Choose a suitable walk
Start with signed woodland, heath or coastal routes. The National Park walking app includes routes with distances and navigation.
Compare Hampshire walksLocal Hampshire guide
New Forest
Use this New Forest guide to compare dog-friendly walks, pubs, days out, stays and local services in one place.
Browse 256 local placesPractical local planning
Plan a genuinely dog-friendly New Forest day
The Forest is a working landscape with free-roaming livestock and internationally important wildlife. Choose the walk, food stop and practical details together rather than treating “dog friendly” as a single promise.
Follow the Dog Walking Code
Keep dogs under effective control, use leads in car parks and by roads, keep away from livestock and stay on main tracks around ground-nesting birds.
Read the official codePark only in car parks
Do not use verges or gateways. If a chosen car park is full, use another official car park rather than damaging protected verges.
Check parking guidanceStart exploring
Tail-wagging Hampshire favourites
983 useful, source-linked places across the county. Dog policies and service availability change, so check the source before travelling or booking. For walkers, day care and boarding, ask to see current insurance and any council licence required for the service.
261 places match
Trains & transport
Quay2Quay Lymington–Yarmouth Ferry
New Forest · Lymington
Passenger ferry linking Lymington Town Quay with Yarmouth in about 35 minutes. Pets are welcomed onboard free of charge when added under Extras while booking, and must stay on a lead with a collar or harness. Boarding uses pontoons, ramps and steps, so check the operator’s current accessibility notes before travelling.
Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official Quay2Quay pet policy Things to do
Hurst Castle & Spit
New Forest · Milford on Sea
Coastal fort reached on foot along Hurst Spit or by seasonal ferry, with dogs welcomed on leads.
Source linkedConfirm important policies before travelling.
Hurst Castle details Things to do
Beaulieu
New Forest · Beaulieu
Dogs can explore much of the attraction and grounds, with restrictions inside the motor museum and other indoor areas.
Source linkedConfirm important policies before travelling.
Beaulieu visitor information Things to do
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway
New Forest · Exbury
Miles of garden paths, water stations and a miniature railway that accepts well-behaved dogs.
Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official visitor policy Things to do
Buckler's Hard
New Forest · Beaulieu
Historic riverside village where dogs on leads can join the outdoor visit and selected river cruises.
Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official visitor details Things to do
Hockey's Farm
New Forest · South Gorley
Farm shop, animal-viewing areas and a farmyard café highlighted by the New Forest visitor service for dog-friendly days.
Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official farm details Things to do
New Forest Heritage Centre
New Forest · Lyndhurst
Museum, gallery and information centre in Lyndhurst that welcomes dogs through its doors.
Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official visitor details Walks
Bolderwood Trails
New Forest · Bolderwood
Several signed forest walks from a well-known car park, with woodland, lawns and a deer-viewing area.
Blind & partially sighted walkers Practical route notes
Surface & gradientsDetailed surface and gradient information is not confirmed. Check the official route before setting out.
NavigationA signed or waymarked route is mentioned. Sign condition and junction clarity have not been independently checked.
HazardsSpecific hazards have not been independently assessed. Check current conditions and local signs.
FacilitiesSome parking or visitor facilities are mentioned; confirm their exact location and opening before travelling.
This is planning guidance, not a surveyed access audit. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome wherever the public has access; check any site-specific arrangements before a special journey.Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official New Forest guide Walks
Wilverley Inclosure
New Forest · Brockenhurst
Broad woodland tracks and flexible loops in a popular inclosure, with plenty of room for a satisfying forest walk.
Blind & partially sighted walkers Practical route notes
Surface & gradientsDetailed surface and gradient information is not confirmed. Check the official route before setting out.
NavigationThe route follows a recognisable circuit, trail or linear feature, but waymarking has not been confirmed.
HazardsPlan for road crossings or shared busy sections. Conditions can change after rain or in poor weather.
FacilitiesParking, toilets and rest points are not confirmed in this listing. Use the official link to plan them.
This is planning guidance, not a surveyed access audit. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome wherever the public has access; check any site-specific arrangements before a special journey.Official sourceConfirm important policies before travelling.
Official New Forest guide How information is labelled: “Official source” links to a public body, land manager or clearly identified official policy. “Source linked” means a current source is supplied but the detail has not been independently audited. Owner-confirmed and visitor-reported details will be labelled only when that evidence is supplied.