New Forest - good places for lunch/sightseeing

[DilysPrice]

We're travelling cross country next week to a family wedding and the New Forest looks like a good place to break our journey down on the previous day, but I don't know it at all.

Can anybody please recommend a nice place to stop for lunch with two primary school children and maybe do a couple of hours sightseeing (not got time for anything that demands a full day)? Budget not an issue but we'll be looking scruffy, the DCs will be stir crazy, and we can't have , so nowhere too posh.

Please? Otherwise I shall be forced to repost in AIBU and incur the wrath of the Thread Police.

Depends on which side of the forest you'll be closest to. Which A roads will you be using?

A31 is the plan I think Beaulieu would be too far out of our way (though if DS gets wind of the magic words Top Gear we may have no choice).

Ooh, Mark Kermode lives there! (but will be otherwise engaged at the time of our visit ). Good places to eat?

Ringwood would be your best bet for a small town.
The A31 has some nice views.

Minstead is a very small village, but it is pretty and there are a couple of pubs there for lunch.

Avoid Lyndhurst, it can take a very long time to get round the one-way system in the summer months.

Thanks, that gives me a start.

There's always Peppa Pig World at Paulton's park.
Altough you won't get much change from £100 just to walk through the gates!

Mercifully the DCs are at an age where Peppa Pig World is never ever going to happen.

Moors valley country park just off the motorway in Ringwood is great, has a superb playground, steamtrain and cafe, and a Go Ape attraction.

good pub just half a mile past moors valley , called three legged cross, lovely food but no play garden but it is child friendly
moors valley great for a few hrs play ...loads to do but you do have to pay the car park fee
there is place to eat there if you don't fancy the pub

Moor valley sounds like just the sort of thing we're looking for - we'll definitely give it a look. Thanks.