New Forest.. any ideas for days out ???

[Ruthiebabes]

Spending the first May Bank Holiday in the New Forest (staying near Beaulieu).

DC's 6 and rising 4, would love some ideas for day trips. The Motor museum at Beaulieu looks good. Anywhere else?

Thanks in advance.

lymington for crabbing. buy some bacon and you can get the rest of the kit there. tis an excellent way to while away an afternoon.

Take the DCs to this shop they will love it. Paultons Park is near. Also Longdown Farm

Thank you.... anyone else????

Down the road from Longdowne Farm is The Otter and Owl Centre. It is my dc's favourite place to spend a few hours when we visit my parents (although I see it has changed it's name)

Mudeford is lovely for crabbing and you can get the ferry over to the beach or drive to Hengistbury head and get the ''noddy train'' (as we call it) to the beach.

Bucklers Hard is quite pretty and close to Beaulieu. Exbury gardens good if you like that sort of thing.

If you do go to Lymington, avoid a Saturday, unless you like markets and queueing for car parks.

You can get the ferry from Lymington to the Isle of Wight for the day.

The Mayflower Inn is a nice pub in Lymington. As is The Hobler on the road in to Lymington.

Hurst Castle is a trek if you like walking. Keyhaven (and the Gun pub) is a pretty place nearby to see it from without walking all the way down the spit!

Marwell Zoo is doable for the day too.

And, of course, there is all the beautiful forest for picnics, playing hide and seek and tree climbing!

Exbury Gardens is great - a really beautiful spot with a great little train.

Take a picnic to any of the numerous spots in the New Forest - the area around Beaulieu is littered with them. Find yourself a little stream and a bridge to play pooh sticks and while away the afternoon watching the ponies.

You can also hire bikes at Brockenhurst right next to the station or get the rackety old train to Lymington from Brockenhurst and get the ferry across to the Isle of Wight.

That's also the weekend of the Downton cuckoo fair which is good fun for young children (Downton is just outside the New Forest on the NW corner so about 40 mins away from where you'll be but good fun). Plenty of other villages have May day fairs so there will plenty to do.

Have a lovely time!

It's a bit of a drive but we did Corfe Castle when we were there for October half term and that was fabulous. Especially if you love the Famous Five.

Re Hurst Castle - there is a boat you can get if the children are not up to the walk.

the Witches Shops in Burley in the Forest itself, plus a few other nice crafty/foody shops around there.

There is also the deer and walks at Bolderwood

Still thinking

Of course, there are the very touristy wagon rides at Burley (and maybe still Brockenhurst, behind Balmer Lawn Hotel).

I have to say, if you can avoid driving through Lyndhurst all weekend, I would. It will be very busy and very slow getting through the one-way system!

My in-laws live in the New Forest, so have had many long weekends there. My two love going to Moors Valley Park - it isn't strictly in the New Forest, it's just off the main road after the Ringwood turnoff. Fantastic Forestry Commision country park with huge outdoor play area, fab mini steam railway,and play trail - every 300 metres or so another structure to discover and play on with 'tree top walk'. Everytime we go down we are pestered to visit. Expensive to park but free once in, altho you will have to pay for train - but well worth it. Can you tell we like it there!