Step into a new year in the New Forest. As 2026 opens its doors to us, make your New Year’s resolution to spend time in our enchanting landscape.
Use January as an opportunity to reset from the mayhem of the festive period, unwind in our tranquil landscape, whether on a long, winter’s walk or on a relaxing spa day at one of our luxury spa hotels. Take this opportunity to spot some of the winter wildlife that calls our National Park home and spend wholesome time together at cosy restaurants. Discover how you can spend your January in the New Forest…
New Year’s Day in the New Forest
What better place is there to see in 2026? Start your year as you mean to go on, with plenty of time spent in the great outdoors. Be in awe at the New Forest landscape at this time of year, whether it’s a case of stepping into Narnia-style scenes or donning your wellies for a long walk.
Choose from a range of gorgeous winter walks, from strolls amongst the tall trees at Blackwater to soaking up coastal scenes (and let’s face it, a great opportunity to blow your cobwebs away) on the Lymington Marshes Walk or some of our other seaside walking routes.
Why not try something a little different on New Year’s Day by booking onto some out the outdoor adventures offered by Insight Activities? With some activities suitable for ages 6+ (and lots of fun for the grown ups too!) it’s a fantastic chance to step away from screens, learn new skills such as archery and axe-throwing and spend time in the great outdoors.
Enjoy some cosy dining
After all the festivities, now’s a great time to relax and let someone else take the hassle of cooking from you. Make January your month to try somewhere new to eat. From cute pubs with thatched roofs with roaring log fires to cosy cafes in some of our bustling towns and villages where the cakes are simply scrumptious.
Save money on days out
We all know that January can be a chance to take stock and recover a bit from any Christmas spending. Why not use this time to discover some of the low-cost things you can do in the New Forest?
Make a pit stop at the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst to find out more about the unique history of the area and some of our ancient traditions, which still live on today. Here, entry is free, but a donation is welcome.
Take time out in some of our coastal towns and villages, grab yourselves a coffee or a bag of chips and take in the views and wildlife at a much quieter time of year.
You can also start to plan ahead for your 2026 adventures with the New Forest Card – saving you money off dining, shopping, attractions, accommodation and more.
Join in with some amazing events this January
Discover the New Forest in a new light on a guided Ghost walk with Haunted New Forest. Across January, they are running several guided ghost walks on some of the paranormal activity that is known in some of our towns and villages.
Join in with some of the wildlife walks being run by Wild New Forest – a fascinating chance to learn more about some of the unique flora and fauna that calls the New Forest home. Or book yourself onto the extended Beaulieu river tour (25 January) for a gentle 3-hour cruise along the Beaulieu River to the Solent coast and back.
For something a little different, and great for some rainy day ideas with the kids, head to Beaulieu to catch the Disney Pixar Cars - Lightning McQueen, Mater, Jackson Storm and Finn McMissile (running daily through January).
Still looking for ideas for January? Take a look at our things to do and events pages to find out other places to visit across the month.
