There are so many amazing things to do and explore in and around Lymington in Hampshire: from serene walks and off-road cycling in the New Forest, garden visits and vineyard tours, to hidden artisan treasures, museums and the timeless Isle of Wight. Choose a category to start discovering our favourites:

Food & Drink

Culture & Heritage

Walks & Nature

Activities & Days Out

Food & Drink

Setley Ridge Farm Shop & Vineyard, Brockenhurst

A family-run business set in the middle of the New Forest, Paul & Hayley Girling grow the grapes in their vineyard, from which they produce five different varieties of wine. These are stocked in the oak-framed farm shop, along with other produce from local suppliers, including jams and chutneys, cheeses and cakes. Allow time to visit the café or enjoy a tour of vineyard.

Beaulieu Chocolate Studio, Brockenhurst

Having previously trained as a baker and chocolatier in France, owner Trevor Smith’s chocolate factory produces 30 different filled chocolates, along with bars and gifts are all made, displayed and sold on site.

Walking Picnics, Frogham

Fancy exploring the glorious scenery of the New Forest and then enjoying a three-course homemade gourmet picnic at the end of it? Nigel Owen leads the guided nature walks, while his wife Christine is in charge of the picnics, made up of a light starter, homemade pies or quiches and a choice of cakes or puddings.

Ringwood Brewery, Ringwood

Founded in 1978, Ringwood brewery is well known for ales such as Forty Niner and Boon Doogle. Stock up in the shop located in the brewery yard and time a visit for one of the brewery tours that include a complimentary drink in the Pin Room.

Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers, Landford

Visit the farm shop to buy award-winning artisan cheeses such as Old Winchester and Stoney Cross, made on the farm using milk from their own dairy herd.

Royal Oak, Fritham

Popular with walkers and cyclists, this timeless New Forest pub is located on a working farm so surrounded by livestock. Up to seven real ales are served direct from the barrel and the food is traditional and hearty. Look out for summer barbecues in the garden. The starting point for some of the best heathland and woodland walks and cycle rides in the New Forest.

New Forest Lavender Farm, Landford

If you pop in to view the fragrant lavender fields and the excellent nursery, then you must not leave without trying the delicious lunches and cream teas, which may include cheese and lavender scones and homemade lavender shortbread, naturally.

New Forest Cider, Burley

Based in Burley, visit the New Forest Cider Farm and indulge in some traditionally brewed cider straight from the barrel.

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View our guide for things to do around the New Forest & Dorset

Culture & Heritage

National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

Just a short drive from Lymington, you'll find one of the world's largest collections of vehicles and motoring memorabilia dating back more than a century.

Bucklers Hard, Lymington

Timeless village set on the banks of the Beaulieu River and once a busy 18th-century naval shipyard that built some of Nelson’s fleet, including three vessels that took part in the Battle of Trafalgar. Life-size effigies and vivid tableaux tell the village story in the Maritime Museum.

Breamore House & Countryside Museum, Breamore

Breamore is an Elizabethan manor house and countryside museum on the western edge of the New Forest. Expect paintings, porcelain, period furniture and a rare James I carpet. The museum includes one of the finest collections of steam-powered farm machinery.

Mottisfont Abbey, Mottisfont

This 12th-century former Augustinian priory became a private house after the Dissolution. Now managed by the National Trust, Mottisfont includes a drawing room decorated by Rex Whistler and a superb walled garden containing one of the finest collections of roses in the country. A tributary of the Test flows prettily through the grounds.

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury

Its soaring spire is the tallest in the country, immortalised in John Constable's famous painting Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, painted in 1831. The cathedral was begun in 1220, finished about 1280, and includes a medieval frieze and an original copy of the Magna Carta. From every perspective, the cathedral is a breathtaking reminder of the skill of those who built it nearly 800 years ago.

The Isle of Wight

For many visitors there is a timeless quality to the Isle of Wight. Being an island it has a unique and highly distinctive quality. Within minutes of leaving the Gordleton Mill, you can jump aboard the ferry at Lymington and spend a day exploring this glorious coastal gem. Among a host of island attractions are Carisbrooke Castle, where Charles I was held before his execution, and Osborne House, the summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

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View our guide for things to do around the New Forest & Dorset

Walks & Nature

Keyhaven Marshes, Lymington

Bird sanctuary created from old gravel pits, now a favoured wintering ground for brent geese, shelduck, teal, dunlin and lapwing, among other species. Excellent views from the Solent Way, running above the marshes and ponds.

Exbury Gardens, Exbury

Exbury Gardens, a short drive from Beaulieu and created by Lionel de Rothschild, a member of the famous banking family, are renowned for their outstanding collection of rhododendrons, magnolias and azaleas. There are also superb woodland gardens and peaceful walks down to the banks of the picturesque Beaulieu River.

New Forest Bus Tour

Enjoy an open-top safari through the New Forest National Park, see the local scenery at its best and witness the region's fascinating wildlife at close quarters on a bus ride with a difference. From the top deck the backdrop is a spectacular mix of open heath and ancient woodland. Hop on and off as you wish.

Walking in the New Forest

A vast network of woodland paths and tracks awaits you on the doorstep of Gordleton Mill. One of the loveliest walks in the area connects Lymington to Beaulieu via a scenic stretch of the 60-mile Solent Way. The second half of this section, very popular with walkers, is along the banks of the Beaulieu River, sheltered and beautiful. Don’t miss the Tall Trees Walk on the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive – it’s a New Forest showpiece along a mile-long avenue of trees, passing among awesome redwoods and wellingtonias that soar to 160 feet. For a coastal stroll and great views of the Isle of Wight, follow the Solent Way beside Keyhaven Marshes to Hurst Castle from Pennington, near Lymington.

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View our guide for things to do around the New Forest & Dorset

Activities & Days Out

Calshot Activities Centre, Calshot

Situated on the shores of the Solent and one of the largest outdoor adventure centres in Britain, Calshot offers an excellent choice of exciting water and land-based activities in the country's most popular watersports location.

Cycling in the New Forest

The New Forest has more than 100 miles of off-road routes that are ideal for cycling. At the Gordleton Mill you are perfectly placed for exploring the off-road trails that cross-cross the unique landscape of ancient woodland and open heathland. For bike hire and self-guided routes contact Cyclexperience in Brockenhurst.

Burley Villa Horse Riding, New Milton

Novices and experienced riders, young or old, it doesn’t matter what category you fit into. Burley Villa is where you can roam amid the glorious wooded acres of the New Forest National Park.

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View our guide for things to do around the New Forest & Dorset

Last updated: 22.01.21

Photo credit: Shutterstock (Andrew Harker - Breamore House/Visharo - Mottisfont Abbey/Martin James Cook - Salisbury Cathedral); Unsplash