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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Give me your fun recommendations for activities in New Forest and West Bay Dorset. 9 & 7 year old

11 replies

Abkbjbjb · 29/06/2021 13:08

Hi so we are heading to these places tomorrow for a little staycation from NI for a week. 2 boys aged 9 & 7. Just wondering if anyone from these areas could recommend anywhere that is a must see|do!! If it was just myself & husband we could quite happily fill our week discovering lovely quaint English villages & beer gardens etc 😂but want to have a few fun days out for the kids. I know there is Paultons Park- we were there a few years ago but only went around Peppa Pig Land! Now they are a bit older would they still enjoy he rest of the park🤔. Any farms, safaris, zoos etc?
We are arriving New Forest tomorrow night then on to West Bay on Saturday morning for 5 days
Thanks 😀

OP posts:
Sirzy · 29/06/2021 13:10

Beaulaui motor museum is a great day out

Toomuchleopard · 29/06/2021 13:17

Moors Valley Country Park is really good and enough to do for a full day out. In the New Forest you can just see the ponies and donkeys wandering about in the wild but I don't know the best place to do that.

Newchallenge · 29/06/2021 13:20

Oh it's a beautiful area, there's so much to do. Walking / cycling in the New Forest, Beaulieu motor museum, beaches at Bournemouth, Longleat Safari park probably wouldn't be too far away.
Wareham and Swanage and the Jurassic coast a bit further down.

Newchallenge · 29/06/2021 13:20

Marwell Zoo

Newchallenge · 29/06/2021 13:21

Lyme Regis, Chesil beach

Firepitnights · 29/06/2021 13:22

They will still love Paultons as there’s the next level up to explore now. We love the rides so I’m sure they will.

Crabbing at either Lymington Quay, Keyhaven Quay, or the crabbing bridge between milford and Keyhaven.

Ferry and or walk to Hurst Castle (round the island race this Saturday, so best viewing point to see all the yachts) then have a wander around milford - perhaps grab a pizza from the wood fired fire engine pizza at The Smugglers in Milford.

For a day at the beach try Friars Cliff. Walk along the cliff path to Highcliffe Castle then down to the beach in the zig zag and back along the beach.

The Beach Hut café at Friars Cliff does great seaside fayre or you can continue to Avon Beach on the promenade to The Noisy Lobster which does take away as well as sit down (check the menu for pricing & book if you fancy it). Then carry on to Mudeford - crabbing, foot ferry to Hengistbury Head and the luxury (£300k+) beach huts. The noddy train runs from there to the Hikers Café so you could walk or bike one way and catch the train back. There are “Boris” style bikes and sometimes an electric scooter there to hire as well. Beryl bikes I think they’re called.

In the New Forest, please enjoy the sight of the ponies, donkeys, cattle, deer etc but look and don’t touch or feed - they are all owned by commoners.

Good places to see them included Brockenhurst - grab a picnic lunch from the Bakehouse or bring your own and wander out to white moor where you’ll see lots out in the forest. Plenty of car parks, toilets, ice cream vans.

Where are you staying? Can give you more specific details perhaps.

Naggety · 29/06/2021 13:23

The rest of the park is so much better than the Peppa Pig part imo!

Abkbjbjb · 30/06/2021 08:59

Wow thank you all so much for your replies🥰. Delighted I asked now as my eldest with ASD is completely obsessed with cars so we will definitely be visiting the motor museum!! They will love it.
Very excited for our adventure. Thanks again !

OP posts:
Abkbjbjb · 30/06/2021 09:01

@Firepitnights thank you so much for all your suggestions!! Very excited to go and see the fancy beach huts 😃. We arrive in St Leonard's in a mobile home Epping Forest, leave there on Saturday morning to stay in apartment in West Bay for 4 nights. Sounds beautiful we can't wait😀

OP posts:
Naggety · 01/07/2021 08:23

Might your boys like Bovington Tank museum? I hate it but my kids said it was great! 😆

Imapotato · 02/07/2021 17:17

Lots to do in the area.

Weymouth sealife centre. Crealey is always a hit with kids the age that yours are. It’s a bit of a drive from west bay (down by Exeter) but it’s a good day out. Fossil hunting at Lyme Regis or charmouth. Splash down water park (mostly indoors so good for a rainy day) along the coast at Poole or a trip to brownsea island in poole harbour. Corfe castle and Kingston Lacy are not too far away if you’re national trust members. West bay also has a nice park by the big car park as you come in. The Jurassic fun at fresh water is often open to the public (not completely sure whether it is right now) and you can walk to it from west bay along the beach, though be careful of the cliffs, there are often cliff falls in that area.

Have a lovely time.

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