Visiting the New Forest National Park


So me and John visited New Forest National Park down south for a day away and had the loveliest day bike riding, horse spotting and enjoying pub food outdoors. It was just a simple day away together since we had the week off. It was lovely day away and I wish we stayed for longer, but we plan on visiting again some time since it was so lovely!


We drove up on Thursday and booked a hotel for the evening, so once we got there we checked into our hotel and headed straight out for the day. We did a little pre-visit research and decided to go for a good ol' bike ride in the forest's many trails. The guy at the bike hire hut chose a route that suited us best, which had a nice pub stop half way. We got there quite late so we didn't get to do the whole trail but it was long enough as it was! We nearly killed ourselves getting straight on a bike and doing all those miles without having been on a bike for a loooong time before hand! It was still a lot of fun, and we found the pub after getting very lost in the forest without any drinks (idiots), and ate a bowl of chips between us, downed a pint of water and a pepsi each. Not good to forget drinks on the second hottest day of the year ay!?


Once we'd dropped the bikes off back at the bike hire place we walked back to the hotel to sort ourselves out for an evening out, and we discovered the funniest thing, which the forest is very well known for - random roaming horses. Yep, we found it hillarious that horses were just casually standing outside the bank. Later on I tried to make one of my infamous crap jokes when I realised the horses were standing outside Lloyds... The bank with the horse logo! I couldn't make one good enough to share with you...
But me and John had a little pet of the cute horses, and disovered a few more outside some houses opposite the hotel! No wonder everyone has cattle grids on their driveways... The forest has thousands of horses, and the best thing was the amount of foals I'd seen! We visited at the perfect time of year when the foals were at their best!


We stayed in the beautiful Cottage Lodge Hotel in Brockenhurst. It was lovely, our room was called the Morant room, and the whole place had a very homely feeling. The hotel has a bunch of different rooms, all very different to the next and at a great price. Their trip advisor rating is up there on top and the hospitality was beyond what I expected, with the breakfast spot on too! Unfortunately me and John didn't sleep too easy with all the thunder and lightning happening outside. I'm pretty sure the south coast got the worst of the storm, and I think I discovered a slight fear for them too. I haven't heard a storm this bad since I was about 12/13... And even when I think of it. I don't think that one was as bad as this one! 


For dinner we headed to a cute hotel/pub called The White Rabbit. It had a lovely outdoor pub garden, and we sat on the patio area and enjoyed some lovely pub grub! I settled for sausage and mash - weird I know but I had a fancy! I'm normally a burger girl, but John enjoyed a good burger. You can just about see it in that last photo. It was lovely and relaxing, and the weather was just spot on for the entire time.

I'm definitely heading back to New Forest National Park, it's perfect for a relaxing time away, and suits people of all ages. From bike riding, horse riding, forest trails, sea fronts and towns filled with the prettiest tea rooms, shops and restaurants. I loved it, and though our visit was short and sweet it was just what we needed. I can't wait to go again!

Have you ever visited the New Forest before?

6 comments

  1. the place looks wonderful, absolutely love the pictures! glad both you and John had a wonderful time!

    WISH UPON A SMILE

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  2. Aww I would of loved to see foals roaming around! Not seem any things year... :/ Gisforgingers xx

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  3. It looks like you had a lovely time, nice photographs too x
    www.lemontierres.com

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  4. Love the pictures, it sounds like such a nice place! I've always wanted to go to a National Parks, I just never seem to have the time with Uni and everything xxx

    http://blogthiswithhannah.blogspot.co.uk

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