Variety, so the saying goes, is the spice of life – in which case, New Milton beaches would be at least a vindaloo. There’s so much choice. Whether it’s a shingle bank to walk the dogs or a sandy haven to relax and catch some sun, this beautiful part of the New Forest has an array of lovely beaches.
We’ve done your homework for you, and come up with our magnificent seven:
Probably the closest beach to New Milton (just five minutes down the road) is Barton-on-Sea Beach. It’s a shingle beach, although there are shallow sandy flats when the tide’s out. There’s plenty to do here, from canoeing and kayaking to swimming (although there’s no lifeguard on duty) and stunning cliff-top walks. Dogs are also more than welcome; there’s a cliff top cafe and restaurant, toilets and space for 200 cars in the pay and display car park.
About a quarter of an hour down the coast from New Milton is Hengistbury Head Beach – a must-visit if you’re a keen wildlife watcher. It’s a pretty unspoilt pebble beach, with a vast nature reserve at the more underdeveloped end. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re well behaved and under control. The beach is a good place for windsurfing and swimming, but again there’s no lifeguard on duty. Head for the nature reserve’s Visitor Centre to help plan your day; you can also take the land train to Mudeford Sand Spit, then enjoy tea and cake at one of the cafes.
Just 15 minutes from New Milton, Avon Beach in Dorset is a great one for families with small children and people with disabilities or mobility problems, as it has its own beach-level car park. There’s a cafe, restaurant and beach shop as well as some stunning beach huts for hire. Watersports are allowed but only in a designated area; the rest of the beach is for bathing/swimming.
It’s a lovely beach, but the surrounding area is also worth exploring; the cliff habitats overlooking Avon Beach are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and provide a home to many of the UK’s rare species of reptiles, birds and insects.
Off the beaten track, Taddiford Gap is an isolated, shingle and mud-sand beach between Barton on Sea and Milford on Sea; from New Milton it’s just five minutes down the road. There are some good views of the Isle of Wight, but what makes this beach so special is it’s rich in fossils; mammal and crocodile remains have been found here along with shark teeth and microfossils. It’s a decent beach for swimming too, although there’s no lifeguard on duty.
Two words of warning; don’t get cut off by the tide, as it can come right up to the cliffs; secondly, a section of the beach (towards the golf club) is used by naturists, so it may not only be fossils you discover…
One of our favourites, Mudeford Sandbank is a beautiful stretch of coastline, a sand spit which adjoins the ancient headland of Hengistbury Head and forms a natural barrier between Christchurch Harbour and the open sea. It’s just 15 minutes away from New Milton. It’s easy to get to by foot, bike or land train from Hengistbury Head car park, or by passenger ferry from Mudeford Quay and Christchurch Quay. The area is designated a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), and while dogs are allowed all year, off lead, if you’re coming from the Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve they need to be under close control. There are five public toilet blocks, one with hot showers. Outside cold showers are also provided. BBQs are banned on the beach, but dogs are allowed all year, off lead. If you’re accessing the beach via Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve, dogs should be under close control at all times to protect the local wildlife.
Head seven minutes down the road to Rook Cliff, and you’ll find Milford on Sea Beach, a long stretch of shingle beach with sand at the water’s edge during low tide. There are some lovely characterful beach huts lining the sea front, and some great walks along the cliff top paths from Milford to Barton on Sea – where you can stop at the Beachcombers cafe for a decent refuel. The Needles Eye Cafe provides meals, snacks and ice creams on the promenade, while at the end of the beach you’ll find the Marine Cafe bar & restaurant.
Last but not least is Highcliffe Beach, less than 10 minutes’ drive from New Milton. This shingle and sand beach is great for bodyboarding and swimming, and there are plenty of cliff top walks to explore, including one to Highcliffe Castle. There’s a decent car park (over 400 spaces), and also a cafe.
If you don’t want to just sit and sunbathe or swim, the beach is surrounded by unique cliff habitats which are Sites of Special Scientific Interest where you can try and spot plenty of rare reptiles, birds and insects.
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