Ideas for days out
The National Park is not just woodland glades and peaceful landscapes; there are bustling historic towns and villages to discover, too. And the best way to see them is on the New Forest Tour bus.
At Brockenhurst, it’s easy to step from the train station into restaurants, cafés, shops and pubs. Many walks and trails start here and you often find ponies and cattle grazing in the village. Lyndhurst, right, is just a few miles away. It’s home to the New Forest Museum and Visitor Centre and has good independent stores, from fashion to antiques.
Beaulieu is best known for the National Motor Museum, 13th-century Abbey and Lord Montagu’s Palace House, all linked by a monorail. The village itself is a pretty creekside hamlet with a friendly old pub.
At Exbury, enjoy the woodland garden with its steam railway, left, and at Eling there’s an old working tidal mill. The village of Sway on South West Trains’ network lures visitors to ArtSway, which is a nationally acclaimed gallery.
page 2 of 4 