Walks in New Forest National Park

The main highlight of the Swan Inn Circular Walk is the trees lining the path just beyond the reptile centre. However, the varying landscape throughout will keep you well entertained. Just know that you may hear cars softly in the distance as some of the track sits near—but not on—a busy road. If you take on this hike during the winter, the conditions may be sloshy for the first 30 minutes or so, but it’s worth it to continue towards the magnificent trees past the reptile centre!

Explore a range of views on the Hale and Woodgreen Circular Walk, including cozy villages, mistletoes, white violets, roaming cattle, and river Avon. The walk mostly follows bridleways but starts with a kilometre of road walking, so take care along this section.

The Clay Hill Circular Walk may be long at 22.0 km, but the moody scenery punctuated by wild horses and deer will force you to forget all about how long you have to go to make it back to your car. Some parts are overgrown, boggy, and marshy, but we see this as part of the adventure! You’ll also want to download a GPS for this route, for sure! But hey, it’s fun to get a little lost sometimes, right?

The Furzey Lane Circular Walk is a dog walker’s favourite! Potentially this is because it’s called Furzey? Or maybe we’re just crazy for thinking that. Other than taking your canine companion along, you might as well invite your family or friends just getting into walking because the short distance and gentle elevation gain while exploring a lovely forest setting makes for a great first-time adventure.

The Penerley Wood and Moon Hill Circular Walk immerses you in heathland, pines, and oak woods, granting you a chance to revel in stunning scenery. However, like many adventures in the area, this New Forest walk tends to get muddy and wet during the wetter months. Therefore, wellies or appropriate waterproof footwear are recommended! If you want to get out and move in nature, this is an excellent walk, but don’t expect the scenery to blow your mind.

The Tall Trees Trail Circular is a fun walk for everyone as it supports pushchairs, wheelchairs, and young kids will like it too! Plus, the rows and groves of fairytale-like, giant trees—ranging from redwoods to Douglas firs—will provide the utmost entertainment. Look out for Roe Deer meandering amongst the soaring trees as well.

The Broomy and Linwood Walk immerses you in various scenery: timeless woodland, open heathland, and farmland. Dog owners will love this walk as it’s a great one for off-lead walking. However, you will also traverse some quiet roads, requiring you to put your dog back on lead when you reach these. Look for wild ponies and donkeys peppering the terrain!

The Stoney Cross Circular Walk traverses grasslands, woods, streams where deer, cows, and horses may pop up at any moment. Keep an eye out for wildlife! The mild elevation gain gives you the chance to truly revel in the scenery without huffing and puffing too much as you make your way around this 10.1 km lollipop route. During wetter months, this route can get muddy, so come prepared with proper footwear.

If you’re looking for a short walk to get the legs moving in a stunning setting, but you don’t want too much exercise, the Ober Water Trail makes for a fantastic exercise option. Wind above Ober Water and revel in the lovely scenery blanketing New Forest National Park as you make your way around this circular route. Keep an eye out for ponies and horses dotting the area!

If you’re looking for a kid-friendly, pushchair-friendly walk that immerses you in a magical forest setting, look no further than the gentle Forest Arboretum Walk. Most people flock to the Tall Trees Trail Circular Walk instead of the Forest Arboretum Walk, granting the chance for anyone taking this nature stroll to escape the crowds somewhat. So get ready to admire lanes of yew, holly, beech, and oak trees!

The Lyndhurst Parish Walk immerses you deep into the forest, where a boggy, muddy, but fun adventure awaits! Explore river and forest scenery, stopping at a pub or two en route. It’s recommended that you download a GPS before going, as route-finding can get a bit tricky.

The Acres Down and Canadian War Memorial Walk is a fun walk that offers varied scenery, ranging from forest to grassy paths to streams. You may see a horse or two as well! The paths along this route are generally easy to follow due to the lack of bogs! Kids will enjoy this one, too—if they are big enough to handle the 9.3 km distance.

The Cadman's Pool Walk will have you feeling like you've sunk into a fairytale story, where unruly, ancient trees, groves of forest, and open sections replete with streams cutting through the greenery create a fun, exciting adventure. Plus, the gentle elevation gain and short distance should appeal to families seeking a walk that doesn't get the heart pumping too intensely. Of course, dogs will enjoy this route, too!

The Dibden Inclosure Circular Walk is a fun adventure for anyone looking to move their legs, get outside, and immerse in stunning scenery. It’s also a great walk for beginners or young families looking to try out hiking! You will traverse some hills, but the elevation gain is minimal enough to keep your heart rate relaxed. You wouldn’t expect a 2.6 km walk to be so pretty, but this one definitely is.

The Roundhill Campsite Loop Walk in New Forest National Park takes you through pretty woodland scenery, where horses roam the land, and wildflowers add colour to the green and brown hues. Expect level terrain, making this is a fun walk for families or anyone seeking a relaxing adventure in the trees and across open fields. As the name of this walk implies, you’ll also pass by Roundhill Campsite, a fantastic frontcountry campsite nestled within the national park. You'll get the chance to see a mixture of scenery on this walk!

Gather your dog, your family, and anyone looking to get outside for a pleasant, relaxing stroll and head to the Knightwood and Anderwood Circular Walk, where greenery cloaks the scenery, deer roam the trees, and birds sing in the background. The non-technical terrain makes this a great walk for beginners easing into the world of walking! You will have to cross two non-busy roads, but if your dog happens to be off lead, there is enough notice to leash it back up.

The Lymington to Keyhaven Walk is a fantastic adventure option if you’re craving coastal views, a level path, and other points of interest, such as Eight Acre Pond and Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes. You’ll know you’ve reached the end of the walk when you end up at Gun Inn, where refreshments await. This is a one-way walk, so you’ll have to organize transportation back to your car or walk the same 8.4 km back.

The Lyndhurst Hill and Swan Green Circular Walk takes you along relatively flat paths that wind by a collection of pubs and through scenery ranging from heaths, lush forest, moorland, and open areas. Look out for horses, ponies, and mules roaming the land! This walk is definitely a great one for anyone seeking a longer adventure without much elevation gain.

Revel in stunning scenery without too much physical exertion on the Linwood Bottom to Appleslade Inclosure Walk, which travels through a river valley, moorland, and pine forest. En route, you may spot horses and ponies peppering the landscape! Do note that the path can get boggy in winter, so come prepared with the proper footwear. This is a fun route for the whole family!

The Cadman's Pool and Fritham Forest Walk forms a figure-eight to take you through stretches of open heath, under the trees, past Holly Hatch Cottage, and you can stop for a refreshment at the Royal Oak pub in Fritham. This route may be longer at 14.3 km, but the 278 m elevation gain makes for a more easy-going journey. The Cadman's Pool and Fritham Forest Walk is especially stunning in spring when the leaves start to grow on the trees!