New Forest living

[Saynotopineappleonpizza2021]

We are planning a move to the New Forest with our 2 DC (under 3yrs) and wondered if anyone could recommend where and also where not to live?

Very outdoorsy family so I know its an area that might not suit everyone but it will suit us. Happy to be a taxi service as teen years hit too

Middle of nowhere rural or town/villagey (Lyndhurst/Brockenhurst/Ashurst/Ringwood/Fordingbridge)?

Coastal (toward Lymington?)

I lived in Dibden Purlieu when I was a child and it was an absolutely glorious place to spend my childhood. I feel really lucky to have lived there. I didn't live there as a teen but obviously know a lot of people who did and they were fine 🙂 Most of my childhood friends still live in the area, so they clearly love it too.

(There are smaller villages but essentially: do you want to be able to walk to a shop?)

The new forest is huge, so you’ll need to give a few more details as PP have said. Also do you have a budget in mind?

We are flexible with place size but would like to be able to walk to a shop ideally. Budget around £800k.

We are very much open to options for location as there is very little property options and we need to move out of where we are by October

By place size I mean village size sorry

I holiday there a lot and have always thought I’d love to live in the Brockenhurst area. The area is great for cycling and walking. No idea what actually living there would be like.

Not sure how familiar you are with the area but traffic might be one thing to consider. The traffic round lyndhurst in the summer at weekends is crazy! I’m sure locals probably know some alternative routes!

We are very aware of the traffic issues but we have decided it is worth it for the quieter times and for DC to grow up in such a wonderful but accessible location

Argh with there was an edit button as that read very blunt, sorry @covidcorvid! Brockenhurst does seem lovely

Its almost a "is there anywhere to avoid" question to a degree as it all seems lovely

Where are you moving from and where do you need to get to for work (even if infrequently)?

The west side of the forest is slightly cheaper but also quieter, the traffic is much better as there aren’t as many tourists. So that is Fordingbrigde and the villages around it, Hyde, Gorley, Godshill, Frogham which go down to Ringwood (where traffic can be bad at peak times, but not as bad as Lyndhurst!). These villages are on the smaller side though.

If you compare that area on Tight move you get much more for 800,000 than you’ll get on the Brockenhurst/Lymington area.

That should be *Right Move

I’d avoid Lyndhurst because the traffic is horrific. It’s also got really bad air quality around the roads, it’s been going on for decades and absolutely nothing is done about it.

@thisusedtobeaniceneighbourhood moving from Cambridge so used to tourist driven traffic carnage. Working remotely on the whole and can ensure travel is outside of rush hour (otherwise we know it wouldnt work)

@LizzieSiddal thank you! Are there any nicer/less nice ones do you know? They all seem lovely to drive or walk through but you never really know somewhere unless you are a local

Ok because we opted to stay in the leafier parts of Southampton because the rare occasions we need to get to eg London are so much easier, and we have a very easy work commute (not that I’ve been there much). You would get something absolutely lovely for your money somewhere around the common.

We spend a lot of time in the forest and the traffic is extreme. We usually get around it by going out early in the morning and coming homewards early afternoon, but the traffic queuing in the other direction, especially towards Lyndhurst from Southampton is awful. I have colleagues who live out towards Ringwood, which is lovely, but their commute to work is more like 75-90 minutes at times.

It’s a pretty lovely part of the world though, we like being here.

We live in a village in the forest just outside Lymington. It’s a beautiful place to live, fresh air, lovely seeing the animals wandering around and only a few minutes drive to the coast. The traffic is fine down here, except maybe Saturday around Lymington when the market is on.

All the villages i mentioned are lovely, each only has one or two shops and a pub, so you’d need to decide if you want it to be that quiet.

School Lane, Rockbourne, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-109313909.html

I know this village, it’s idyllic, a great pub but no shop unfortunately.

Blissford Hill, Frogham, Fordingbridge, SP6
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96799007.html

This has sold but you can see what you can get in this area, for your budget.

If you live on the forest edge avoiding traffic is straightforward enough. I live in the forest but near a cattle grid (village called Bramshaw) so I can go in the other direction on a sunny day 😊

It’s a great place to live, beach is 20 mins away, Southampton and Winchester nearby, London in just over an hour.

I have teens and the one thing I wish for all the time is to be near a train station so maybe take that into account as there is limited public transport.

I strongly advise against lyndhurst and Brockenhurst, I know you say you’re used to traffic but this year in particular has been horrendous for it. More people discover it as a holiday destination each year and it’s often gridlock even on the smaller side roads.

Brockenhurst has primary and 16+ schools, butcher, baker, greengrocer, two mini supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, bus link to Lymington (and presumably Southampton?), and a train station.
Fewer traffic problems than Lyndhurst.
The notice board in the Tesco Metro always seems to be full of community news and events too.
The forest is on the doorstep.
I would move there in a heartbeat if I had the money.

@lizziesiddal i saw that one actually and love it!!!

We are happy being in a smaller village but if it has a primary school thats better we think

Thank you lots to think about - sounds like other than traffic, anywhere is a good shout.

I live in the north of the forest, in a little hamlet, with a 4 year old - starting school next year.
Happy to answer any questions you have specifically.
I too would avoid Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst. Lovely, but an absolute disaster for traffic in summer. We spent a lot of time in Oxford, so are used to tourist traffic too, but it is nothing on this - definitely don’t underestimate it!

I grew up in a little village just outside of Lymington. Absolutely idyllic, really quiet, nice people, close to the coast and genuinely rural. Very few tourists. A small village shop and a decent pub were in walking distance but there wasn't much else. Loved it as a horsey child but resented it as I grew older and had to rely on parents and barely existant public transport to go anywhere or do anything outside of getting to and from school/college. Schools were excellent back then (assume they still are?!). As a grown up would move back in a heartbeat but as an 18 year old I was desperate to leave!

@bobbyelvis4ever thank you! We have been in the traffic before so do understand it fully. We think its a small price to pay 😊 One thing I have been wondering is in the smaller villages is childcare an issue? Google isnt helping much to be honest and it would imply there isnt any! But i cant believe that is the case