Despite not often being associated with coastline, the New Forest is home to a host of stunning beaches and picturesque coastline for you to explore along the southern edge of the New Forest National Park. From sandy beaches and nature reserves to shingle beaches and clifftops – the area has it all. The New Forest beaches make for a great day out whether you want to go for a coastal walk or you are looking to entertain the whole family. Below we explore some of the best beaches in the New Forest.
One of the best beaches in Hampshire is Barton-on-Sea Beach. Barton-on-Sea is located at the eastern end of Christchurch Bay. The beach makes for a great day out and boasts stunning views across the Solent and Isle of Wight. The shingle beach has fossil beds that make for an enjoyable day out fossil hunting. There are shallow waters that are perfect for bathing. Barton-on-Sea is also home to relaxing cliff top walks that provide picturesque views and there is a long distance footpath you can explore called the Solent Way. This New Forest beach has car parking, toilets and colourful beach huts that can be hired. Dogs are also welcome during the winter months, but they must be kept on leads.
Milford-on-Sea is one of the best beaches in the New Forest. It is situated to the east of Barton-on Sea along the coast. The beach has stunning views of the Solent, Hengistbury Head, Christchurch Harbour, Hurst Castle, Purbeck Hills and the Needles. The beach is a popular place to enjoy outdoor activities such as swimming, fishing, bird watching and water sports. It is near Keyhaven and Hurst Spit. Colourful beach huts are available to hire along the shingle beach and there are also toilets and car parking sites. It is a dog friendly beach.
Lepe Beach stretches along a mile of the coast of Lepe Country Park. The beach is rich in history with D-Day remains and wartime defences present. This makes it a great place for history lovers. As well as this it is a great place to visit with the whole family. There is a children’s play area for children to enjoy and dogs are welcome outside of main school holidays. There are many picnic spots to enjoy and stunning views to take in. The Lepe Lighthouse also makes for a popular photo spot.
Tanners Lane beach is located just 3 miles east of Lymington. The quiet beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles. It is a dog friendly beach that makes for fun nature walks and quiet picnics. The beach is next to a bird reserve so it is a great place to enjoy bird spotting. Dogs must be kept on a lead in order to protect the wildlife with many rare species of animals living in the marsh area. Whilst visiting Tanners Lane beach it is likely that you will see wild ponies wandering along the beach.
The Hurst Spit is 2 miles long and leads you to Hurst Castle. It is a shingle spit so good footwear is recommended when planning to walk along it. Hurst Castle is a 16th century fort that is now run by English Heritage. Whilst at the castle you can learn about the history and heritage of the castle. Hurst Spit is also a good fishing spot and paddle boarding is popular in the lagoon. If you don’t want to walk along the spit, there is a ferry that leaves from Keyhaven.
The coastal village of Keyhaven is home to the 500 acre Keyhaven Nature Reserve. The nature reserve is situated between Keyhaven and the mouth of Lymington River. It is home to many walks for you to explore including the Solent Way which opasses through. There is lots of wildlife to discover from Lagoon Shrimp to Mallards.
Calshot Beach lies at the very edge of the New Forest coast. The beach is found along a long shingle spit and forms part of the Southampton Water mouth. It is popular for sea fishing as well as watersports like windsurfing. At the end of the spit is Calshot Castle, which was with many cruise ships passing through Southampton Water to the port. The beach is home to beach huts, toilets, car parking and dogs are welcome during the winter months.
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