Romsey
Romsey sits on the banks of the River Test, one of the finest trout and salmon rivers in Europe. Places of interest include:
Salisbury
Salisbury has a famous cathedral, a theatre and two cinemas. It’s a beautiful city to walk around with quaint alleyways and numerous waterways. You’ll find a good selection of shops and and places to eat and there are 5 Park & Ride sites (the most convenient for Back of Beyond guests is the Britford Park…
Wareham
Wareham is the gateway to the Isle of Purbeck. It’s a historic Saxon market town on the River Frome, near Poole Harbour, with pubs, cafes and restaurants plus massive earth ramparts built by Alfred the Great. There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in Wareham Forest. Worth a visit is the phenomenon of the…
Lymington
Lymington is an elegant Georgian town with a bustling high street, old cobbled walkways and several quays, along with galleries, venues and a museum, plus a large outdoor seawater swimming pool. There’s a weekly Saturday market. Lymington to Yarmouth is a scenic route to the Isle of Wight on WightLink car ferries. Nearby are Beaulieu,…
Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst is actually a village – the largest in the New Forest and the ‘capital’ of the area. The New Forest Heritage Centre (free to visit) is here, the New Forest Reptile Centre is two miles east and the New Forest Wildlife Park is five miles to the east. From Lyndhurst, you can do a…
Poole
Poole has a famous quay where you can buy fresh seafood, catch a ferry to Brownsea Island (famous for its red squirrels) or organise a sea fishing trip. There’s a shopping centre and a good selection of pubs and restaurants. The Lighthouse is an arts venue with regular theatre, comedy nights and performances.
Wimborne Minster
Famous for its large medieval church (the Minster), this historic Dorset market town has a large Waitrose and Co-op as well as restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Main attractions are:
Christchurch
Historic Christchurch has a famous Priory and a picturesque harbour where the Stour and Avon rivers flow into the sea. In addition to the shops, restaurants and cafes, it’s popular for:
Bournemouth
This great seaside town has a lot to offer with miles of sandy beaches, clifftops, two piers, shopping centres, theatres, gardens, new cinema complex, music venues and nightlife. Bournemouth’s highlights include: Seven miles of south-facing sandy beaches stretching from swanky Sandbanks in the west to historic Hengistbury Head in the east. Most are Blue Flag…
Burley
You’ll often find ponies roaming the streets of this traditional New Forest village, which has witches, smuggling and dragon slaying in its history! There’s a good size car park and you can browse unusual shops selling curios and the famous handmade fudge. Hire a bike from Forest Leisure Cycling or try the New Forest Cider…