Freshwater swimming in the new forest?

Hi, we’ve booked a week camping near Brockenhurst and I’m after local knowledge of any freshwater swimming holes. Ideally would like a small lake with a grassy ‘beach’ for picanics! But would take suggestions of any river spots too.
Thanks. Also any way marked mtb routes in the area while I’m asking.
Ta all.

http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/wild-swim-map-uk/?multi_region=wild-swim-map-uk

Yup seen that thanks mate. The info on there doesn’t really tell you what it’s like though so Was after first hand knowledge & recommendations as well & places that might not be so well known.

There is swimming/paddling in the river at Brokenhurst (used to do that myself as a kid in the 70’s 😳 ). Otherwise not much of what you are looking for in terms of rivers/swimming holes as people go to the sea.

I quite like the pub/hotel at Bucklers Hard, the Master Builder. There is a small ship building museum next door which can be interesting. The car park for pub/hotel is through an electric gate but it’s free. You can picnic on the grass (perhaps unofficially) and watch the boats on the river.

We used to rent bikes form the Car Museum car park and ride down via Bucklers Hard to a little beach on the Solent (officially requires payment but we where never ever checked)

There is the Lepe Park

If yu want a day dtip you can condider getting the lymington/Yrmouth ferry (foot passengers) pretty village, quite a nice little beach which you can walk too, lots of pubs/restarants and boats to look at.
pay attention if swimming int he sea as the tides can be strong and some shelve quite steeply.

Ridden round it a few times. All the ponds I’ve seen haven’t been very inviting. The Lymington river is pretty small. Probably OK for a paddle. Why not just head to the sea?

The rivers In the new forest are very low in the summer generally and only lower in the catchments are they deep. Balmier lawn at Brockenhurst is the grockle hole. I’d avoid it. The beach is only 15 minutes from Brockenhurst at Milford on sea or lepe. There is also the seawater swimming pool at lymington.

You can’t swim in hatchet pond as it’s a reservoir! There’s a couple of ponds in the north of the forest but they’re not really very nice and are a bit stagnant. Kids used to swim in the upper end of the lymington river just downstream of balmier lawn at ivy wood car pk. Unfortunately it’s 100m downstream of the sewage pumping works so there’s a public health notice there now due to “suspended colloids” so I’d rule that out personally.

Paddling wise bolder ford bridge (car park at ober corner) or at puttles pine car park, or between the ford on the black water cycle route downstream of black water carpark there are some nice paddly bits. Just be aware we’ve done some significant bits of river course restoration over the last few yrs so there are some very clayey banks in places that are prob rock hard at the mo but can be quite soft.

Also, the beach at Avon beach/ highcliffe/ mudeford is all great for swimming and only 30 mins away from Brockenhurst on the a35 at Christchurch.

I’m trying to encourage my 3yr old girl to come swimming with me outdoors. On a recent holiday to France she wouldn’t go near the sea because of the waves (?!) and coz it was too cold. Freshwater lakes are generally warmer than the sea & don’t have waves! I love outdoor swimming & just want my little girl to love it too.

Edit: thanks for the tips there, we will likely be heading to the coast too.

It’s quite shallow at lepe and not that rough normally so might be ok.

Lymington lido?

http://www.lymingtonseawaterbaths.org.uk/%5B/url%5D

The Lido or a nice beach on a fair weather day would be best bet.

The smaller ponds in the forest are used by the deer and ponies, watch out for ticks.

Have a read of this about precautions etc:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leptospirosis-associated-with-a-triathlon-event
Lots of animals roaming about near open water courses. As others say, plenty of beaches nearby too. For mtb’ing there’s Avon Tyrrell of course or the hire centres in Brock and Burley have the route maps and advice for out in the Forest. Don’t forget http://www.bigbikebash.co.uk on the bank holiday weekend for bikes, bands and beer, all for a good cause and ideal family event.

Go to the beach at the end of Tanners Lane. Best to cycle as there isn’t a lot of parking.

There really is sod all tbh lido or the sea is it as far as I know.

Local Tri club swim on the Solent near lepe I think

All the water I can think of is either nasty stagnant stuff, private\prohibited or simply not deep enough

It’s proper clayey/ muddy at tanners lane! Better go to Milford or lepe for a swim!