Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Essentials
GETTING THERE
Direct trains leave London Waterloo half-hourly during the
day for Brockenhurst, the main station in the heart of the New Forest. Journey time
is around 1
1
⁄
2
hours and around £40 for a round-trip. Minor New Forest stops like
Sway, New Milton, and Ashurst are mostly served by local trains. Either change at
Brockenhurst or connect from Southampton or Bournemouth.
If you're driving from Southampton, head west on the A35. From farther east and
north, enter the New Forest from junction 1 or 2 of the M27, if possible, to avoid the
traffic bottleneck at Lyndhurst. Traffic queues in high season and on good-weather
weekends can be alarmingly long.
GETTING AROUND
The relatively gentle contours of the New Forest are ideal
for
cycle
touring. Either bring your own in the car—Lyndhurst is a natural start-point
for a pedal-powered adventure—or rent. If you're arriving by train, try ideally located
New Forest Cycle Hire,
Brockenhurst Train Station (
&
01590/623407;
www.
newforestcyclehire.co.uk). Mountain bikes cost £14 per day, kids' bikes £6 to £7.
Their website suggests excellent cycle routes for first-timers.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
New Forest Visitor Information Centre,
Main Parking Lot, Lyndhurst (
&
023/8028-2269;
www.thenewforest.co.uk), is
open daily from 10am to 5pm. The Centre is the best place to pick up maps and
advice on walking trails suited to your group.
Exploring the New Forest
Cocoa lovers should stop at
Beaulieu Chocolate Studio
, High Street, Beaulieu
(
&
01590/612279;
www.beaulieuchocolatestudio.co.uk). The shop's selection
includes bars of artisan chocolate and individual chocolates with fillings ranging from
the adventurous (chili and lime) to the everyday (runny orange and strawberry
creams). It's all handmade on the tiny premises. Nearby
Exbury Gardens
, Exbury
(
&
023/8089-1203;
www.exbury.co.uk), is known for its Rothschild Collection of
rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. The magical 81-hectare (200-acre) site is at
its blooming best in spring, but there's something here for every season. Admission
costs £9 for adults, £8.50 seniors, and £2 children 3 to 15. The gardens are open
mid-March through October daily from 10am to 5pm. The attractive Georgian High
Street at
Lymington
is the best spot for window browsing—and it's also a staging
post for a ferry to the
Isle of Wight
(p. 306).
Beaulieu
HISTORIC SITE The Palace House, surrounded by gardens, was the
gatehouse of an abbey before it was converted into a private residence in 1538—and
it has remained in the family of resident Lord Montagu ever since. The original Cis-
tercian Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204, and although much was destroyed
during the Reformation overseen by Henry VIII, you can still enjoy the tranquil clois-
ters and herb garden, and see the lay brothers' refectory.
The 2011-renovated
National Motor Museum
, one of the most compre-
hensive automotive museums in the world, displays more than 250 vehicles. Famous
autos include four land-speed record holders, among them Donald Campbell's
Blue-
bird.
Some of the vehicles used in James Bond movies are on display, as well as those
once used by everybody from Eric Clapton to Marlene Dietrich. Themed tours of the
collection run daily at noon and 2pm.
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