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All you need to know
Combine the rural haven of the New Forest National Park with balmy beach days when you book a holiday in Ossemley, a tranquil hamlet on the southern fringes of the national park.
In the south of the forest, cradled amidst a landscape of softly rolling heather plains, meadows, and ancient woodland, the sprawling hamlet of Ossemsley is the perfect destination for those looking for a laid-back, nature-laden peaceful escape.
Here, you can soak up the joys of forest life and holiday uninterrupted at a relaxed pace where wildlife and nature take centre stage. Spend days walking well-worn trails and tracks alongside the forest’s free-roaming ponies and donkeys, where the only noise you’ll hear is the swishing of trees and birdsong. Explore picture postcard villages and weave down leafy lanes to hidden pubs serving delicious dishes, fine wine, and exciting ales.
There are two wonderful farm shops packed with local produce nearby, making a self-catering holiday in Ossemsley not only easy, but delicious! Within a mile or so, there’s the market town of New Milton for a choice of supermarkets and shops. It’s just a little further to the coast and swimming beach at Barton on Sea, where you’ll find a handful of clifftop cafes and restaurants with magnificent views across the bay to the Isle of Wight.
If you’re planning a family holiday in Ossemsley, there are loads of great options for days out, suiting all ages. The Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, Highcliffe Castle, Adventure Wonderland, Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary and Snowtrax Dry Ski Slope are just some of the local attractions waiting to be discovered.
Welcoming beginners, intermediate riders and seasoned pros, Burley Villa School of Riding in the heart of the New Forest gives you the chance to go horse riding across these ancient lands and take in its abundant natural beauty. Pony trails, Kids Brush n Ride activities, Western saddle riding lessons or simply a trot observing the wildlife - it’s the New Forest at its finest.
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Super day out. They are great at selecting the right horse for your ability, even if you are a bit nervous.
April 2019
Taking the title as the home for the world’s most beautiful motorcycles, the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum is the brainchild of motorcycling legend Sammy Miller - 11 time British Champion, and winner of over 1400 events and counting - this is a living museum with almost every motorcycle in full running order. Perfect for petrol heads!
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Brilliant, very interesting. Nice cafe serving delicious food.
August 2017
Fantastic and interesting visit. Great place to go on a day when the weather isn’t so good. Bit expensive but worth it.
April 2019
Great place for a visit. Interesting and cafe was good
August 2020
Very interesting. However, the new extension was a bit stifling in masks when the sun was shining. Pleasant staff in tea room
September 2020
Very interestin* place and courtyard cafe was good
June 2021
Amazing day out and main reason for visiting the area for my husbands 80th Birthday
October 2021
Excellent day out and reasonably priced entrance fee.
October 2022
In a selfie culture who wouldn’t be interested in a New Forest Photo Trek? Treks designed around their photo taking opportunity, this is a unique opportunity to explore the New Forest with your family album in mind. Teaching you photographic composition, abstract, landscape, close up, exposure compensation, depth of field, as well as camera technique while you go on a gentle wander through the New Forest, it’s a chance to learn a skill and understand the area at the same time.
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A carp fishery set in 11 acres with seven individual spring fed lakes, Course Fishing at Hordle Lakes is a chance for all ages and abilities to enjoy a day of fishing. With plenty of parking a short walk from the activity, fish for Bream, Tench, Perch, Rudd, Chub and Roach with huge bags being taken all year round.
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Few things are as magic as seeing the majestic deer in its natural habitat, and the New Forest Deer Safari brings you exactly that. On a unique 30 minute safari ride by tractor and trailer through Burley Park, you can see the Red Deer and their calves at close range - learn and be inspired.
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Amazing experience!! We were a group of four adults and three young children looking for something to do on a rainy Sunday. We found the Deer Safari and thought it looked incredible... it did not disappoint. Our guide was so knowledgeable and put in so much effort even though no one else turned up for the safari. We got to hand feed the deer from the trailer and see one of the stags swimming across the lake! I cannot recommend this enough. Beautiful.
September 2019
This pub has vast outdoor space with dedicated ‘fun-tastic’ climbing frame and play area for the kids. Whilst the little ones are entertained, adults can enjoy the areas award winning real ales and wines. Pub classics feature throughout the menu, alongside imaginative salads, puddings and desserts.
The Rising Sun (T:01425 610360) Bashley Common Road, New Milton, BH25 5SF
Friendly and welcoming ... to dog as well as me! Indoor and outdoor environment provided relaxation while enjoying tasty meals. By using a footpath and the edge of the Forest from my holiday accommodation in Bashley I appreciated being able to walk there... complete with pony and foal views!
July 2019
The food here was tasty, plentiful and well priced. We ate here several times over the course of our stay. The staff were friendly and there was a good atmosphere about the place.
October 2019
Lovely pub for a family lunch - Delicious food & the playground is awesome!
July 2021
Excellent pub. Very friendly staff . Had three meals there during our stay in Bashley. The meals were very good and reasonably priced.
July 2021
We went here 3 times whilst staying nearby. Very child friendly with large play area and good children menu.
July 2021
Good wholesome food and plenty of choice off the menu. Ideal for the family after a long drive.
April 2022
Fantastic outdoor play area. Very swift service and nice choice of food.
June 2022
Very nice pub good food and plenty of it .Dogs aloud inside and lots of room outside too .A good play area for small children .
June 2022
Such a wonderful country pub for all the family. They were very busy at the time of our arrival but managed to squeeze us in. Great service, lovely food and great outdoor play area for the children.
January 2023
A welcoming village pub with large garden and children's play area, serving a good selection of home-cooked pub food including a dedicated pizza menu and childrens options. Quiz nights on Wednesdays and traditional Sunday Roasts pull in a crowd.
The Plough (T: 01425 610185) Tiptoe SO41 6FQ
Frequented this establishment more than others. Good service and good down to earth menu available. Good vegetarian options available. Also love the breakfasts offered. Far better then any other establishments attended in the area.
October 2018
Visited once during our stay. The food was good and the Wednesday evening pub quiz was great fun.
October 2019
Great place too eat very friendly atmosphere & good food.
March 2022
Very nice lovely food, very nice people.dog made welcome.
April 2022
We had a good reasonably priced meal here..
May 2023
Not a fan sorry
May 2023
The perfect stop when out for a walk or destination out in the forest for some scrumptious food and drink. Set on the old station line when steam trains used to ferry passengers between Sway and Burley, these tearooms have a new lease of life. Serving hearty portions of well cooked food and deliciously naughty cakes and cream teas. There’s plenty of seating inside and out on the patios.
Old Station Tea Rooms (T: 01425 402468) Station Road, Holmsley BH24 4HY
Great place, good excellent and staff lovely
April 2019
A lovely place to have breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. Cakes are delicious. Individual Lemon meringue cakes the biggest I've seen! Staff very welcoming and dogs allowed. There is currently scaffolding around the building which obviously spoils the look of the place but this is only temporary so don't let it put you off.
October 2019
Perfect stop for a cream tea when out cycling. Lovely place
August 2020
Great cafe with very nice cheese scones and breakfast options.
September 2020
An excellent cream tea although my wife's coffee could have been hotter.
December 2020
Excellent food & patient staff.
June 2021
lovely cycling stop for youngsters
September 2021
Lovely walk from Burley before enjoying food and drink. Lots of outside seating which suited us as we have dogs. Food and service were first class
May 2022
Lovely tea rooms on our walk, they suggest booking in advance but was able to walk in off of our walk, sat outside, nice sandwiches & good cup of tea. Hot food also served, good service would call again
August 2023
Excellent to see a bit of the old railway still in evidence and put to such good and popular use. Even in early March the tea rooms were packed, but service still good. Would highly recommend a visit.
March 2024
A friendly, local’s pub with homely atmosphere. Plenty of parking at the front of the pub with some outdoor tables for when the sun shines. Food wise, menus list all the pub classics, which are well cooked and come in bountiful portions. Dog friendly too!
The Walkford, (T: 01425 272858) 16 Walkford Road, BH23 5QF
really good food lovely staff
September 2020
If you’re looking for a no-frills pub with friendly service and good honest food, The Wheatsheaf is worth the trip. It’s earned a solid reputation for its amazingly good value carvery and curry nights. There’s a log burner to keep you cosy on chilly nights, and when the weather warms up, venture outside to the large and pretty beer garden.
The Wheatsheaf (T: 01425 611082) Christchurch Road, New Milton BH25 6QJ
A stony beach with sandy areas as the tide goes out, and a great spot to do some fossil hunting. The cliffs are subject to considerable coastal erosion and at times parts of the beach can be cordoned off. The Beachcomber Café on the cliff top is one of the most popular cafés in the region. Plenty of parking in car parks along the cliff top as well as on-road parking.
Super walk, nice and easy and great place for a meal or tea and cake by the car park.
April 2019
A pleasant walk along the cliff top and along the beach. There was less cliff than last time we went to the New Forest.
June 2023
Highcliffe beach, beneath the popular Cliffhanger Restaurant is a part sandy, part pebble beach. The beach has sloping access as well as steps down to the shore from the pay and display clifftop car park. To the east, Highcliffe beach towards Barton on Sea is a part sandy beach at the foot of the second most eroded cliff in England. This side of the beach is dog-friendly all year. However do check the tide times as high tide can make it difficult to walk along the beach.
To the west towards Highcliffe Castle beach, the promenade leads across the top of the small beaches inbetween the groynes with views across Christchurch Bay and Hengistbury Head. Groynes 4-8 have dog restrictions as does the promenade during the summer months, May-September.
A picturesque, tree-lined beach of shingle, and sand at low tide. Good facilities on the cliff top including an excellent tea room, public toilets, baby change and a children’s play area in the Castle gardens. Plenty of parking and sloping access down to the beach. Highcliffe Castle beach is dog-friendly all year round.
Lovely clean sandy beach and a really i would highly recommend this spot for your car to break down takes the ouch out of waiting for the recovery truck
April 2017
Lovely
April 2019
Very picturesque beach with great access, looks good for a beach day
October 2021
A family friendly beach close to Mudeford and Christchurch Harbour with plenty to do for all. For those with disabilities or small children there is a beach level carpark, and to keep everyone safe there is a designated bathing area and a seperate area allocated for watersports, all overseen by lifeguards in the summer months. This pretty sand and shingle beach is backed by trees and countryside and if you fancy some fresh local seafood or simply a coffee, ice cream or a cold drink, the beach is home to the excellent Noisy Lobster, serving breakfast, lunch and supper all year round.
Beautiful beach, lots of sand for youngsters- definitely been high on our favourites list, for more than 30 years and still is now the 'children' are nearly 30! - well worth the drive from New Forest. The Noisy Lobster is great and now has an 'outdoor upstairs' too. The Beach Cafe, half-way along, is excellent too- used to do very good carrot cake! The connecting beach towards Steamer Point is dog-friendly all year which is a bonus. Walking to the quay end, you can catch the ferry to Hengistbury Head which is beautiful beach too and often quieter (top favourite!) Even this last week (JULY 2021) the 'kids' wanted to crab-fish from Mudeford Quay!!
August 2021
Nice beach with good facilities
April 2023
This is one of the most scenic of New Forest beaches. Lined with some of the most picturesque and expensive beach huts in the country! There’s no parking next to the beach, as it’s a traffic-free zone, but there’s pay and display parking at Hengistbury Head from where you can catch a little train to the sandbank, and Mudeford Quay which runs a small ferry (5 mins) over to the sandbank. Can also be reached on foot and by bicycle.
Beautiful place, our favourite beach in south of England. It feels like an island, when you go over on the ferry and at times (off-season!) on sunny days it can feel like a little piece of Heaven, it's so peaceful and beautiful- bit of a sense of New England. There's a super little 'restaurant', the Beach Hut, which does great breakfasts, meals all day and some evenings. Also takeaway eg pizzas, you can eat on the beach. Very simple surroundings, with a sheltered veranda that can be uncovered in fine weather, and amazing views. Quite pricey and often very busy (and you are best to ring and check opening times and book since often weather and ferry-dependant) but the quality of the food and those stunning views make it more than worthwhile!
March 2018
As usual, stunning. 4 ferries but sadly the Land train not running although according to their web site they were. Always visit when in the area
September 2020
This is a holiday must. A short ferry out to amazing beach makes for a great day out.
September 2022