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Insider’s Guide to Brockenhurst

Your essential guide to living like-a-local...

Surrounded by ancient forest & heathlands, adventures await in Brockenhurst… and you’ll be sure to meet plenty of ponies & donkeys on your travels- it’s absolutely charming!

Nestled into the heart of the New Forest (and only 2 hours from Waterloo to Brockenhurst Station), ‘Brock’ offers acres-upon-acres of adventures for the taking..

With the woodlands providing the best natural playground for walkers, bike riders & nature-lovers; if the coast is calling, there’s also a wild beach under an hours bike away… but however you spend your days, what better reward after a day of activities than a pub meal.. and Brockenhurst does not fall short on these!

Take a look below to see our ‘Insider’s’ round-up on what to do whilst you’re here…

Foresty escape, dog-friendly, family-friendly... and all together rather lovely -  Brockenhurst is just fab for a New Forest escape!

Retail therapy...

With a ford running through the middle of the buzzy little ‘High Street’, head here to re-fuel at the local butchers & bakers, or stock-up in the award-winning sustainable Welcome Store. You’re guaranteed to bump into the New Forest ponies, cows and donkeys in the village centre too, where they take right of way!

There’s a fish & chip shop, Indian restaurant, and a few great cafés & tearooms to try out here too, and Brockenhurst is also well known for its fab selection of friendly inns and pubs.

For the foodies...

The Huntsman – Their stone-oven baked pizza’s are really something special. Made using their very own dough recipe, they’re crispy sourdough pizzas are cooked to perfection. Plenty of indoor and outdoor dining, perfect or all weathers. From wintery evenings sat by the fire with a glass of wine or summer alfresco dining on the patio. Looking for something extra special? Ask them about their fabulous skittles alley.

Albero – In need of some pizza or pasta then Albero is the spot. This cute little Italian right by the train station is perfect for a romantic evening.

The Snakecatcher – The garden here is a must if you’ve got little ones – alongside two large gardens and a playground to entertain the kids, pool table & games machines The Snakecatcher has everything you could possibly want from a family pub. They even have ‘Sizzling Hot Rocks’ which is favourite of ours!

The Pig – The group has since expanded and most British foodies will recognise the brand name. It stands for relaxed, British, luxury and they achieve their goal of sourcing all food from within a 25 mile radius of the hotel – many of the ingredients are grown in the walled gardens at the hotels themselves. With 25 types of mint (including chocolate) it’s well worth a look around. Here at the Brockenhurst Pig, the spa treatment room is a garden shed accessed by a jetty through a pond. Do try to book in. Well behaved children will be welcome. The menu is very seasonal, so check their website here and make sure you book very early.

Another great favourite of ours is Limewood Hotel. Owned by the same group as The Pig it is however, more chi chi and elegant. They do welcome kids, but it’s not as easy going. The spa here is one to write home about. Consistently award-winning, it’ll knock your socks off. Some of our swankiest owners are founder members. They do a great Raw & Cured restaurant and often have Friday night offers for detoxers needing to fast-track a weekend of down-time.

Rosie Lea House – Open from 9am- 6pm each day, this is a locals favourite for anything from a cuppa and a cake, a cream tea or light lunch, or a Sunday roast sharing platter. Rosie Lea has a beautiful sunny garden, with lots of outside seating and a well maintained outside play area.

Setley Ridge Vineyard – sells wine which is produced on site, you are welcome to have a free taste of these at any time. They also stock as many different types of local produce as possible, everything from charcoal to tea towels and have their own kitchens, with many scrumptious delights to eat.

PIG BEER – is an independent microbrewery and tap room hidden away in the rural heart of Brockenhurst. Set up on an old pig farm, and supplying beer to a number of well-known New Forest venues, PIG BEER brews all of their beer onsite and uses hops from their own hop plantation to ensure a unique, fresh and crisp flavour.

For fresh-air-frolics...

Backwater Arboretum is only a few miles from Brock, this is the best place to experience the majestic Douglas firs and redwoods of the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. You will find some of the tallest and oldest Douglas fir trees in Britain to wonder at as you stroll along the Tall Trees Trail. Have a go at guessing just how tall these famous trees of the New Forest really are from this shady spot. Walk the Tall Trees Trail, take a picnic and wonder at the majesty of two enormous redwoods visible from the path. Stroll around the Sensory Trail and really experience trees from around the world in the Blackwater Arboretum.

For the family...

Cycling –

Many parts of the forest, hidden to the motorist, are easily accessible by bicycle on designated gravel tracks.

Once you get into the open forest, there are family friendly, safe off-road and gentle cycle routes, with tracks through the open heathland and sheltered woods. More active folk can cycle to nearby villages such as Lyndhurst, Burley and Rhinefield. If you do not have your own bikes, Cycle hire is available all year round.

Cyclexperience are a great company. Not only can you hire excellent choice of bikes right beside the train station, but you can also get the bikes delivered to your door. They have an extensive selection of routes with good maps, so enjoying the National Park and escaping into the woods has never been easier.

Cyclexperience have been kind enough to offer NFE guests a 10% discount on midweek cycle hire. Ask one of the team for more info.


Horse Riding –

Riding in the New Forest is one of the best ways to experience the natural beauty of the National Park. With over 3,000 New Forest Ponies roaming the beautiful and varying landscapes, there is lots to see for pony lovers! New Forest Escapes staff are nearly all riders and will give you the low-down, just call us.

You can enjoy a hack across a variety of landscapes within the forest from rolling heathlands to magical woodlands. Keep an eye out to make sure you can spot the incredible New Forest wildlife.

The riding and trekking places here are good for intermediate or beginner riders. Burley Manor Stables offer a good option for riding.


Paddling –

The river near Balmer Lawn Hotel is also known as ‘The Brockenhurst Beach’ – This is unmissable if you have small children. In the summer months the stream is broad, shallow, and surrounded by grassy banks and trees for climbing. Float things down the stream, dam it, jump it, paddle, splash, bring the dog…. it’s lovely. The parking here can be tricky on a hot weekend. Look for the parking area just opposite the entrance to the hotel, the river is just behind.

 

From country to coast ...

Aside from ‘Brockenhurst Beach’, you will need to travel towards the coast to find your nearest beaches. Head towards Milford on sea or Highcliffe for sandy feet, or take a trip to Lymington for beautiful views of the Lymington river and Solent.

Meet the Neigh-bours...

There is no better place to see the New Forest Ponies and donkeys than Brock. They can still be seen wandering along Brockenhurst’s main shopping street, as well as roaming the open forest – and roads too! Be careful if driving and keep a look out for a pony crossing! Although these animals are confident and happy to walk alongside people, please do not feed them.

The New Forest has domestic pigs turned out of during the Autumn which is called the Pannage. Pigs are used to eat the acorns in the Oak forest which can be poisonous to ponies if they over indulge. Keep an eye out driving through the area.

Did you know..?

  1. Brockenhurst means “badgers home” in Celtic – which explains the appearance of a badger on so many Brockenhurst-related insignia.

     

  2. Brockenhurst lies within the Heritage Area of the New Forest which the European Union is funding work to restore and preserve. The manor house of Brochelie was situated on the plot now occupied by the Watersplash Hotel, its manor extending over the lands to the western side of the A337 Lyndhurst-Lymington Road.

  3. The fourth Saxon manor of the area was Broceste which gives the village its name. It was the most important manor, being a grand-serjeanty held by providing accommodation for the King when hunting in the area.

     

  4. During the First World War, Brockenhurst played host to the Lady Hardinge Hospital for Wounded Indian Soldiers. Meerut Road’s name recognises the Indian troops of the Meerut and Lahore Divisions who fought on the Western Front in the war and were patients here. It was later taken over by the No.1 New Zealand General Hospital and continued in use until 1919. Auckland Avenue and Auckland Place commemorate the stay of the New Zealanders.

Getting here...

Brockenhurst is conveniently located 30 mins from Southampton and under 15 mins from Lymington by car.

There is a main line train station in Brockenhurst. The trip from Bournemouth will take you 9 minutes and London Waterloo is between 1hr 48 mins and a little over 2 hours.