Take in the New Forest on foot with these great walks
Is there any better way to spend a sunny afternoon than a long walk in the countryside? We certainly don’t think so! You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to scenic routes to take in New Forest, but here are our top 10 walks to get you started.
There are two options of map; OS Explorer has a scale of 1:25 000 and OS Landranger has a scale of 1:50 000. OS Explorer is more zoomed in and offers greater detail and information, but the OS Landranger covers a greater area.
If you’re planning you’re own route, but you’re not sure which map you need, then check out our Ordnance Survey online map finder here!
1. Wilverley Inclosure Walk
Easily accessible, with parking and the beginning of the route just off the A35, the Wilverley Inclosure Walk is a popular path through New Forest National Park.The trail takes in plenty of the Ancient and Ornamental Woods, so keep your eyes peeled for the fallow deer that live in this part of the forest, and course the free grazing cattle and ponies too. If you’re planning a trip around the Wilverley Inclosure Walk, be sure to factor in some time to stop for tea and a cake at the Old Station Tea House along the way.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Woodland
- Distance: 5.25 km | Approx. Time: 1:25 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 195: Bournemouth & Purbeck
You can download the route for this walk here.
2. Keyhaven to Hurst Castle
Taking you from the pretty hamlet of Keyhaven, on the coast of Hampshire, along to one of the area’s most iconic landmarks, Hurst Castle. This scenic route is a fantastic way to enjoy stunning views over the water front. Leading along a section of the Solvent Way, the walk leads across mainly flat terrain and so is graded easy. Once you reach the castle, you can explore the historic building and take-in the view across to the Isle of Wight, before heading home on the Hurst Castle Ferry.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Coastal
- Distance: 7.40 km | Approx. Time: 1:55 hours
Map to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight
You can download the route for this walk here.
3. Seabirds and Saltpans
This coastal walk follows the Solent Way through the thriving Keyhaven Marshes nature reserve. The walk offers beautiful views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight and the Needles cliffs, as well as some fantastic opportunities to spot wading birds. The mudflats and salt marsh, which surround the route, provide a rich feeding ground for the local birds. During the winter months bird spotters can expect to see an array of wading birds including widgeon, redshanks and curlews.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Coastal, Marshes
- Distance: 7.75 km | Approx. Time: 2:00 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight
You can downlaod the route for this walk here.
4. Milford Food Trail
A coastal route along Hurst Spit to the historic Hurst Castle, this walk is a family friendly walk with lots of exciting things for the little ones to spot along the way. The stunning sea front offers views along the New Forest’s coast, plus there are lighthouses, wildlife and plenty of bracing sea air!
Make it a real family day out and add a trip to Hurst Castle to the walk. The English Heritage site was built by Henry VII as part of a chain of coastal fortresses – Charles I was even imprisoned here before his execution.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Coastal
- Distance: 9.40 km | Approx. Time: 2:25 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight
You can download the route for this walk here.
5. Lyndhurst Circular Walk
You’ll experience a fantastic mix of all the varied terrain New Forest has to offer on the Lyndhurst Circular Walk. The area is famed for its natural beauty with a landscape that boasts heathland, bogs, mature woodlands, open tracts and recent plantings. New Forest also still practices commoning, an old custom where livestock graze freely, so you’re likely to see a host of wildlife on this walk. Keen bird watchers might even spot hawks and kestrels hunting in the area.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Woodland
- Distance: 12.35 km | Approx. Time: 3:15 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight
You can download the route for this walk here.
6. Lyndhurst Hill and Swan Green
You’ll see a little of all the breath-taking landscapes New Forest is famous for on this scenic walk across the forest tracks, moorland and heaths between Lyndhurst Hill and Swan Green. The walk has an easy grading and leads across generally flat terrain, though it is worth noting that at 2 hours in length this is a route most suited to active individuals – and perhaps a little far if you’re walking with children. However you can always break the journey up with a stop at one of the fantastic local pubs along the way!
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Woodland
- Distance: 10.70 km | Approx. Time: 3:00 hours
Maps to purhcase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 195: Bournemouth & Purbeck
You can download the route for this walk here.
7. Beaulieu to Buckers Hard
A very enjoyable walk along with stretches along the coastal Solent Way, which offers stunning views across the coast, and a section of woodland track, the Beaulieu to Buckers Head walk, from Walkiees, is a lovely way to spend an afternoon in the great outdoors. At one point the route offers a choice of woodland or riverside track.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Woodland
- Distance: 6.80 km | Approx. Time: 1:45 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 196: The Solent & Isle of Wight
You can download the route for this walk here.
8. New Forest Reptile Discovery Trail
The little ones will love the New Forest Reptile Discovery Trail! The short walk, from Forestry, is all about teaching children about the outdoors. Along the way you can stop and watch the wildlife at the pond, learn about the different forest textures and see some of the forest’s oldest trees.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Woodland
- Distance: 1.85 km | Approx. Time: 0:30 hours
Maps to purhcase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 195: Bournemouth & Purbeck
You can download the route for this walk here.
9. Tall Trees Trail
Discover the enchanting beauty of New Forest’s Tall Trees Trail, an idyllic route that meanders through the heart of England’s ancient woodlands. Nestled within the picturesque New Forest National Park, this trail offers a captivating journey through a diverse tapestry of towering trees, lush ferns, and delicate wildflowers. The trail showcases the magnificence of nature’s giants, with towering Douglas firs, majestic oaks, and lofty beech trees lining the path. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a nature enthusiast seeking solace, the Tall Trees Trail promises an unforgettable experience, immersing you in the timeless beauty of New Forest’s remarkable woodlands.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Woodland
- Distance: 3.10 km | Approx. Time: 0:50 hours
Maps to purhcase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 195: Bournemouth & Purbeck
You can download the route for this walk here.
10. Fordingbridge to Godshill via Avon Valley Path
The longer New Forest Country Walk, gives you the opportunity to explore four of the local communities as well as taking in the scenery of the park. The walk begins in Fp, a former market town on the River Avon, and passes through Woodgreen, Hale and Godshill; locations notable not just for their natural beauty, but as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Grade: Easy
- Terrain: Open, Woodland
- Distance: 13.65 km | Approx. Time: 3:50 hours
Maps to purchase for this route: OS Explorer OL22: New Forest – OS Explorer OL22: New Forest / OS Landranger 184: Salisbury & The Plain
You can download the route for this walk here.
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