New Forest next week.

[DDiva]

Hello....

We have a few days away in Milford on sea next week. Were hoping for lots of walks and happy to wrap up warm and explore. I'd like to have a couple if activities as back up 'activities' in case 7yr old dd get a bit fed up of walking !

Any suggestions?
Also best place to see ponys ?

Thanks in advance

You’ll see ponies anywhere and everywhere as you drive through the forest on the 40MPH roads. It’s also still pannage, I think, when the pigs are out to forage for acorns. Also cows out in herds generally in a few places.

Back up places, depending on how you’re feeling about Covid stuff - Marwell zoo (still walking though, aquarium at Bournemouth, Paultons park...

I know the north forest better than the bit you’re going to, but Fritham, the High Corner Inn and Frogham are all nice places for a walk.

... more thinking... Lepe country park is worth a visit - it has a stony beach, play area, good kite flying etc. Various castles along the coast but you’ll need to check their opening hours in November.

Paultons Park is a great day out for that age group. Lyndhurst and Lymington are both pleasant small towns for a wander and browse round shops.

You'll find ponies, donkeys, sheep, pigs etc all over the roads if you go a bit inland. Normally we see lots around Bramshaw, north of the A31.

Hope you have a lovely holiday, the weather forecast is looking quite good for next week.

Burley is a small village in the New Forest, will have the ponies walking around.

Beaulieu motor museum might be worth a look if they are interested in cars. Exbury gardens, paultons, marwell zoo or the New forest wildlife park

Burley - nice little village, can be busy. Usually you can see a few ponies walking up and down the streets

Beaulieu is beautiful

Hatchet pond ( between Brockenhurst and Beaulieu)

Lymington - crabbing by the harbour ( although it may be not the best time of year to do that now)

Children's activities - there's a pool with slides etc just outside of Poole which is meant to be good. Paultons park near Romsey. You can hire a boat at Christchurch Quay

Ornamental drive

Moors Valley country park ( has a lovely play trail and playground)

Go Ape at Moors Valley

Beaulieu (museum with play park/monorail etc)

Bucklers Hard

Hengistbury Head (there's a land train, visitor centre and a lovely cafe)

Ferry to Isle of Wight

Wilverley Plain or Bolderwood deer sanctuary both good for animals ( deer, cows, ponies etc) although ponies everywhere to be fair !

Afternoon tea at Chewton Glen ( various hotels offer it)

New Forest reptile museum

Exbury Gardens and steam railway

Furzley gardens

Longdown activity farm

Crabbing at Mudeford (also ferry across Quay)

Tuckton tea gardens has boats you can hire to go up and down the river

Hire bikes at Burley. They give you a map of suggested routes.

A bit of a ramble but having lived there when my two were the same age, these were there favourites. If it were summer I could think of loads more !

The Gun Inn in Keyhaven is a lovely, quirky, family-friendly smugglers' inn.

Polly's Pantry in Milford on Sea is another lovely place to eat, but it's one of those cramped little tea shops and I've no idea how they can manage any social distancing.

The south side of the pier on the edge of Keyhaven Marshes is a brilliant place for crabbing, and when the tide is out the north side is great for rockpoolling. The google maps code for it is PFH6+R2 Lymington.

At the top of the ornamental drive there is a deer sanctuary, with one of those Gruffalo trails you follow. The woodland around there is stunning with all those giant redwoods.

Wow thank you so much so many ideas.

We are definitely hoping to just explore the area and have checked out local walks. But some great ideas here, plenty of options if we want something more organised .....

We were in the New Forest in the summer. We stayed in Brockenhurst which was lovely and lots of nice restaurants. Loads of ponies just wandering around the streets in the village!

We did the hop on hop off bus tour which was a good way to get around. Go the the fudge shop in Burley.

Definitely Moors Valley.

And if you want to drive into Bournemouth there is loads to do including a virtual reality place in the town centre, my dd loved this!