Rambling on in the New Forest

I live a 5 minute walk away from the New Forest so you can say it is literally just on my door step. It is a beautiful place to live and I am constantly exploring the area as this is not where I grew up. My family and I moved here a while ago and the kids have been on the bike rides and adventures below at all ages although now they are quite independent and portable they weren’t always and we have completed the suggestions below with all modes of transport, little carts, bike seats and even a rope attached to their little stabilized bikes pulling them along! What I’m trying to say is these are quite accessible walks although when we did take the pushchair it was quite difficult so unfortunately maybe not for those in a wheelchair. The towns, pubs and villages are accessible so there is no need to miss out completely. I have tried to focus on more reasonable days out as I know the holidays and days out can be extortionate but they don’t have to be. I will explore more expensive options another time but this will focus on what you can do for free or for minimum expense:

Lyndhurst is well worth a visit. I would recommend parking at Boltons Bench on Beaulieu Road and taking a walk or bike ride along the purpose built walks before venturing into the town. It is free to park here and the postcode to get there is SO43 7BQ. You can find walking directions on www.walkingbritain.co.uk so you can walk as far as you like. Be warned when driving into Lyndhurst there is often a lot of traffic to get into the town and Boltons Bench is just on the outskirts. Don’t despair though as this is often caused by the traffic lights at the T junction as you enter the town from the A337. There are beautiful views along the way so it’s fine to be in traffic for a bit. Make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks in the car. Once you’ve completed your walk or bike ride you can simply walk into the town and leave your car where it is. There is also a Meridien Modena Garage www.meridien.co.uk in Lyndhurst that stocks amazing Ferraris, Maserati's and other specialist cars so you can take a look at these. They have some beautiful cars and I am not a car lover!

Beaulieu is a must visit if you are in the New Forest. It is such a beautiful village and there are often cows or donkeys taking up the road so be ready to go slow!!! When we’ve visited we’ve often had food at Steph’s Kitchen which is at the end of the High Street and found in the Fairweathers Garden Centre www.fairweathers.co.uk The food here is fabulous but it is often very busy so you may need to wait for a table as you can’t pre book unless it’s for Sunday lunch. Depending on your wait you could visit the source of the food ‘Patricks Patch’ which is opposite Fairweathers on the other side of the road. This is a veggie, fruit, herb and flower garden that is free to enter and lovely to look around. Dogs are allowed in the restaurants outside seating area which is covered but not in the main restaurant. The great thing is whilst you are there you can park in the car park. Unfortunately you will need to move your car if you fancy a walk or bike ride to Bucklers Hard which I would definitely recommend. If you can park on the road or there is a NFDC Pay & Display Car park in the village and if you’re walking up or down the High Street of delightful shops you will find the tiny village school and the sign ‘Footpath to Buckler’s Hard 2 miles’. Follow this cut through a wooden gate with diamond shaped spikes at the top between red brick houses past the primary school and a small public playground and onto the pathway through a few more gates and turn right at the end. This is all open so you can see where you will be going but when we first did this walk we did feel a little like trespassers but once we saw all the other ramblers, families, cyclists and dog walkers we realised we were on the right track. You will cross the cattle grid and the walk begins; follow the path down and you will eventually come to the water. There is an option to go off of the main path onto a board walk but we have often had bikes and continue on the path finally arriving at the marina and beautiful Bucklers Hard. We always make a bee line for The Yachtsman’s Bar and Garden at the dog friendly Master Builders Hotel www.hillbrookehotels.co.uk where the breton clad staff offer local ales and gins as well as the usual favourites including that all important hot chocolate for the kids before you walk back.

You need to pack your bikes up for this ride as unless you are staying nearby you’ll need to drive here and park before you ride. There is a car park and you can either walk or ride this route. There are obviously those who ride their horse as well but a bike or our legs suit us! It is a purpose built wide path with breathtaking viewing points that you can stop at on the way and at each end up the hill is a lovely dog friendly pub; The Royal Oak in Fritham www.royaloakfritham.co.uk at one end (this is where we begin our walk) and The Foresters Arms locally known as the ‘donkey pub’ at the other end. Called such because there are often a little group or a solitary donkey stood outside. There is somewhere to park your bike and your bottom at these pubs. You can warm up in front of the fire or cool down in the pub garden depending on the weather. Whilst restocking your energy levels with a hearty meal before starting your return journey or simply partaking of refreshments both pubs serve real ales, award winning beers, wine and obviously hot chocolate for the kids. When we went to The Foresters Arms I had the ploughman’s which was really filling and set me up for the journey back to the car. https://the.littlepubgroup.co.uk