Nicknamed the “Capital of the New Forest”, Lyndhurst is a lively village first mentioned in the Domesday Book as “Linhest”. It lies in the heart of Hampshire’s New Forest National Park and centres around a main street that is lined with art galleries, boutiques and pubs.
Visit the New Forest Heritage Centre to learn about the conservation history and cultural traditions of the park, as well as its resident flora and fauna. Changing exhibitions are held in its gallery space and there’s an on-site cafe where you can grab drinks and snacks.
Sprawling across almost 29,000 hectares, New Forest National Park encompasses unenclosed pastures, heathlands and forests and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. In addition to its network of walking trails, you can stroll through the heritage-listed Exbury Gardens, admire classic cars at Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum and see native species at the New Forest Wildlife Park.
Getting there
Lyndhurst is a 20-minute drive from Southampton and 45 minutes from Portsmouth. Southampton Airport is 20 minutes away and has flights to destinations across Europe. Buses connect Lyndhurst to towns throughout Hampshire and the village is compact enough to explore on foot.