Feeling a bit meh? Or that you’ve been too busy to enjoy life? Either way, these could be signs that you need a New Forest break.
Why the New Forest? Because our unique wild environment is the perfect place to relax, reconnect and enhance your mental and physical wellbeing.
A study of 20,000 people conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter discovered that those who spent as little as two hours a week in green spaces were substantially more likely to say their health and psychological wellbeing was good. Even better news was that this time in nature could take place all at once - or be chunked over a week.
Want to try it?
Take a walk – The New Forest has more than 140 miles of waymarked tracks, traversing everything from moorland, to pine forest, to the broadleaved splendour of our Ancient Woodlands. One of the best places to see this living St Paul’s Cathedral is Brackley Inclosure near Bolderwood. Taking time to touch the trees’ vast trunks, to listen to the sound of the wind in the boughs and the distant birdsong, will give you some very mindful minutes.
While you’re out and about, make a little time to watch our feathered friends.
Why? A 2024 study showed that even just 30 minutes of birdwatching could make us healthier, happier and connect us more deeply to nature. Numerous reports show that Gen Z and Millennials, ever keen to improve their mental wellbeing, have embraced the hobby with relish.
Want to try it? Fly along to Keyhaven Marshes near Lymington, a fantastic spot to see geese, waders and overwintering visitors. Large numbers of Brent Geese seek refuge here in the winter, along with roosting Dunlin, Black-Tailed Godwit and Grey Plover. You may even get lucky and clock a foreign blow-in!
Other great birding locations include the heathland on Beaulieu Road which is great for spotting Dartford warblers and the occasional crossbill in the conifer plantation there.
Wherever and whenever you are in the New Forest, keep looking up in case you get lucky and spot a White-Tailed Eagle. These magnificent birds live on the Isle of Wight but enjoy hunting across our rich landscapes.
It goes without saying that the above locations are all fantastic places to watch our 5,000 roaming ponies and donkeys, as well as catch sight of deer and, at dusk and dawn, foxes and badgers. Taking time to quietly observe the natural world like this is also known as ‘soft fascination’, which can promote a feeling of wellbeing when you indulge in it.
Just remember to keep your distance from the animals – don’t touch or feed them!
Numerous studies now suggest that a diverse microbiome (that’s the friendly bacteria in your gut) helps promote physical and mental wellness.
However, it’s easy to stick to the same old foods all the time. So, why not take time to try something else? With its vast natural larder plus some of Britain’s top restaurants, the New Forest is the perfect place to dip your toe into some new foods.
Want to try it? The Montagu Arms at Beaulieu, The Pig at Brockenhurst and many more of our hotels have incredible seasonal, locally-sourced menus.
Check out one of our highly-regarded farmers markets and sample a new cheese, wine or type of bread.
And, just in case you think it’s all go, go, go, did you know that even just sitting by a woodfire can benefit your wellbeing? Our cosy pubs and hotels are the perfect place for this.
The Montagu Arms Hotel
A Swedish study discovered that watching a wood fire can aid in regulating emotions and create a pleasant atmosphere for socialisation. The Charnwood stove company says fires are a ‘little bit of wilderness in the order of the day to day’.
The Drift
Why? So long as they are burning safely, fires provide warmth and light. The crackle and hiss of the logs is meditative and calming, and so is watching the flames lick and dance.
Want to give it a go? Happily, the New Forest is teeming with places where you can sit beside a real fire; from the New Forest Inn, The Drift and Burley Manor.