Wildlife · 10:00–11:15 (1h15m)
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
Walk among the 1860s Douglas firs; watch for deer on the trails but keep your distance.
An outdoor wildlife park in Newtown.
FreeOutdoors
- Accessibility
- Parking
- Dog friendly
Photo: Graham Horn
Morning walks under some of the tallest trees in the New Forest along Ornamental Drive, starting at Bolderwood and moving on to the redwoods of the Tall Trees Trail. The afternoon is at Beaulieu, where one ticket covers racing cars, a monorail and a stately home.
One dayAges 8–12Cost ££10:00–16:453 stops
The plan
- 10:001
- 11:252
Nature & gardens · 11:25–12:30 (1h5m)
Blackwater Arboretum and Tall Trees Trail
Follow the sensory trail into the Tall Trees Trail redwoods; picnic in the arboretum.
A small New Forest arboretum with a sensory sculpture trail, from which the Tall Trees Trail leads among giant redwoods. Flat, short and buggy-friendly.
FreeOutdoors- Toilets
- Accessibility
- Parking
Photo: forestryengland.uk
- 13:003
Transport · 13:00–16:45 (3h45m)
Beaulieu National Motor Museum
Motor museum first, then ride the monorail round the grounds.
A New Forest estate whose single ticket covers the National Motor Museum, a stately home, abbey ruins, a children's play area and unlimited rides on a monorail around the grounds. Good for a long mixed day, rain or shine.
PaidIndoors & out- Café on site
- Toilets
Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada
More days out in South East
South EastPortsmouth: warships, a Tudor wreck and a view from the tower
Portsmouth Harbour
Spend most of the day at the historic dockyard going aboard HMS Victory and HMS Warrior and seeing the raised Tudor warship Mary Rose. End by going up the Spinnaker Tower next door for a view across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard → Spinnaker Tower
One dayAges 8–12Cost £££
South EastMilton Keynes: codebreakers, sculpture and a lake
Milton Keynes
A morning on the trail of the wartime codebreakers at Bletchley Park, with hands-on code-cracking for children. In the afternoon, climb the viewing mound in Campbell Park's sculpture-filled grounds and finish at Willen Lake's playgrounds, splash park and Peace Pagoda.
Bletchley Park → Campbell Park → Willen Lake
One dayAges 8–12Cost ££
South EastCanterbury on a wet day: cathedral, Roman house and a free museum
Canterbury city centre
Three indoor stops a few minutes apart in the walled city. Children go free at the cathedral, the underground Roman museum has a mosaic floor still in place and objects to handle, and the free Beaney finishes the day with natural history cases and family trails.
Canterbury Cathedral → Canterbury Roman Museum → The Beaney
One dayAges 8–12Rainy dayCost ££