What's new?
The New Forest is perfect for a car-free break, with trains to Brockenhurst, from Birmingham, London and more. Once you're there, the open-top New Forest Tour bus (adult day ticket £13) has added a third route this summer, so you can enjoy grandstand views of coast, countryside and pretty villages such as Burley, famous for its history of witchcraft. Passengers can swap between the three routes, take bikes on board and enjoy an audio commentary about the life of the New Forest. Ride the new Beach Bus ( adult day ticket £5) between Lymington and Hythe and you get a free ice-cream at Lepe Country Park. Or explore independently in a Twizy electric car from hotels and pubs all over the forest (£49 a day).
Park highlights
You can't miss the New Forest ponies: don't feed or touch them, but they're beautiful to watch – especially the foals. A good place to see them is at Beachern Wood near Brockenhurst, the start of a lovely off-road cycle ride to the pretty hamlet of Bank. Hire bikes at Cycle Experience in Brockenhurst and find route maps at newforestnpa.gov.uk/cycling_routes. The buses will also take you to Beaulieu for the National Motor Museum and Buckler's Hard, where they built ships for Lord Nelson.
Our favourite spots
When most people think of the New Forest they picture trees and ponies. But there's also a fantastic coastline, and lovely shoreline walks from Keyhaven harbour, on the New Forest Tour blue route. The harbour has saltwater lagoons full of waders as well as stunning views across the Solent to the Needles. There's also a fun little ferry to Hurst Castle and Lighthouse (adult return £5.50).
Where to eat/drink/sleep
For a treat, have afternoon tea at the Elmers Court Hotel near Lymington, a 19th-century manor house in 23 acres of landscaped grounds, including the lovely Queen Mary Lawn. The New Forest Tour green route stops there and it's only a few minutes' walk from Lymington Pier station. New Forest Cottages has more than 140 gorgeous properties, and many of them, including Mistletoe Cottage, (ref A255, from £633 a week) in Brockenhurst, are easy to get to by train.
Best wildlife encounter
Our most magical experience was seeing a herd of fallow deer near Bolderwood, west of Lyndhurst. There's a viewing platform overlooking a large meadow where deer can be regularly seen from April to September. Take a picnic and spend the day exploring. Get there by bike on a four-mile trail through the forest from Burley. Forest Leisure Cycling hires out bikes from £16 a day.
