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 People often ask what there is around here. I say, if you stayed a fortnight, you would only scratch the surface. Apart from walking in our beautiful and historic forest, here are a few other things you might try.

What would you like to do first?

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Experience History
	Discover Wildlife
		Have fun with the Kids
			Go to the Beach
				Shop till you Drop
			Enjoy Glorious Gardens
		Sports and Games
	Look around Lyndhurst
Further Afield

Experience History

• Beaulieu.          Inside Palace house you can meet the 'Victorian 'staff and see what it was like when the cook and the housemaid squabbled or the butler saw something he shouldn't! In the 'garage' is one of the world's finest collections of vintage veteran and classic cars:-
  The National Motor Museum- now featuring James Bond!
  And then there is the abbey itself:
  "800 years ago, you would  have found just 30 monks here building an abbey to rival Winchester Cathedral. Today, the exhibition of medieval monastic life will give you a fascinating insight into just how they spent their days in this "beautiful place" - Beaulieu. (Beaulieu official guide)

  • If you are really into history on the road, check out the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum at New Milton.
    
• Buckler's Hard.  (Near Beaulieu) No need to stay indoors to get a real taste of history - fresh air and exercise as well as insight into the past!
              "With a beautiful setting, Riverside Walk and River Cruises to enjoy, Buckler's Hard is one of the most attractive and unusual villages in England. Yet there is also much to see and do in this unique village where time has almost stood still since the days when wooden ships were built here for Nelson's fleet." (Buckler's Hard official leaflet) 
                    The whole village has been carefully reconstructed to give a real feeling for what life must have been like for the people who lived there and you can wander from house to house comparing the lifestyle of families in the 18th century with that of today. There is a museum about the ships that were built there and the history of the village from its origins as a port importing sugar cane from the West Indies.
  
• St Barbe Museum     This museum is in Lymington and tells the story of the area between the New Forest and the Solent where the sea has always had a huge influence. Boat builders, smuggling, fishing, salt making, and 'what lived here 40 million years ago' are all explained.
  "Join us on a walk through the district, starting on the coast, moving into the towns and then on into the fields and the forest beyond. On the way you will discover the people, landscape, industries and events which give this unique corner of Hampshire its unique character." (NFDC Leaflet)
              When you have been there you could try reading The Forest by Edward Rutherford which brings the whole area to life magnificently.                                                                                                        

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Discover Wildlife

• New Forest Owl Sanctuary   Ringwood. Largest collection of owls in Europe; flying displays; 3 pairs of breeding red squirrels; hospital unit.
  
  

• Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park  Ashurst. "The founding proprietors are keen conservationists who have, for over thirty years, been concerned in particular with the staus of the otter 9in this country and abroad0 and the barn owl, both of which are endangered species."

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Have fun with the Kids    

• Paultons Park
• Romsey Rapids
• Hampshire for Kids

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Go to the Beach

• Bournemouth. Famous golden sands and you can sunbathe topless there too!
  
• Milford and Barton -on-Sea. Magnificent views across the Solent towards the Needles. Bracing walk from Milford to Hurst Castle.
  
• Highcliffe. Sandy beach at the bottom of a cliff and, yes, it has a castle too.

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Shop Till You Drop      

• Southampton's West Quay     WestQuay makes Southampton the premier shopping destination for the region, with some of the finest shops and restaurants in the South. The centre offers an unrivalled combination of fabulous brands in a superbly designed, spacious environment right in the heart of the city.  Among the wide range of fashion and lifestyle retailers, are John Lewis, Waitrose and a major Marks & Spencer , whilst many of WestQuay's stores are new to the region, including Sephora, Gap, H&M Hennes, Karen Millen, Jane Norman, Eiseneggaer Klassiker, Tower Records and Monserrat, complemented by stores such as Next, Habitat, Monsoon, Accessorize and the Discovery Store.
• Village centres in the Forest:
  • Burley   Famous for witches - make some spooky purchases!
  • Brockenhurst  Ponies and donkeys in the street where you shop!
  • Sway   Arts and crafts at Art Sway 

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Glorious Gardens

Exbury Gardens		Compton Acres
Hampshire's Gardens		Also open: Furzey Gardens  Minstead Braxton Gardens   Milford-on-Sea Spinners Garden   Boldre

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Sports and Games

• Golf  

• Riding  Still available in spite of Foot and Mouth. Burley Villa

• Lyndhurst has a new skating area for skateboarders.

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Lyndhurst Village  

Lyndhurst has a wealth of shops to suit all tastes and pockets. You can buy teddy bears and teapots, rustic French antiques
and crusty fresh croissants, candles, camping equipment and china, books, beads and  home-made baking as well as original works of art. There are numerous cafes, tea rooms, pubs, restaurants wherein to refresh yourself after your labours.

Tea and Coffee	Furniture	China	Home-made	Antiques	Venison

Or you could visit the grave of Alice Liddell, the real live inspiration of Lewis Carroll and have tea in the Mad Hatter Tearooms afterwards. Alice grew up to become Mrs Reginald Hargreaves and was a great benefactress to the people of Lyndhurst. Her grave is in the churchyard of St Michael's which also has a famous fresco by Lord Leyton and stained class by William Morris.

 Or you could "take a look behind the scenes" in The New Forest Visitor Centre where you can see:

• The Changing Forest Audio Visual Show
• Life sized models of Forest Characters
• Enjoyable and informative exhibition displays
• Interactive features
• Up to date information on Forest issues
• Free quiz for children
• Gift shop specialising in locally made Forest crafts
• Tourist information centre 023 8028 2269
• New Forest Resource Centre and Library

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Further Afield  All these places are within easy  striking distance of Lyndhurst

• Romsey   Go on walking tour. Hear famous choir of the Abbey  
• Winchester  Home of King Alfred. Magnificent Romanesque Cathedral. Tomb of Jane Austen. 
• Salisbury. Tallest spire in England. Cathedral Close - home of the famous.
• Poole. Magnificent harbour. Fascinating Pottery. (Fascinating site with panoramic views)
• Portsmouth. Home of the Victory and the Mary Rose.
• Isle of Wight. Queen Victoria's favourite home.  Alum Bay and the Needles.

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