HOW TO SPEND A WEEKEND IN THE NEW FOREST: A PERFECT 3 DAY SHORT BREAK!

CRAVING A RELAXING WEEKEND IN THE NEW FOREST?

Well, you’ve come to the right place! We have literally just come back from the most wholesome long weekend in the New Forest as a family of three – now our second little family holiday away!

This is almost the exact New Forest itinerary we followed during our time here, but of course changed slightly based on our experiences and findings along the way!

As well as a detailed day-by-day itinerary of the best things to see and do, we also highlight the luxury New Forest log cabin you absolutely must stay at plus some top tips. So basically, everything you could possibly need to know!

OUR LONG WEEKEND IN THE NEW FOREST ITINERARY:

DAY 1: FURZEY GARDENS, BOLDERWOOD FOREST & DEER VIEWING PLATFORM

DRIVE TO NEW FOREST
Spend the earlier part of today making your way down (or up!) to the New Forest, depending on where you are coming from.

FURZEY GARDENS
As the majority of accommodations don’t allow check in until 3pm(ish), head straight to Furzey Gardens. It’s located within the top half of New Forest National Park, so should be relatively ‘on route’ and a convenient first stop for most.

Pictured: Thatched cottage building at Furzey Gardens, our very first stop on our weekend in the New Forest itinerary! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: Thatched cottage building at Furzey Gardens, our very first stop on our weekend in the New Forest itinerary!

Pictured: The Tea Rooms and outdoor terrace at Furzey Gardens where you can enjoy a well deserved lunch or cream tea! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The Tea Rooms and outdoor terrace where you can enjoy a well deserved lunch or cream tea! Photograph taken by Jordie.

If you’re craving getting away from it all, Furzey Gardens is the place for you. Open 7 days a week 10am to 4pm, first enjoy a well deserved cream tea or lunch in the Tea Rooms, hosted in a delightful thatched cottage conversion near the front entrance.

It’s also got a little outside terrace area with garden views. We sat here and highly recommend it if there is a free spot!

Afterwards, lose yourself in the woodland pathways deep in the small tranquil garden areas, complete with colourful blooms and quirky fairy doors to spot as you wander round.

Pictured: Little man was guiding us round Furzey Gardens with this helpful free map we were given on arrival!

Pictured: Jordie wandering aimlessly down the garden pathways at Furzey. Photograph taken by Liam.

Pictured: Everywhere you look at Furzey Gardens is so beautiful! Photograph taken by Jordie.

Top Tip: Furzey Gardens are run by Minstead Trust, a local charity providing inspirational work experience and horticultural training to people with learning disabilities.

While there is no official “entrance fee” – there is what they call a “suggested entrance donation fee”, which is £10 an adult and £6 for children 5 or over. All the donations go into funding their cause and keep this programme going.

When we visited, there was a lady literally standing at the front entrance behind a fold out table, card machine in hand ready and waiting for us! You can pay by cash or card.

BOLDERWOOD FOREST & DEER SANCTUARY
Next, drive a further 14 minutes to the free Bolderwood Forest car park. Here, you will most likely see loads of New Forest ponies munching on the grass. Walk straight to the deer viewing platform, literally a 2 minute stroll from the car park. It’s all signposted so you’ll know where to go.

Pictured: The large free car park at Bolderwood Forest. There is also a free public toilet block, pictured left.

Pictured: As you can see, the large grassy verge at Bolderwood Forest free car park is a great place to spot the New Forest ponies! Didn’t take long to spot them on our weekend in the New Forest itinerary!

If you’re lucky, you can see wild fallow deer in the meadow here. The trick is to visit after 2pm, as the rangers usually feed them around that time daily. We visited around 3.30pm, and there were so many fallow deer for us to see, still just grazing away.

Pictured: The herd of wild fallow deer we spotted from the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary viewing platform. The trick is to visit after 2pm, as the rangers usually feed them around that time daily. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Don’t just head straight back to your car after this! Take time to walk a short loop around Bolderwood Forest to see some of the TALLEST trees – at least that we personally – have ever seen! This was the perfect intro to our weekend in the New Forest!

Pictured: The view from Bolderwood Forest deer viewing platform, located just a few minutes walk from the free car park.

Pictured: Liam walking amongst the trees of Bolderwood Forest during our weekend in the New Forest itinerary. We could not believe how tall some of these trees were! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: Liam modelling just how crazy TALL some of these trees were in Bolderwood Forest. Photograph taken by Jordie.

DAY 2: ALICE IN WONDERLAND’S GRAVE, BLACKWATER ARBORETUM, BURLEY VILLAGE & ROCKFORD COMMON SANDPIT

ALICE IN WONDERLAND’S GRAVE (PASS BY)
One of the most fascinating facts about the New Forest is that Alice Hargreaves – on whom Lewis Carroll’s world-famous ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ stories are based – is buried at St.Michaels & All Angels churchyard, in the middle of New Forest’s Lyndhurst village.

Pictured: The gravestone of Alice Hargreaves at St. Michaels & All Angels churchyard located in Lyndhurst. — Pictured: The grave plaque of Alice Hargreaves, the muse behind Lewis Carroll’s world famous Alice in Wonderland story. It’s in Lyndhurst’s St. Michaels & All Angels churchyard, tucked behind the church on the quieter side way from the town. Photograph taken by Jordie.

On arrival we realised the church is literally in the middle of Lyndhurst on a busy ring road. If you just wanted to quickly stop off and not have the pay for parking / hang around in Lyndhurst, we highly recommend to quickly park up the dead end of Church Road, exact location here.

Directly in front of you, you will see the path leading up to the church. Walk round the left-hand side of the church (the side away from the road). It is in this quiet corner, located around here, that you will find Alice’s grave.

If you did want to hang around in Lyndhurst, dubbed the ‘heart of the New Forest’, you can park in the Pay and Display car park near Church Road. We personally didn’t as we see Lyndhurst as a pretty typical British high street.

Pictured: The view when parked at the dead of Church Road. This is the short path to take straight up to St.Michaels & All Angels churchyard in Lyndhurst. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The view when parked at the dead of Church Road. This is the short path to take up to St.Michaels & All Angels churchyard in Lyndhurst. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Pictured: The gravestone of Alice Hargreaves, the muse behind Lewis Carroll's world famous Alice in Wonderland story. It is located St. Michaels & All Angels churchyard in Lyndhurst, snuggled behind the church on the quieter side way from the town. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The full grave of Alice Hargreaves, the muse behind Lewis Carroll’s world famous Alice in Wonderland story. Photograph taken by Jordie.

BROCKENHURST RIVER BEACH (PASS BY)
Drive just 7 minutes now to a little hidden gem in the New Forest. Known by locals as the “Brockenhurst River Beach” or “Brock Beach”, it is a little section of the calm Lymington River (which looks more like a brook) with gravel banks either side.

It has it’s own free little car park, located here, directly opposite the Balmer Lawn hotel.

We can’t imagine it’s worth stopping if it’s miserable weather, but if you have a lovely warm, sunny day – This is absolutely one of the best picnic spots in the New Forest! Perfect opportunity to enjoy a packed brunch / early lunch.

You’ll more than likely see lots of New Forest’s free-roaming animals here too, when we visited there were loads of cows!

Pictured: The banks of "Brockenhurst River Beach", a hidden gem and one of the best picnic spots in the New Forest (providing you have good weather that is!) — Pictured: The banks of “Brockenhurst River Beach”, a hidden gem and one of the best picnic spots in the New Forest (providing you have good weather that is!)

Pictured: The cows we spotted traipsing across "Brockenhurst River Beach". — Pictured: The cows we spotted traipsing across “Brockenhurst River Beach”.

BLACKWATER ARBORETUM
Not far from Brockenhurst is the stunning Blackwater Arboretum, which was honestly the highlight of our entire weekend in the New Forest itinerary!

Pictured: All 3 of us posing on a felled tree along the Blackwater Arboretum Tall Trees walking trail in the New Forest, one of the best free things to do on your weekend in the New Forest itinerary! — Pictured: All 3 of us posing on a “felled” tree along the Blackwater Arboretum Tall Trees walking trail, one of the best free things to do on your weekend in the New Forest itinerary!

The route on Rhinefield Ornamental Drive up to the Arboretum itself is pretty special. The trees either side suddenly become really dense and ginormous, exactly what you imagine it is to truly be in the heart of the wild, untouched New Forest!

weekend-in-the-new-forest-itinerary — Pictured: For scale, this is Jordie and little man walking along the Blackwater Arboretum Tall Trees trail!

Park at the large free car park and embark on the Blackwater Tall Trees trail walking loop. There are clear signposts and pathways to follow. This is a very easy, flat walk (and pram friendly!) but has no shortage of beauty.

Pass towering tree species from all over the world, including the most common Douglas Firs. There are also two Giant Sequoia trees, the largest tree species in the world. While not quite as massive as the ones you would find in California, the ones in Blackwater are still pretty impressive!

Pictured: Jordie and little man with the two Giant Sequoia trees found along the Blackwater Arboretum Tall Trees trail. — Pictured: Jordie and little man with the two **Giant Sequoia trees** found along the Blackwater Arboretum Tall Trees trail.

BURLEY VILLAGE
You may have gathered by now we’re not too fussed about the majority of UK town / villages if they are (what we deem to be) “typical” British high streets.

We’ve lived here all our lives so have definitely seen enough of them, and only really make a point of stopping if they have a notable point of difference.

Incoming – New Forest’s village of Burley – a quaint village famed for its strong history of witchcraft, and to this day is still delightfully frozen in time and oozes old-town charm. Being a die hard Sabrina, Charmed and Buffy fan growing up, it felt pretty nostalgic being here!

Pictured: The exterior of the infamous Coven of Witches gift shop in Burley, a New Forest village with deep connections to witchcraft. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The exterior of the infamous Coven of Witches gift shop in Burley, a New Forest village with deep connections to witchcraft.

Pictured: Inside the infamous Coven of Witches gift shop in Burley, a New Forest village with deep connections to witchcraft. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Though tiny in size, Burley has so much to explore for a few short hours! It’s medieval witchcraft connections lives on through whimsical gift shops, like the most famous Coven of Witches. Shop for all things magic related including tarot cards, creature figurines, quartz crystals and incense.

When we ventured to the back of the shop, we discovered there’s a little booth where you can get your own impromptu psychic reading. How cool is that?

We highly recommend grabbing a delicious cream tea at The Old Farmhouse in Burley, housed in a quaint thatched building. Definitely try their blackcurrant jam on the scones, it’s delicious!

The best part? If you come here first, you can park at The Old Farmhouse’s large car park (which is free for customers) instead of paying for parking elsewhere and head off into the village.

Pictured: The exterior of The Old Farmhouse Tea Rooms in Burley village. Photograph taken by Jordie.

ROCKFORD COMMON SANDPIT
Your last stop today at Rockford Common Sandpit is another New Forest hidden gem, situated on the far West border of the National Park. Park up for free here at this large car park and walk downhill for a few minutes to get to the sandpit.

Pictured: Jordie at the large Rockford Common Sandpit, located on the far west border of New Forest National Park. Photograph taken by Liam.

A disused sand quarry, the large Rockford Common Sandpit now provides a truly marvel and unexpected spot for family fun.

You can either stick around and relax on the soft sand or have a paddle in the babbling Ford opposite. This is another hotspot for New Forest ponies and livestock!

Pictured: The gentle Ford located near Rockford Common sandpit. This is usually a hotspot for New Forest's iconic animals. We saw both ponies and cows here during our visit. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The gentle Ford located near Rockford Common sandpit. This is usually a hotspot for New Forest’s iconic animals. We saw both ponies and cows here during our visit. Photograph taken by Jordie.

DAY 3: BEAULIEU & BUCKLER’S HARD VILLAGES

BEAULIEU VILLAGE
One of the most surprising places we visited in the New Forest was Beaulieu village. We didn’t really know what to expect to be honest, but the only way we can describe Beaulieu is a “themed attraction” village.

Park up for free in the huge car park before paying to enter the village and access its many things to do. It really reminded us of Clovelley village in Devon, which is kind of the same idea.

Entrance sign of Beaulieu village — Pictured: The entrance sign for Beaulieu village. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Pictured: Inside the entrance of Beaulieu village, New Forest National Park. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Nonetheless, once we got into the village we soon forgot all about it. We found the whole village concept to be delightfully random, with top sights to see being:

National Motor Museum
You’ll find over 250 car models that you can possibly think of from throughout the ages. You’ll also find two of the ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ cars used in the film – Jordie literally went mad when she saw this!
“On Screen Cars”
In here were some epic cars from past TV and film series, including Mr Beans car and – our favourite – the blue Flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!
World of Top Gear exhibition
Monorail fly over round the village (unlimited use)
Ancient Beaulieu Abbey ruins
Beaulieu Palace House
Beaulieu park and gardens

Pictured: The blue Flying Ford Anglia car used in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie, located in the "On Screen cars" dome at Beaulieu village, just opposite the main National Motor Museum. This was one of our favourite things to see throughout our entire weekend in the New Forest itinerary! — Pictured: The blue Flying Ford Anglia car used in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie, located in the “On Screen Cars” dome at Beaulieu village.

Pictured: One of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang cars used in the film, displayed at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu village resort. — Pictured: Our favourite thing to see inside the National Motor Museum was one of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang models used in the movie! Photograph taken by Jordie.

Random, right?! I mean, what a mix. There is also a large and modern cafe area near the village entrance. They have a good selection of savoury lunches and sweet treats. We had a cupcake from there and my god, it was delicious.

They host all sorts of annual events throughout the year too worth checking out to see if any align with your travel dates.

Pictured: The entrance to the unlimited monorail at Beaulieu village, New Forest National Park. Photograph taken by Jordie.

BUCKLER’S HARD VILLAGE
Just 10 minutes drive from Beaulieu village is Buckler’s Hard, a ship-building village from the 18th century set along the glistening Beaulieu River.

Unlike Beaulieu, this is not a themed village. It is an authentic historical riverside village steeped in rich history, including shipbuilding for Nelson’s Navy and a 13th century rule from Cistercian Monks in the 13th century.

Pictured: The reveal of Buckler's Hard cottage rows either side, with the idyllic Beaulieu River and harbour at the bottom of the hill. This was one of our favourite things to see during our weekend in the New Forest itinerary. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The reveal of Buckler’s Hard cottage rows either side, with the idyllic Beaulieu River and harbour at the bottom of the hill. This was one of our favourite things to see during our weekend in the New Forest itinerary. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Park up at the ticketless car park and wander down to the village. You pay for parking at the ticket booths (aka. the amount of time you spend there) on your way out, not before. We found the parking to be very reasonable to, at just £2.80 for 1 hour and £4.80 for 2 hours as an example.

First you pass the Museum entrance. For an additional fee, you can head inside to uncover Buckler’s Hard deep historical roots and stories to tell. Or, carry on down until you reach its postcard-perfect row of cottages, with the Harbour and Beaulieu River visible at the very bottom.

Pictured: Locals and visitors alike come to sit and relax on the grassy verge at Buckler's Hard, or even grab a cheeky drink or lunch at Henry's Pub or the more upmarket Riverview Restaurant. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: Locals and visitors alike come to sit and relax on the grassy verge at Buckler’s Hard, or even grab a cheeky drink or lunch at Henry’s Pub or the more upmarket Riverview Restaurant. Photograph taken by Jordie.

We loved that a few of the cottages (mainly on the left-hand side) had been made into interactive displays, showcasing how past residents would have lived. An example is the Shipwright’s Cottage, where you can walk both levels of the house for free.

Next door is St. Mary’s, where the downstairs living area was legally converted into a chapel, where you can also go inside, again for free.

At the very end of the row of cottages, enjoy a pub lunch or refreshing drink at Henry’s Pub, or fine dining at the Riverview Restaurant (pre-booking advised).

Pictured: The Shipwright's Cottage downstairs interactive display at Buckler's Hard. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: The Shipwright’s Cottage downstairs interactive display at Buckler’s Hard. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Pictured: St.Mary's chapel at Buckler's Hard - in a small converted living room! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: St.Mary’s chapel at Buckler’s Hard – in a small converted living room! Photograph taken by Jordie.

BUCKLER’S HARD HARBOUR & BOAT TRIPS
We didn’t realise until we got there that the very bottom of Buckler’s Hard is the harbour, and the main pick-up point for daily boat trips on Beaulieu River, running from April to October.

There are multiple 30 minute cruises throughout the day: providing great commentary on the rivers history plus a chance to see lots of wildlife, including lots of bird species and even seals if you’re lucky! Make sure you bring binoculars, as the river gets quite wide at points so you can be a fair distance away.

To be honest, we saw people just queuing at the harbour gate for the next river cruise available, it didn’t look like you had to pre-book at all.

River cruise times shown were: 11am, 11.45am, 12.45pm, 13.30pm, 14.15pm, 15.00pm, 15.45pm and 16.00pm, and they were operated by local company Blue Funnel Cruises Ltd.

A PRE-BOOKED ALTERNATIVE
If you didn’t want the stress of not knowing whether you’ll get a guaranteed spot on one of these river cruises, or wanted a longer more in-depth cruise, we found this highly-rated 2.5 Hours SightSeeing Tour on Beaulieu River on Viator that you can pre-book in advance and take all those worries away!

Pictured: On approach to the main harbour at the bottom of Buckler's Hard, spot a small group waiting for the next daily boat cruise up the river. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: On approach to the main harbour at the bottom of Buckler’s Hard, spot a small group waiting for the next daily boat cruise up the river. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Pictured: The Beaulieu River cruise sign located just off the harbour entrance. This is where the small group was waiting. Photograph taken by Jordie.

Don’t want to leave Buckler’s Hard? Well, you don’t have to! You can book a stay at the nautical Master Builder’s House Hotel, where the fine-dining Riverview Restaurant is based!

WHERE TO STAY IN THE NEW FOREST

In our opinion, the best place you can stay during your weekend in the New Forest is Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins, located in the quaint village of Eling just outside the north-east border of New Forest National Park.

Psst! We used Booking.com to reserve our stay to take advantage of their super flexible free cancellation option!

There are two holiday cabins here, Oak Tree Cabin and Apple Tree Cabin. We recommend staying in the cabin we stayed in, Oak Tree Cabin, which has the green interior.

Pictured: The interior and exterior of the best luxury log cabin in the New Forest we stayed at, Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins in Eling! Photographs taken by Jordie. — Pictured: Our top pick place to stay during your weekend in the New Forest itinerary is the luxurious Oak Tree Cabin option at **Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins**.

Both cabins are delightful, but Oak Tree Cabin’s end of garden location is slightly better for countryside views and making the most of the afternoon sun.

For everything you need to know and lots more photos taken by us for our experience here, check out our full Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins review blog post.

Pictured: The quirky modern interior design inside the Oak Tree Cabin at Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins, a luxury log cabin in the New Forest. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: An interior photo of inside the Oak Tree Cabin at **Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins**. Can you spot little man on bed?

Pictured: Jordie enjoying the freestanding rose gold bath tub in Oak Tree Cabin at Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Pictured: A bubble bath with a view in Oak Tree Cabin at **Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins**.

Psst! If you wanted even more of a pampering this weekend, check out the 5 best spa hotels in and around to New Forest to stay at instead!

TOP TIPS FOR VISITING THE NEW FOREST

One thing that surprised us when visiting the New Forest was the lack of mobile service and signal. We are with a provider that usually is pretty good in most places, but it really did struggle in the New Forest.

Our advice is to write down postcodes of each stop you need to get to that day (plus your accommodation) so you can put that into your in-built car SatNav if Google Maps on your phone doesn’t work due to no internet.
One of the draws about the New Forest is its free-roaming animals, inclusive of its infamous ponies but also cows, donkeys and sometimes pigs! You will be able to tell when you are entering an area of free-roaming animals as you will have to drive over a cattle grid in the road. When in these areas, might your speed and always be mindful when driving to avoid collisions.

One of the **top facts about the New Forest**, the animals get right of way – always!

CONCLUSION: A WEEKEND IN THE NEW FOREST ITINERARY

In conclusion, this long weekend in the New Forest itinerary is the perfect getaway plan for anyone wanting to explore this idyllic corner of the UK!

It is perfect for most travellers, particularly those who want to focus more on the scenic countryside, see more hidden gems and focus on being outdoors seeing the animals rather than spending too much time in its larger towns and villages.

Of course, we do include villages that have a notable point of difference and are – in our opinion – worth the visit, such as Burley and Buckler’s Hard.

We visited and tried out this itinerary when little man was just 4 months old, so all the New Forest walks and trails we mention are very family and pram friendly.

Oh and if you are either a couple or a young family (with one child under 2 years old), make sure you book a stay in the Oak Tree Cabin at Ivy Cottage Holiday Cabins to make your New Forest stay even more special!

We hope you have the best time on your New Forest trip. Please do e-mail us and let us know what your favourite part of this itinerary was, we’d love to hear from you!

A photo of Jordie, the author of this specific blog post and owner of the wesbite.

This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!

Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com

A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.

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