[Closed] Stuff to do - New Forest

hmmm where about's are you staying.
what are you after? back to nature chilled out quite days or more activities, wildlife, gardens old houses, touristy villages, spa, messing about in the woods/rivers?????
budget £, ££, £££?

Burley I think.

Not really touristy villages, plenty of those here! I am told we like the idea of gardens, old houses etc but wildlife works too.

National Motor Museum?

You do have to like cars to enjoy it though...

I think it is fair to say we aren't car fans! 🙂

I am told we like the idea of...

**Knowing, yet resigned-to-fate chuckle**

The Oak Inn at Bank is a cracking pub, other than that you're on your own 🙂

Burley's a nice village, here's a few

obviously walks in the forest, there's the reptile centre which is free except for parking, quite small so don't expect a lot, worth dropping in if your passing it though.

[url= http://www.exbury.co.uk/website/ ]Exbury house and gardens[/url]
[url= http://www.newforestwildlifepark.co.uk/ ]New Forest Wild Life Park[/url]
[url= http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/ ]Beaulie not just for cars gardens house and Abbey too[/url]
none that close to Burley though, there's some horse riding near the village I think

+1 for the oak at bank, one of our fav's.
if you want to eat though it's worth phoning up to book a table weekends especially

Try the walks around Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and the Arboretum (followed by lunch at the Oak at Bank ;o) )

Between the two is the reptiliary which is interesting for a 10 minute explore (and free).

For proper gardens go to [url= http://www.exbury.co.uk/website/ ]Exbury Gardens[/url]

Some nice walks along the coast, try Lepe Beach (with cafe, loos, paid parking) or, if you can find it, Pilewell point is very secluded for a short walk and sit down. From Lymington, try the walk around the sea walls to the Gunn Inn at Keyhaven, quite a way but worth it.

Plenty of woodsy walks in the Forest too - some nice bits on the heath if you head out opposite the cricket pitch from Burley. Its all a bit wet though, so good boots or wellies in the woods!

Edit - or what Keith says! 🙄

Thanks all! I'll hand on the ideas and claim all the credit! 😉

I'll make a note about the Oak - nothing like a good pub...

Monkey World.

we going on sat for a week, new forest show is on next week, its lovely.

Monkey World could not be described as in the New Forest by any stretch of the imagination!

It's great though, closing soon if it hasn't already.

The Oak at Bank. Nuff said.

Lots of interesting graves...
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Minstead)
Alice from wonderland (Lyndhurst)
Brusher Mills (Brockenhurst)
Burrard Neale (Lymington/Walhampton)

Googe them some great local history.

Catch the train along Hythe pier and get the ferry into Southampton for the Sea City museum or the maritime museum for free. The art gallery. The Tudor house or just walk the walls..

A little belatedly... thanks for all the suggestions, they helped make for a good break.

The Oak at Bank - Proper Job! Excellent and a good point too!

Ferry from Hythe and a trip to Sea City - good call. Didn't make the Tudor House, it was just so hot everywhere, we flaked out when we came out of the air conditioning!

Montisfont Abbey was a bit of a find, very relaxing when you escaped from everyone else!

Lepe Beach looked good. We popped in on our way back from Hythe (a scenic drive back!) and is on the cards for a more detailed explore next time.

The Turfcutter's Inn at East Boldre was good. Great beer, plenty of bikes to ogle then, while we are eating our (very good) chilli, we watching the local road club time trial.

I really need to take a bike next time.

I really need to take a bike next time.

[url= http://www.bigbikebash.co.uk/ ]BBB [/url] is only a couple of weeks away 😀

I just got back from Lyndhurst (well a couple of weeks back)

I love the area, but highlights were beauli (the james bond exhibition), Swanage railway (even the kids loved a real train) but the real winner for us was Moors valley country park (go ape, off road segways, trails and the best cafe Ive been in forever - huge portions of dorset apple cake....