There are heaps of great activities you can enjoy on a New Forest winter break. Getting outdoors and active in the National Parks outstanding beauty is exceptionally rewarding, as you’re pretty much guaranteed to spot the famous free-roaming ponies – maybe a donkey and a pig or two as well! Wrap up warm, head outside and get those endorphins buzzing – you’re in for a tonne of fun!
Treetop Ropes Courses
Feel like the kids again and monkey about climbing trees. Harness up for a tour of the treetops on a fun-fuelled morning or afternoon climbing, sliding, gripping and zipping through the trees on a ropes course. Up in the canopy are mind-bending hurdles and challenges designed to test your nerve. The New Forest Outdoor Centre run weekend sessions all year round.
Horse Riding
Riding through a cold and crisp winter forest offers an entirely different perspective of nature to the rest of the year. Book a couple of hours hypnotic trek, or for experienced riders, head out full throttle for a heady combination of adventure and exhilaration. Some great riding stables in the New Forest include Arniss Equestrian in Godshill, Burley Villa School of Riding in Bashley, Brockenhurst Riding Stables in Brockenhurst and Manor Equestrian Centre in the North of the New Forest near Paultons Park.
Paintball and Laser Tag
This is a great game to work up a sweat and have plenty of fun! Play with a group of friends and family or on your own joining in an organised game. Both Paintball and Laser Tag are adrenaline packed activities, running through the trees shooting ‘the enemy’ and getting shot in a variety of games set out by the instructors. To clarify the difference; Paintball guns fire gelatine balls filled with coloured dye, and yes, they can sometimes hurt on impact. Laser Tag guns fire laser beams at opponents wearing sensors which register when the player has been hit – and is pain-free. Bedlam Paintball have a site just outside Christchurch, and for Laser Tag try Battlefield Live New Forest.
Kayaking and Canoeing
Explore the riverbanks of the New Forest’s mighty tidal river – the Beaulieu River on a large 3-4 seat Canadian style canoe or a one-man touring kayak. Layer up warm and bring a flask of something hot to drink as it can get cold, but it’s so worth the effort. The sights and sounds of this beautiful river as it twists and turns through the woods to the sea is something really special. As a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), you’ll be also be rewarded with sights of winter migrant birds such as Black-tailed Godwits and Brent Geese. Take a look at New Forest Activities.
Archery
Archery is brilliant no matter how old or young you are, or if you’re fit or not. Best of all, it can still be played in the winter. The game is great fun and challenging at the same time. Surrounded by the New Forest’s ancient trees, you may feel like the south’s answer to Robin Hood or a modern-day heroine like Katniss from the Hunger Games. It’s a wonderful sport to try out for the first time or hone your skills. New Forest Archery providers include the New Forest Outdoor Centre and Insight Activities.
Segway Tours
Zooming about tree-lined tracks is a blast and a great way to spend time outdoors in the winter. It’s fun, active and a bemusing way to spend a couple of hours. It’s also a ‘quick’ to learn new skill. Take a look at Moors Valley Country Park and try out the Segway tours by Go Ape.
Walks ,Wanders and More
For simple outdoor adventures, just pull on some sturdy shoes (or boots) and head out into the forest for a walk with nature. Explore the New Forest with only the sound of your footsteps crunching over frosty twigs, the forest ponies plodding past and wildlife all around you. Step it up a gear and book a guided tour from a local who can share knowledge of the area, point out the wildlife you would probably miss on your own and the heritage and history of the area. Try Fuzzacker Guided Walks or Wild Heritage.
Of course, the best part about spending a winter’s day outside in the forest is returning home to a cosy holiday cottage to warm up and sprawl out in comfort. Take a look at our collection of New Forest Cottages for a wonderful winter break.