The magical New Forest is famous for its roaming ponies, wonderful wildlife and glorious acres of woodland and heaths.

But did you know that we also have more than 40 miles of peaceful, uncrowded, ‘secret’ coastline, offering some of the UK’s top beach day experiences?

From shoreside fish and chip suppers, to fossil-finding walks, and glorious swim spots, there’s a whole summer of seaside experiences for you to explore. Here are some of the best…

For a swim or a paddle… take your pick from Milford on Sea, Barton on Sea, Hordle Beach, Calshot Spit or Lepe – they all have breath-taking views and nearby parking. But ALWAYS remember to check tides, the weather, current conditions and seek advice from lifeguards before entering the water.

For fossil walks… take the kids for a Jurassic lark at Barton on Sea. Stay away from the cliffs – there’s a constant danger of falls - and watch out for the incoming tide while you forage for gastropods and shark’s teeth on the foreshore past the sea defences at low tide. There are plenty of helpful facilities nearby, including a café and loos.

View from the top of Barton beach on the New Forest Coast
Image - Barton on Sea

For fish and chips on the shore… pop into Milford on Sea, where the local chippy will sort you for the Great British Takeaway, which you can then take down to the pretty beach to enjoy with the setting sun.

For spotting our feathered friends… The Keyhaven coastal reserve covers nearly 500 acres between the mouth of the Lymington River and the village of Keyhaven. So, you’ll have plenty of chance to spot all manner of ducks, wading birds and listen out for the lilting cries of the curlews. The Solent Way footpath runs along the beach side of the reserve which will give you beautiful views, too.

For a little slice of history… With its pine-fringed cliffs, the beach at Lepe Country Park may look all wild and windswept but keep an eye out at low tide you can glimpse the remains of the Mulberry Harbours that didn’t quite make it to the D-Day landings. Lepe is also a shade away from the spot that Queen Victoria is supposed to have stood upon, when she first saw the wooded shoreline of the Isle of Wight, which eventually became her home. Lepe is also one of the last places people on mainland Britain would have glimpsed the Titanic, as she disappeared from our shores for the last time.

Lepe Country Park Event
Image - Lepe Country Park

For a bracing walk… Drive or cycle to Milford on Sea and then amble along the giant shingle arm of Hurst Spit, where you’ll find a cafe with refreshments, a lighthouse, a thrilling fortification, Hurst Castle, and the Isle of Wight so near, you feel you could touch it.

For watching the sun go down… who doesn’t love a good sunset? You’ll find one all along the New Forest’s coastline, so take your pick from wild Lepe, to Hurst Spit, to any of the beaches at Barton, Milford and in between.

Milford on Sea Beach - Swim Blog - June 2023
Image - Milford on Sea

For watching the sunrise… Go east to Calshot Spit, a shingle bank extending from the far east of the New Forest, where you’ll be able to catch the best of sunrises as well as the comings and goings of some of the world’s greatest liners as they enter and exit Southampton Water.

For traditional crabbing… Take the kids – and some lines, buckets and tasty morsels to tempt the crustaceans in - to Milford on Sea’s Keyhaven bridge and get casting. Then, once you’ve had a good look, place them gently back, so they can continue with their watery lives.

For seeing the New Forest ponies… We can’t promise – we never do! – but they’ve been spotted rolling and paddling on the tiny scrap of beach at the end of Tanners Lane near Lymington. The beach is minuscule and the only parking space is on its foreshore, which gets covered by the tide, so don’t take your car but plan to walk or cycle instead.  

For sandcastle-building and a distinctly Gallic holiday vibe… try nearby Avon Beach near Christchurch. There’s more than enough of the grainy stuff to keep your little builders busy, plus cafes and nearby toilets, too.

Avon Beach
Image - Avon Beach

For top English seaside chic (and sand and beautiful views)… the famous Mudeford Spit, in Christchurch on the outskirts of the Forest’s west, where you can marvel at the beautiful beach-huts and the Isle of Wight’s iconic Needles, while you picnic on the mini-dunes.

*More information on top beach days here: thenewforest.co.uk