The New Forest is home to plenty of wonderful experiences for animal lovers to indulge in. Aside from the wildlife that you’ll see out and about in the New Forest, there is a fantastic selection of specific sanctuaries and activity experiences for animal lovers to visit. Here are some of the best days out for animal lovers that the New Forest has to offer.
Longdown Activity Farm
Located in Ashurst in Southampton, the farm makes for an amazing day out, particularly for those with children. Longdown Activity Farm offers plenty of hands-on activities, including feeding baby goats and cows, an animal encounter barn, and a fantastic outdoor play area.
The farm is home to alpacas, an assortment of horses and donkeys, pygmy goats, pigs, cows, and more. Longdown Activity Farm has many great activities for animal lovers and makes for a fantastic day out for the family.
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
One of the New Forest’s top nature observation areas, Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary offers an opportunity to witness the beauty of the New Forest’s wildlife, specifically allowing guests to observe the free-roaming deer. The sanctuary offers a viewing platform, allowing visitors to observe the deer in their natural habitat, making for wonderful photo opportunities.
Bolderwood also offers various notable walking routes around the forest for those wishing to see the natural wildlife and greenery of the area.
New Forest Wildlife Park
New Forest Wildlife Park is home to an incredible range of over 30 species, from otters to owls to big cats to wolverines. Formally known as the ‘New Forest Otter, Owl, and Wildlife Conservation Park’, the park aims to conserve Britain’s native species. Spanning approximately 25 acres, the park is also famed for its accessible woodland walking trails.
New Forest Reptile Centre
The New Forest Reptile Centre is located near Lyndhurst and is home to various types of snakes and lizards, as well as some amphibians. Here you can see all of Britain’s reptiles – including the rare smooth snake and sand lizard – in one place, separated into netted pens that emulate their natural habitats. It also features a family-friendly forest walk trail to witness more of the local wildlife in nature.
Please bear in mind that the centre is open seasonally, so it is only available to visit during the school holidays.
Brockenhurst Donkey Walks
Near Brockenhurst village, this donkey walking experience provides a wonderful opportunity to observe the beauty of the New Forest’s wildlife. There are several experiences tailored to personal preferences: you could opt for either a 45-minute or an hour-long walk with a donkey, or a 30-minute yard visit if you’d rather. This makes for a great chance to spend some time up close with animals and to witness the local wildlife on the way.
Nature Reserves in the New Forest
The New Forest is home to a wide variety of nature reserves, offering everything from ancient woodland and open heathland to saltmarshes, wetlands, and coastal lagoons. These protected areas provide important habitats for wildlife including deer, ponies, rare birds, reptiles, dragonflies, and migrating wading birds.
Birdwatchers will love Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve, known for its scenic sea wall walks, birdwatching opportunities, and views across the Solent, as well as Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, where visitors can spot kingfishers, otters, and seasonal birdlife around freshwater lakes and woodland trails.
Coastal reserves such as Steamer Point Nature Reserve near Christchurch & Highcliffe combine clifftop views, woodland paths, and little lakes for spotting birds.
Go Pony Spotting
One of the most iconic sights in the New Forest is seeing the free-roaming ponies grazing on village greens, wandering across heathland, or quietly standing along the roadside. The famous New Forest ponies can be spotted throughout the National Park all year round. While they are used to people and traffic, they are semi-wild animals, so visitors should always admire them from a respectful distance and never feed or touch them.
Check out our Guide to New Forest Ponies to discover about the ponies and where you can find them!
Whether you are looking for an engaging day out for the family or a quiet afternoon of nature watching, the New Forest is home to some excellent opportunities to interact with animals up close.
If you’d love to experience some of the area’s fantastic wildlife, then why not explore our holiday cottages to rent in the New Forest? These make the perfect base for adventures around the New Forest, and many are pet friendly too, so your own animal companions can join you on your getaway!
