The 25 best things to do in the New Forest
It's a special place, the landscape unchanged in 1,000 years, and those of us who live in, love and look after the New Forest are constantly mindful of the fine balance between entertaining visitors and preserving its fragile ecology. Investigate the history and living traditions of this ancient land and you will be richly rewarded: plenty of the attractions on this list allow you to do just that.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in the New Forest. Find out more below, or for more New Forest inspiration, see our guide to the region's best hotels, restaurants and pubs.
Find things to do by type:
Best for families
Best free things to do
Best for sunny weather
Best for rainy days
Best for active exploration
Best for families
Buckler's Hard
Step back in time
Enchantingly set on the Beaulieu River, Buckler's Hard transports you to its 18th-century heyday as a shipyard for Nelson's navy. With a lively and engaging museum, reconstructed cottages, a river trip to the mouth of the Solent, a bustling marina and an atmospheric pub, Henry's at the Master Builder's, Buckler's Hard is unmissable.
Insider Tip: Don't miss tiny St Mary's Chapel and its stunning altar frontal, designed and stitched by the late Belinda, Lady Montagu. An 8am communion service is held there every Sunday. You can walk to Beaulieu on the two-mile riverside path and breakfast afterwards at the Master Builder's.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Lionesses arrive home to celebrate historic back-to-back Euros wins
England players and fans were celebrating until late into Sunday night after their historic victory over Spain before returning home and attending a reception at Downing Street on Monday. ITV News Sports Editor has the latest England's women's team have returned home to excited fans after an historic Euros win in Switzerland. They beat Spain 3-1 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the final, with Chloe Kelly netting the winning shot, to land back-to-back Euros titles. Fans waited for hours outside Southend Airport for the team to arrive and cheered loudly when they touched down. The women then attended a reception at Downing Street with the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. The team will celebrate with the public during an open-top bus procession in central London on Tuesday. Homecoming celebrations start at 12.10pm and will travel along The Mall. "We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Central London tomorrow for the Homecoming celebrations," the FA said in a statement on X. There will then be a ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace from 12.30, with the event set to wrap up around 1pm. Fans can attend for free, and it will be broadcast live on ITV, BBC and Sky. The reception at Downing Street was due to begin about 5PM but the event was pushed back after the Lionesses' plane from Switzerland was delayed. The red carpet was rolled out at No 10 Downing Street for the team's arrival just before 7PM. England manager Sarina Wiegman addressed the reception, apologising for giving England supporters "lots of heart attacks". "You all made it through and we made it through and that's why we're here now," she said. 'The team is just incredible, we won the Euros but making the final, we're already legendary. "It's surreal what has happened last night." Wiegman said while steps had been taken to improve access to women's football in England, the country was "not there yet" and needed more investment. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Lionesses had defended the title "with grit and with determination and skill". "You roared and I know I wasn't the only one roaring with you," she told guests at the reception. "You've made us all so, so proud. "Your performances have inspired a nation and lifted women's football to new heights." Players, coaches and Football Association representatives are in attendance, along with Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock. There have been calls for a bank holiday to mark the Lionesses' triumph, but the government suggested the team is too successful for that to be feasible. "If we had a bank holiday every time Lionesses won we'd never go to work," a government spokesperson said on Monday. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously backed calls for a bank holiday when the team reached the finals of the World Cup in 2023. He said the Lionesses had 'once again captured the hearts of the nation' and were 'an inspiration for young people across the country'. To celebrate the win, the Royal Mail will mark the occasion with a congratulatory postmark – which will be applied to stamped mail across the UK from Monday to Friday. One unofficial team member who joined in with the celebrations was Reggie the Cavapoo, who belongs to the owner of Cheals on Wheels, a mobile barista bar that accompanied the Lionesses in Switzerland. The company wrote on Instagram that Reggie had 'gone international' and was 'soaking up all the love (and sneaky treats) from the team' in Switzerland.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Kilted King Charles radiates joy in Scotland as he helps mark anniversaries relating to UK's nuclear industry
UP & ATOM Charles met the crew of the Pacific Heron, a second-generation purpose-built nuclear transport vessel THE kilted King radiates joy at a reception as he helps mark several anniversaries relating to the UK's nuclear industry. He unveiled a plaque in Caithness, northern Scotland, yesterday commemorating 70 years of the Dounreay nuclear facility. 4 4 Charles met the crew of the Pacific Heron, a second-generation purpose-built nuclear transport vessel. Charles also met local sea cadets and Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers from the area. The unveiling on Jubilee Pier came ahead of a reception in the nearby Fish Market Hall. The King will later spend time meeting staff from the nuclear industry and local community members from Thurso. The visit was hosted by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dounreay Nuclear site, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL) company, and the 20th anniversary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Earlier this month the King stunned staff after popping into a luxury vegan chocolate shop during a recent trip to Scotland. Charles visited Campbelltown, in Argyll and Bute, while he was on a Royal tour north of the border. He visited different parts of the county over several days as part of the annual Holyrood Week, also known as 'Royal Week', which celebrates Scottish culture and local communities. More than a thousand people stood behind crash barriers to see the Monarch as he toured the town on July 3. He wore his own King Charles III tartan kilt especially for the visit, as he stopped by a number of shops in the area. And one place the King decided to pop into was Fetcha Chocolates - a store which specialises in vegan confectionery. King Charles visits luxury vegan chocolate shop in Scotland 4
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Britain's best coastal views revealed in survey from Cornwall to Yorkshire – is your town on the list?
BRITAIN'S best coastal views have been revealed with some surprise locations featuring on the list. St Ives, the Cornish town popular with surfers, topped the list followed closely by Robin Hood's Bay in north Yorkshire. 3 3 3 However, Pwllheli in north Wales, home to sprawling white beaches and a modern marina, came at the bottom of the table. In a new survey, asked 2,000 Brits why they enjoy holidaying in the UK and what they look for in their time off. Each shared their view on the importance of sea views when staying in different parts of the country. Respondents also revealed how far they would be willing to travel and pay for a beach holiday. then compiled all the data and found St Ives to have the best seaside views and Pwllheli, in north Wales to have the worst. Cornwall featured heavily on the list, with the fishing port Padstow securing third spot and Hayle featuring in the top 20. Meanwhile, Devon performed well among respondents with beach views in Illfracombe and Salcombe deemed among some of the best. The research, which was commissioned by holiday site Haven, also found that a sea view is a must-have for 35 per cent of respondents. It also discovered that 87 per cent of surveyed Brits believe being by the coast is important when holidaying in the UK. Many holidaymakers even said they would be happy to travel almost 160 miles from home to spend time by the sea. Scotland's Cheapest & Most Expensive Coastal Towns Some 85 per cent of people would also be happy to pay more for a sea view in their accommodation. Over half said this is because the sea offers an extra source of relaxation, while 57 per cent said it helped with their mental health. And more than two thirds of respondents said coastal views at home rivalled those found abroad. Simon Palethorpe, CEO at Haven, said: "The photo gallery just goes to prove you don't need to go far from home to get picture postcard views and scenery. "Our parks are on some of Britain's most stunning beaches and coastlines making them a great base for exploring the local area and enjoying the seaside. "There's nothing better than starting and ending your day with a sunrise and sunset view over the sea - even more so when it's on home soil. 'Brits are still so surprised by the breathtaking coastline we have in the UK." Top 30 UK coastal views 1. St Ives, Cornwall 2. Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire 3. Padstow, Cornwall 4. Portree, Isle of Skye 5. Tenby, Pembrokeshire 6. Poole, Dorset 7. Ilfracombe, North Devon 8. Portmeirion, Gwynedd 9. Shanklin, Isle of Wight 10. South Downs 11. Salcombe, Devon 12. Weymouth, Dorset 13. Brighton, East Sussex 14. Llandudno, Conwy 15. Bournemouth, Dorset 16. Hayle, Cornwall 17. Filey, North Yorkshire 18. Porthmadog, Gwynedd 19. Southwold, Suffolk 20. Lydstep, Pembrokeshire 21. Stromness, Orkney 22. Berwick, North East 23. Great Yarmouth beach 24. Lochinver, Sutherland 25. Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear 26. Hastings, East Sussex 27. Whitstable, Kent 28. Plockton, Ross and Cromarty 29. Aberystwyth, Ceredigion 30. Pwhelli, North Wales
