New Forest Cultural Highlights

Visiting any of the UK's national parks is a great chance to spend some time outdoors, and the New Forest is no exception, with some attractive and easygoing walks and bike rides among its highlights. There’s more to this park than just its scenery, however – the area is home to several excellent heritage and cultural attractions to include on your trip.

In this article we'll introduce you to some of the area's top attractions and a few less well-known ones, along with suggesting some local events and giving tips on where you can try a taste of the New Forest’s food and drink scene. 

Historical landmarks

The New Forest was established by William the Conqueror, but the area's history can be traced back for many centuries before that. So it's no surprise to find that there are numerous historic landmarks and heritage attractions around the park these days. We’ve picked out just a few of our favourites that should be on your list of places to see in the New Forest.

Beaulieu estate

Beaulieu, a huge estate on the banks of the Beaulieu River, is one of those attractions that really can claim to have ‘something for everyone’. Highlights include the chance to see almost 300 vehicles (including speed record holders and elegant classic cars) at the National Motor Museum and visit the atmospheric ruins of Beaulieu Abbey. Take a step back in time on a tour of the Palace House (pictured above), decorated as it would have been in Victorian times, ride the monorail, head to the adventure play area, stroll through the gardens or follow in famous footsteps at the World of Top Gear… the choice is yours. 

It's worth buying tickets online before arriving at Beaulieu, as this saves you both time and money. The comprehensive website has full details of all the attractions, with listings of special events and several suggested itineraries to help you make the most of your day out.

Local tip: There's so much to see at Beaulieu that even a full day might not be enough to get around it all. Handily, your ticket entitles you to a free return visit within the six days after your first visit (with your original guests only; tickets are not transferable).

Hurst Castle

Just outside the park, on the coast near Milford on Sea, Hurst Castle was built by Henry VIII in the mid 16th century. However, this is no grand elegant royal palace – in fact it's a sturdy and functional building that was one of the most advanced artillery fortresses in the country when it was built. The castle has played a lot of different roles in its time, from detaining Charles I as a prisoner in its early years to defending the Solent in both the Napoleonic wars and World War II.  

Visitors can join guided tours of the castle and its surroundings to learn all about its fascinating history, as well as enjoying some fabulous views over the Solent towards the Isle of Wight.

Local tip: Hurst Castle sits at the end of a long shingle spit, which can be accessed via the ferry from Keyhaven or a scenic two-mile coastal walk from Milford on Sea.

Buckler’s Hard

Once a busy 18th-century shipbuilding village, Buckler’s Hard has now been transformed into a family-friendly visitor attraction where you’ll feel like you've stepped back in time as you explore the cottages, the workshop, the chapel and other heritage attractions. It’s a lovely place to have a wander around, and you can make it part of a longer walk along the riverbank to Beaulieu if you like.

Entry to the village is free, although you'll need to pay for parking and entry to certain attractions including the museum. With picnic areas, cafés and gift shops all on site, there are plenty of facilities to make a great day out.

Local tip: Try to leave time for a half-hour cruise along the Beaulieu River, to take in more of the area's history and hopefully see some of its wildlife. Boats depart around right times a day and tickets can be bought on board.

Rufus Stone

A much smaller historic site, but no less important, the Rufus Stone marks the alleged spot where William II was killed while on a royal hunting trip in 1100. The king was known as Rufus on account of his red hair and ruddy cheeks, and he was such an unpopular ruler that he wasn’t widely mourned. This accounts for the rather factual wording of the Rufus Stone, which was originally set up in the early 17th century and later preserved with a metal cover in 1841. Was the killing an accident, or a deliberate act? A visit here is bound to stoke some debate.

Local tip: The Rufus Stone is easily accessed from the nearby car park, but if you’d like to stretch your legs a bit more you can follow a nice two-mile circular trail through the woods to set the scene for the historic incident.

Museums and cultural centres

New Forest Heritage Centre

If you’ve got any questions about life in the New Forest, past or present, the New Forest Heritage Centre is the place to go. This Lyndhurst-based centre is a real community hub, with local artists' exhibitions, workshops and schools’ visits throughout the year. At its heart is an excellent museum housing around 50,000 exhibits that will introduce you to the story of everything from the wild ponies to the medieval herbalists that once plied their trade here.

The museum is run by a charity and it's free to enter, so it's a great option for a short visit with children. If you’ve enjoyed your visit, you can make a donation to help keep its work going.

Local tip: The café and shop in the centre have some delicious treats for the end of your museum tour – they champion local producers, so the coffees, cakes and ice creams are all made nearby, and you can pick up local honey as a souvenir.

Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum

Sammy Miller is a true legend of the motorcycling world, winning over 1,300 trials during the course of his glittering career. But he was never just a racer – he is a true enthusiast, getting involved in everything from technical developments to repairs. That led him to start restoring old bikes, which formed the basis of a collection that eventually became the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum.

Sammy’s obsession has now grown into a world-class collection of more than 400 motorcycles and pieces of related memorabilia that trace the evolution of motorbikes across the years. Several of the bikes are fired up for demos throughout the year, and the museum often hosts gatherings so it’s well worth checking event listings before your visit.

Local tip: As well as marvelling at the machines, visitors can also meet friendly goats and other animals, browse craft shops and eat home-cooked food in the café.

St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery

Occupying a central location in the coastal town of Lymington, St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery is a real cultural hub for the town and the wider area. It houses a bright, modern museum showcasing the area's history (with lots of interactive exhibits including listening posts and film clips) and a top-class art gallery that frequently displays loan items from the UK's major galleries.

Special events and workshops run throughout the year, and school holidays are filled with all sorts of art and craft sessions for children – many of them free – so take a look at their listings to see if there’s something you can join in with.

Local tip: Lymington is a lovely place to wander around, so you can combine your museum trip with a stroll through cobbled streets, a bit of market shopping or a walk along the riverside to the sea-water swimming pool.

Annual events and festivals

As well as its permanent attractions, the New Forest National Park also plays host to a number of special events and festivals throughout the year. From craft fairs to food festivals, there’s always something going on, so check out the current event listings to see what's coming up. We've picked a couple of the most popular major events here to plan your trip around.

New Forest Show

Like many of the UK's agricultural shows, the New Forest Show started as a small one-day local event in the early 20th century. It's since grown into a huge three-day event celebrating all things countryside and attracting around 90,000 visitors each year.

Now officially known as the New Forest and Hampshire County Show, the event’s timetable includes all sorts of animal judging classes, plus showjumping, motorcycle displays, chef demos, circus skills workshops, a dog show and plenty more family-friendly fun. Alongside all this are plenty of local food, drink and craft stalls to explore. Tickets can be bought on the day, but it's better value to buy online in advance; you’ll also need to book ahead for some activities and workshops.

Local tip: A shuttle bus runs from Brockenhurst station, a couple of miles away, saving you the hassle of driving and parking, and allowing you to sample some local ales from the beer tents.

Lymington Seafood Festival

With a 42-mile stretch of coastline and a thriving estuary to its name, the New Forest has a great history of fish and seafood production. It's all celebrated at the annual Lymington Seafood Festival, held at Bath Road Park in the coastal town of Lymington over a long weekend in July. Top-class local chefs and drinks experts head up a timetable of demo sessions, workshops and hands-on cooking classes for adults and kids (you’ll need to book ahead for these). 

While seafood is the main focus, festival events do also cover other dishes, so there should be something on the menu for everyone – have a look at the timetable online to see what you could be learning to make.

Local tip: As well as demos and classes, there’s also a fun programme of local bands on the main stage, so grab some food and drink from one of the visiting stalls and make a day of it.

Local crafts and markets

The New Forest's thriving cultural life isn’t all about the attractions you can visit – there are also lots of small businesses around producing crafts, artworks and artisan food and drinks, all of them contributing to a sustainable local economy. Here are a few of our favourite places to shop for gifts, souvenirs and tastes of the local area.

Lymington Charter Market

A trip to the lovely town of Lymington is always a good thing to have on your schedule, but it's even better if it can be on a Saturday, when the Lymington Charter Market is in town. There's been a weekly market here since the 13th century, and these days it fills the high street with more than 60 stalls selling everything from handmade crafts and vintage jewellery to local cheese, seafood and fresh breads.

The market’s opening times are generally 8am-3pm but can vary depending on the weather; for the best selection of items, it’s usually a good idea to get to the market as early as you can.

Local tip: As well as its market, Lymington has a good number of independent shops and cafés, making it worth a visit whichever day you choose.

Burley’s village shops

A visit to the cute little village of Burley is like taking a step back in time, with pretty traditional cottages lining the streets and ponies and cattle wandering freely as they have for hundreds of years. But there's more to this charming village than meets the eye – it also has intriguing witchcraft and magic links that can be clearly seen in some of its local shops. The most famous of these is Coven of Witches, opened by Sybil Leek, who lived here in the 1950s.

Alongside the magic-themed shops, the village also has several other craft and gift shops that are well worth visiting if you’re after interesting souvenirs or a memorable shopping experience. Expect to find everything from crystals and dragon-themed jewellery to handmade walking sticks and pottery.

Local tip: Visitors with a sweet tooth will definitely want to stop by at the Burley Fudge Shop, a firm favourite for over 25 years – it’s got more than 30 flavours of locally made fudge to choose from!

New Forest Cider

Cider has been produced in the south of England for hundreds of years, taking advantage of the area's prime conditions for apple orchards. The traditional production methods are alive and well at New Forest Cider, which produces a range of drinks at its family-run farm just outside Burley.

If you visit the farm you can sample some of the different drinks, choosing your favourite to take away or sip right there at the Cider Pantry, which also serves up breakfasts, light lunches, cakes and hot drinks.

Local tip: Pressing season is October and November, so this is a particularly good time to visit if you’d like to see some of the production process.

Plan your New Forest trip

From historic attractions to trying delicious local produce, there’s so much to see and do during a break in the New Forest National Park. Although the summer holidays are the most popular times to visit, this is a year-round destination that’s easily accessible for day trips, weekends away and longer holidays. The New Forest has the mildest climate of all the UK's national parks, so it’s a good bet for visits in winter, spring and autumn when the attractions are likely to be less busy.

That favourable climate also means the New Forest is a lovely place for a camping break – staying outdoors allows you to experience these gorgeous natural surroundings at all hours of the day, and it's often a fairly budget-friendly accommodation option. Whether you're after a simple farm pitch or a smart glamping site, check out all Pitchup’s New Forest camping and glamping options to find something suitable for you.