New Forest Activity Break
The New Forest lies in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England near to Southampton, opposite the Isle of Wight. It is one of the largest remaining areas of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the south east of England, around a two hour drive from London. The New Forest was originally set aside as a hunting ground for William the Conqueror and his noblemen more than 900 years ago and has for centuries been grazed by deer, ponies and cattle. Today, it is a beautiful area to explore, offering a rare blend of open heathlands, ancient woodlands and the stunning Beaulieu River. It was awarded National Park status in March 2005, recognised for its rare mix of habitats and wildlife and stunning features which have changed little over the centuries. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the New Forest is the wild ponies that roam freely and seem completely unfazed by human presence. The forest offers an excellent relaxing and active getaway from the city, with activities including kayaking, archery, horse riding, walking and mountain biking.
Getting to the New Forest
The New Forest lies to the west of Southampton in south-west Hampshire. If you are travelling from Southampton, London or the east, exit the M27 at Junction 1, signed Cadnam and head southwards into The New Forest. It is around a 2 hour car journey from London depending on your starting point if the traffic is kind to you. If you are travelling from the west, use the A31 from Dorset. From the north, take either the A338 from Salisbury to Ringwood in the west of the Forest, or the A36 to Totton in the east. If you prefer to take the train, over 100 trains stop at Brockenhurst Station each day, providing easy access to the forest, although make sure you've figured out your travel arrangements around the New Forest once you've arrived. The New Forest is served by a public bus network but don't expect it to take you everywhere. South West Trains link Brockenhurst with London Waterloo, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. Cross Country services connect Reading, Oxford, Birmingham and all points further north. The trains within the National Park are Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst and Sway. The other train stations in the New Forest are Hinton Admiral, Lymington, New Milton and Totton. National Express coaches stop at Lyndhurst, Lymington and Ringwood and other stops in The Forest.
Camping at Hollands Wood Campsite
Hollands Wood is a perfect New Forest retreat, making the ideal backdrop for relaxation or an action-packed long weekend. The 600 pitch campsite is set in 22 acres of oak woodland, one of the largest in the area, offering incredible views across beautiful heathland. Giant oak trees surround the pitches, sunlight pierces the canopy, and rich green hues colour the landscape as far as the eye can see. Pitches weave through the tree lines, amongst the ferns and into slightly more open land, giving plenty of camping options. There is a vast array of plant and animal life on site; in fact, campers often have to share their pitch with the New Forest ponies who roam free during the summer months. Hollands Wood has direct access to the forest by foot or by bike, making it the ideal place to explore the surrounding area. It is also just 10 minutes walk away from the quaint village of Brockenhurst offering a range of eateries and gift shops. The site doesn't offer electricity, however, there are facilities available including toilets, showers, baby change areas, laundry facilities and even a dog shower. If you're looking to cook something yourself back on the campsite, Setleyridge Vineyard and Farm shop is well worth a visit for some great value local produce.
New Forest Activities
Kayaking
We did a kayaking tour with New Forest Activities, who run all of their kayaking tours from the stunning Beaulieu River. The Beaulieu River is 7 miles or a 15 minute drive east from Brockenhurst and eventually joins the Solent between the south coast of England and the Isle of Wight. Guided kayaking tours run for two hours, departing from the Bucklers Hard centre, with all equipment provided. There is no better way to experience the stunning scenery and wildlife on the river, ranging from pheasant and geese to sparrow-hawks and kestrels. New Forest ponies and cattle owned by commoners are still allowed to graze by the Verderers Court. You'll hear some interesting facts from your guide along the way, such as learning that the Beaulieu River, as part of the Beaulieu Estate, is the only privately owned river in the UK and one of the few in the world. The boats used are very beginner friendly with a wide hull to keep you feeling safe and stable out on the water. There is also a skeg at the back to keep the kayaks running in a straight line and on the inside there's a nice comfy seat with a big cockpit so you can get in and out very easily. The experience is suitable for anyone 12 and over with under 16s to be accompanied by an adult.
Archery
Archery sessions are run from Embers campsite at Beaulieu Hazel Copse Farm. Even before the archery session starts if you arrive early you can have a stroll around the farm to see the horses, turkeys and extensive flower garden/vegetable patch. The archery session itself lasts for 90 minutes, with instruction and all equipment included. The session includes fun and games to practice your skills before culminating in a shootout competition where wooden animal figures are used and cartoon characters stuck to the target for bonus points! We felt that the location was excellent with well presented activity area and friendly instructor who provided some useful hints and tips and made sure everyone was involved. The experience is suitable for anyone aged 8 and over with no previous experience required. Again, we booked through the New Forest Activities company - who generally have things to do in the New Forest pretty well covered - more info available here.
Horse Riding
My favourite activity at the New Forest was a 2 hour hack across the many acres of stunning heath and woodland. We chose to go with Ford Farm stables for convenience as it's just a 5 minute drive along Burley Road from Brockenhurst. Our guide for the hack was very friendly, in the usual equestrian non non-sense manner, and made sure we were comfortable on the horses before we set off. Safety was clearly a top priority at Ford Farm stables but riders should be aware that the forest is living and breathing. Whilst the horses were generally pretty calm, it's not impossible that you may come across something that spooks them, as a mountain biker ride to our instructor shortly before the end of the ride, so just sign up with your eyes open to this. So, with the safety disclaimer done - the ride through the unspoilt countryside experiencing all the forest's wildlife, seeing cattle grazing, trotting past groups of Shetland ponies was awesome. Riding is done in a group and alternates between a walk, trot and canter based on the terrain with regular stops to make sure everyone is ok.
Walking
There are countless walking routes throughout the New Forest, mainly because the whole area has very few restrictions on walking. There are seemingly endless Forestry Commission gravel tracks, grassy trails and open heathland criss-crossed with sandy routes, all perfect for walking on. Walking is perhaps the best way to enjoy the scenery and serenity of the forest's atmosphere with short and long routes available whatever your starting point. In Autumn, the abundance and diversity of fungi in the New Forest is spectacular. They are an incredibly important and interesting part of the ecosystem and amazing to look at. There is also a diverse range of insects from the fascinating to weird and beautiful, which are perhaps too often ignored. A multitude of car parks throughout the New Forest provide perfect starting and ending points of the majority of New Forest walks, and a good pub is never far away! If you're completely new to the area, it's a good idea to carry a map. Whilst the New Forest isn't exactly an endless wilderness, it is possible to get lost and disoriented once away from the sound of roads and nearby villages. You'll never be too far away from help, and you certainly won't need to revive those rusty survival skills, but not seeing anyone for a few hours is possible, particularly on weekdays.
Cycling
There is some great cycling to be had in the New Forest with over one hundred miles of way-marked routes. It'll allow you to see a bit more of the forest than walking by getting more miles under your belt. The choice of routes spans ancient and ornamental woodland as well as open heathland with excellent views, allowing you to take in the atmosphere and fresh forest air. In addition to the way marked off-road routes there are of course several hundred miles of sheltered country roads, with a combination of both surfaces making for ideal all-round cycling territory. Way marked routes are designated by a green sign. Many main waymarked trails are now gravel tracks due to concerns in the late 1990s of erosion to the open forest due to the big increase in New Forest cycling. Make sure you don't stray from the way-marked routes as the maximum penalty for cycling on a non-marked route in the New Forest is a hefty £500. Keeping to the routes doesn't really limit what you can see - they go through all the popular spots of the forest and join up to many of the best pubs in the area. Please click here for the Forest Commissions map of cycling routes.
