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What's On in the New Forest?
An indispensible guide to events and activities.

New Forest Days Out, Attractions and Activities for all the family

Visitors to the New Forest will find lots to do that will help make their stay more enjoyable. Here are some great ideas for New Forest Days Out, along with information about Attractions and Activities for all the family.

Take a look, too, at the New Forest What's On guide for month-by-month details of a range of local events happening throughout the area.

 

Relax: football, cricket and lots more
Relaxation, although stroking the animals is not recommended
Grassy lawns, well away from busy roads, provide ample space for relaxation; for cricket, football and other ball games; for Frisbee throwing, kite-flying and just about anything else that kids (and ‘bigger kids’) might wish to do - and all often under the watchful gaze of the local New Forest ponies.

Bolton’s Bench, on the outskirts of Lyndhurst; Mill Lawn, near Burley; and Long Slade Bottom, south-west of Brockenhurst, are all popular places, although there are also many other suitable, out-of-the-way spots to discover.
Reptile Centre 
Adder basking in the sunshine
A full range of local reptiles can be seen at the New Forest Reptile Centre. Situated close to the A35, 3.5 kilometres (2 miles) south-west of Lyndhurst, the Reptile Centre provides good, close views of adders, grass snakes, smooth snakes, slow worms, lizards and more, all housed outdoors in conditions that provide great opportunities to observe these otherwise elusive creatures.

As these animals hibernate in winter and shelter out of sight when it’s cold, visits on warm, sunny days from April until October are likely to be the most rewarding. There is no entrance fee, although parking charges apply.
Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, Blackwater Arboretum and the Tall Trees Trail
The Tall Trees Trail
A wonderful collection of non-native trees can be found along the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and in the nearby Blackwater Arboretum. There’s also a way-marked, 2.5 kilometres (1½ miles) ‘Tall Trees Trail’ that starts close to the Blackwater car park.

There are no entrance charges. For further details, take a look here. For further details, take a look here.
Sport and Recreation
Badminton rackets

Indoor and outdoor sporting activities – football, tennis, badminton, squash, swimming, keep fit and more - are well-catered for by a number of sport and recreation centres around the area, such as those at Applemore, Ringwood, Gang Warily (Fawley), Totton, Lymington, New Milton and Romsey.
Towns and Cities - shops, restaurants, history and more
Christchurch Priory
Many historic towns and cities are within easy reach of the New Forest. Well-served by shops, pubs and restaurants, all also have much more to offer. Try Christchurch for the Priory Church, and the Red House Museum and Gardens; Salisbury and Winchester for impressive cathedrals, and theatres; and Romsey for the 12th century abbey. Then there is the Georgian elegance of Lymington, and the St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery. Fordingbridge is a historic crossing point on the River Avon, Ringwood is a traditional market town on the Avon, and Downton also straddles that river.
Trees, magnificent trees
Knightwood Oak
The New Forest, perhaps not surprisingly, has its fair share of ancient trees. Appreciate their presence, or simply stand and stare.

The churchyard yew at Brockenhurst Parish Church, for example, is more than 1,000 years old; whilst the Knightwood Oak, located close to the A35 at the start of the Bolderwood Ornamental Drive, is thought to be over 600 years old. The Eagle Oak, meanwhile, 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) to the south-west of the Knightwood Oak, was named after the shooting in 1810 of a sea eagle perched in its branches. For further details, check out: Brockenhurst Parish Church and Ancient New Forest Trees
Villages of the New Forest: something for everyone
Beaulieu
Explore the local villages, places such as Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Burley and Lyndhurst, and enjoy their lively atmosphere, many attractive shops, and excellent tea-rooms, pubs and restaurants.

Or visit villages that are a little more ‘off-the-beaten-track’. Bank, Emery Down, Fritham and Minstead, for example, are all set amidst fine New Forest scenery, and have their own distinctive village pubs, and in some cases, village shops, too. For further information, check out:     Bank     Beaulieu     Brockenhurst     Burley     Emery Down     Lyndhurst  
Walking in the New Forest
Walkers in the New Forest

Sample the New Forest’s wide open spaces, the unique countryside that attracts visitors back repeatedly to this wonderful area.

See the ponies, donkeys, cattle and, in autumn, pigs wandering freely, going about their daily business, living off the land. Catch a glimpse of deer and other wildlife, and enjoy a little peace and solitude in gloriously quiet, out-of-the-way places. A series of New Forest Walks can be found here.

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New Forest Places to Stay
New Forest Days Out
New Forest
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