What to Do and What to See in Lyndhurst

Anyone heading to the New Forest for a rural retreat soon should make sure they put aside some time to visit the pretty village of Lyndhurst.

There are plenty of little villages that people could check out on their holidays in the New Forest, but there is a reason why Lyndhurst is one of the most popular in the region – it combines the quaint, rural Hampshire aesthetic that so many seek out with plenty of things to do and see.

Despite being located in the heart of the New Forest, it is remarkably close to some major roads – the A35 runs through it and the M27 is not far away – which makes it nice and easy to find.

So what can you expect when you get in Lyndhurst?

• Eat/drink
  One thing is for sure, visitors will not be short of places to go for lunch/dinner and a well-deserved drink after a day of exploring. For such a small village, it has plenty of great pubs serving hearty British fare and local ales. Even though many of the spaces are sizable, it is worth booking ahead. Aside from the pubs, make time for a cream tea at one of the local cafés.
• Walk/Cycle
  Since the village is surrounded by forests, it is the perfect place to begin a day of walking or cycling – if you did not bring your bike with you then just stop off at the visitor centre, there is a bike hire firm just next door and you can pick up maps of the area while you are there.
• Shop
   You will not find any multi-storey shopping complexes here, but there are a plethora of cute little shops selling antiques, oddities and locally-made products. Perfect for picking up presents or just trying something new.
• Heritage
   No trip to Lyndhurst is complete without checking out the Queen’s House and the Church of St Michael and All Angels – both of which are rich in history. For literature fans, it may be worth going to the latter landmark and looking for the memorial plaque of Alice Liddell – or Mrs Reginald Hargreaves – who was the inspiration for Alice in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll.