New Forest day trip from Hayling Island: ponies, giant trees and autumn walks from Sandy Point

The New Forest is the big green space to the west of us, on the far side of Southampton Water. From Wittering Sands, our exclusive-use house at 14 Wittering Road, Hayling Island PO11 9SP, Lyndhurst is about 42 miles by road, or roughly an hour in normal traffic. You drive up the island, over Hayling Bridge, west along the A27 and the M27, then down the A337 into the Forest.

It is a longer outing than most of our day trips, so we keep it for a dry or bright day when everyone wants a proper change of scene. Autumn is a lovely time to go. The beech and oak woods turn, the ponies are everywhere, and the pigs are out on the Forest for the acorn season. This guide covers what to see, the animals, dogs, and getting there.

What is the New Forest?

The New Forest was set aside as a royal hunting ground by William the Conqueror in around 1079. The word forest meant open land under forest law rather than solid woodland, and today the Forest is still a mix of ancient woodland, open heath, bogs and grassland. It became a National Park on 1 March 2005, the first national park created in England in the 21st century.

What makes it different from anywhere else near us is commoning. Local people called commoners still have the right to graze ponies, cattle, donkeys and, in autumn, pigs on the open Forest. That grazing is what keeps the landscape the way it is, and it is why you will share the lanes with animals all day.

Where should you start?

Lyndhurst is the obvious first stop. It sits in the middle of the Forest, and the New Forest Heritage Centre is in the main car park behind the High Street (postcode SO43 7NY), signposted as the visitor information centre. Entry is free, and it is a good place to pick up leaflets and guidebooks, look round the museum and the gift shop, and use the café. The centre lists its hours as 10am to 5pm daily from April to October and 10am to 4pm daily from November to March. The car park is a council pay and display.

The Verderers, who oversee the commoners and the Forest animals, are based at the King's House in Lyndhurst, which tells you something about how central the town is to the way the Forest still works.

What are the best short walks for a group?

The Rhinefield Ornamental Drive runs south off the A35, about 2 miles west of Lyndhurst. It is lined with conifers planted in the 1850s, including some of the oldest Douglas firs in Britain, and it has two easy walks from the same car park.

• Blackwater car park (postcode SO42 7QB) is about half a mile along the Drive on the left. It has toilets, picnic tables and accessible parking. Forestry England notes it is not suitable for coaches.
• The Tall Trees Trail: about 1.5 miles, or around 40 minutes, on a smooth gravel path with one gentle slope and no gates. It takes you under huge Douglas firs and redwoods, including two enormous giant redwoods, the biggest trees in the New Forest.
• The Blackwater Arboretum trail: a short loop of about half a mile, or 15 minutes, past trees from around the world, with tactile sculptures of seeds from a sycamore, an oak, a Douglas fir and a redwood. Small children like finding them.

Bolderwood is the other classic stop, about 2 miles north west of Emery Down, which is just west of Lyndhurst off the A35. Some of its Douglas firs date back to around 1860, and the earliest record of a royal hunting lodge here dates from 1325. There are waymarked walks, a picnic area and toilets, and dogs are allowed. One thing that has changed: Forestry England says there is no longer a deer sanctuary or feeding station at Bolderwood, so do not plan the day around seeing the deer there.

Forestry England car parks along the Drive are paid, card or app only, and if one is full the advice is to drive on to the next car park rather than park on the verge.

What about the ponies and pigs?

There are around 5,000 New Forest ponies grazing freely across the Forest. They look tame, but they are not pets, and each one is owned by a commoner. Five Agisters, employed by the Verderers, keep an eye on their welfare.

The New Forest code is simple and worth reading out in the car:

• Keep your distance from the animals. Do not feed or touch them, as you may be fined.
• Take home all litter and dog waste.
• No fires or barbecues anywhere on the Forest.
• Park only in car parks, not on verges or in gateways.
• Drive with care, because animals may be on the road. The limit on unfenced Forest roads is 40mph at most, and ponies have right of way.

Autumn adds the pigs. Pannage is the old right to turn pigs out to eat fallen acorns, beech mast and other nuts. Acorns are fine for pigs but can make ponies and cattle ill, so the pigs do a useful job. For 2026 the Verderers and Forestry England set the pannage season from Monday 14 September to Sunday 29 November, unless they agree an extension. You may meet pigs by the roadside or in the woods. Please do not feed them either: it is illegal to give pigs kitchen scraps.

Our clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, so later in the autumn the drive home will be in the dark. Take the Forest lanes slowly at dusk, as not every pony wears a reflective collar.

Can you take a dog?

Yes, and the New Forest is one of the great dog walks of the south. The National Park asks you to keep dogs under close control, not let them approach or chase any animals, and to keep them on leads in car parks and alongside roads. Keeping to the main tracks also protects your dog from hazards like adders and ticks. From March to the end of the summer there are extra rules around ground-nesting birds on the open heath, but in autumn and winter the main ask is good control around the ponies, cattle and pigs.

Blackwater and Bolderwood both list dogs as allowed. If you want a dog day closer to the house, our dog-friendly Hayling Island guide covers walks from the door.

Is it good for a rainy day?

Partly. Walking under the tall trees is pleasant in light rain, and the Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst is indoors with a café. But this is mostly an outdoor day, and the drive is long, so on a truly wet day we would point you somewhere nearer, such as Portsmouth or Chichester. Our November weekend guide has more ideas for grey days.

How do you get there from Hayling Island?

• By car: drive north up the A3023 and over Hayling Bridge, join the A27 west, which becomes the M27, and follow it towards Southampton and Bournemouth. Leave at the junction for Cadnam and take the A337 south into Lyndhurst. For the Tall Trees Trail, continue on the A35 towards Christchurch and turn left into Rhinefield Drive.
• By train: Stagecoach 30 and 31 buses run from the island to Havant, with a stop at Sandy Point Reserve. From Havant you can take the train west and change, often at Southampton Central, for Brockenhurst, a South Western Railway station in the heart of the Forest. Check National Rail and Stagecoach times before you travel.

With a group of nine, a car or two is much the easiest way to do it, and it lets you stop at more than one place.

What else could you combine it with?

The Forest is too big to see in one day, so pick one area and enjoy it. Brockenhurst, Burley and Beaulieu are other villages worth a look if you have time, though each attraction has its own opening times and tickets. If you would rather a cathedral city, our Winchester day trip guide is another good day on the Hampshire side. Our Around Hayling guide covers beaches, pubs and walks much closer to home.

What are the stay details?

Check-in is from 4pm and checkout is by 10am. Wittering Sands sleeps up to nine across four bedrooms and five beds, with 3.5 bathrooms. Up to two well-behaved dogs are welcome at the house, with no extra pet fee, kept off beds and sofas, and parking is available for four cars. Children of all ages are welcome, babies and toddlers included, and a travel cot and highchair are available on request, so just ask when you book. The minimum stay is 2 nights, and some dates may require longer; the booking calendar shows the minimum for your dates. Bookings need at least 48 hours' notice.

Rates vary by season and length of stay. The live calendar shows the current figure for your dates; this guide does not indicate availability.

How do you book?

Check the live booking calendar for current dates and pricing. If you want to talk through the group, dogs or travel arrangements, get in touch.

Opening times, car park arrangements, pannage dates, dog guidance, and bus and train timetables can change. Check the New Forest National Park, Forestry England, the New Forest Heritage Centre, Stagecoach and National Rail before you travel.