraging can be great fun, but if you’re a novice, foraging alone can be risky business. That said, if you are new to foraging we highly recommend forgaing with the help of an expert.
The New Forest is a natural larder, and a trip into the woods or along the coast with an expert forager looking for berries, wild mushrooms, herbs, and much more is great fun for couples and families! If you would like to try something new, or perhaps find out more about foraging. We suggest taking a foraging course.
Every season the forest has something different to offer. The spring brings sweet edible young foliage and herbs; summer edible flowers, fruits and berries; whilst later in the autumn from the leafy forest floor emerge the wonderful varieties of mushrooms – porcini, chanterelles and pieds de mouton.
One of the best foraging courses in the New Forest is delivered by Wild Food UK. The course length is approximately 3.5 hours, and you will spend about 2.5 hours foraging; this includes teaching you how to identify the different edible and poisonous plants, flowers, fruits, and mushrooms.
Along the course, you will stop for some homemade refreshments, and at the end of the course, your foraging will be put to good use. That said, based on what you have found, a wild food lunch will be freshly prepared.
4. Beaulieu
A quaint English village, the village of Beaulieu provides a great day out with lots to do and see. So why not enjoy a walk along the river path from the village down to Buckler’s Hard? Along the way, you may even spot a Kingfisher or two or perhaps even three! Although a 2-mile walk each way, you will be blown away by the scenery.
Alternatively, or perhaps, in addition, depending on how much time you have on your hands. Why not try your luck at canoeing on the Beaulieu River? An exceptionally enjoyable experience, drifting on tidal and exploring hidden creeks, and with heaps of canoeing activities on offer, you will be spoilt for choice. If you seek a family-friendly, fun afternoon, Family Canoeing is perfect for families with young children.
If you are vacationing with a group of friends and perhaps feeling a bit cheeky, why not paddle to the pub? Or perhaps test the competitiveness of your friends by taking part in Canoe Raft Building; build a raft and enjoy a range of fun and competitive games and challenges.
With a fantastic collection of more than 1.5 million items, the world-famous National Motor Museum has one of the finest collections of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia in the world. Featuring classics such as the Cadillac Model A, Fiat 3.5hp, as well as Edwardian classics such as the Ford Model T, you will be impressed!
5. Burley Villa School of Riding
Located in New Milton, Burley Villa School of Riding offers both English and Western-style horse riding trails around the New Forest.
Offering fun and inexpensive riding lessons and forest rides to riders aged four and above, this is the perfect activity for those at all riding levels, including beginners! And not to mention, horse riding trails start from as little as £25!
6. Brockenhurst
Declared ‘Britain’s Most Beautiful Place to Live’ by Leaders Estate Agent Brockenhurst is an attractive rural village. With much to do and see, and the official home to wild ponies, deer, donkeys and cows, all of which are known to and frequently do roam the streets of Brockenhurst.
Brockenhurst is a magnificent and must-visit pit-stop on your New Forest road trip or day out.
A bustling village filled with extraordinary pubs, restaurants and boutique stores along with beautiful tearooms, hotels and spas, Brockenhurst is a fantastic village, and the countryside that surrounds the village is quite literally to die for; because it’s drop-dead gorgeous!
7. New Forest Paddle Sport Company
Born from surfing and with roots dating as far back as 3000 BC, paddleboarding, as we know it today, began in Hawaii during the 1940s.
An excellently fun sport that has grown immensely in popularity since the end of the 20th century, and today continues to be a raging phenomenon across the globe, why not spend the day exploring the scenic coastline and gorgeous salt marshes of Keyhaven whilst paddle boarding or kayaking.
If you have not tried Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) before, this is the perfect place for first-timers. Offering introductory lessons from as little as £20 per person as well as improver sessions for those of us that may be a bit rusty and 1 to 1 sessions for those of us that would like a more personable experience; the New Forest Paddle Sports Company caters to all and makes for a splendid day out!
With SUP and kayaking activities available all year round, visiting the New Forest Paddle Sport Company is quite literally one of the best things to do in the New Forest and the perfect spot for couples, families, groups and solo travellers.
Other things to do in the New Forest
There you have it; we have given you 7 interesting things to do in the New Forest. Though to re-iterate the New Forest is huge and provides an unimaginable amount of things to do and see. So, do not limit yourself!
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