New Forest dates without the crowds

By the Just Hampshire Dating editors · Checked 8 November 2026 · 2 min read

In shortGo outside the busiest summer days, arrive by train at Brockenhurst and walk out of the village into the forest. Watch the ponies from a distance and do not feed or touch them. Avoid show week in late July unless the show is the plan.

Key facts

Getting there	Brockenhurst is on a mainline railway
Ponies and donkeys	Do not feed or touch them; you can be fined
New Forest Show 2027	27 to 29 July at New Park, Brockenhurst
Nearby	Lyndhurst, Lymington and Milford-on-Sea

The New Forest is busiest on sunny summer weekends and during show week. A weekday or an autumn or winter walk feels very different, with quiet heath and old woods. Here is how to plan a calm day out together.

Start from Brockenhurst

Brockenhurst has ponies and donkeys roaming free and is on a mainline railway. Walk among the old trees and open spaces, or hire bikes for the off-road tracks, then finish in one of the village pubs or tea rooms.

Source: Visit Hampshire: Brockenhurst in the New Forest National Park, checked 8 November 2026

Watch the ponies the right way

The New Forest National Park Authority and Forestry England ask visitors not to feed or touch the free-roaming ponies and donkeys, and to enjoy them from a distance. Feeding or petting them can lead to a fine, and drawing them towards roads and car parks is dangerous.

Source: New Forest National Park Authority: Please look but don't touch New Forest ponies, checked 8 November 2026

Know when show week is

The New Forest and Hampshire County Show takes place at New Park, Brockenhurst, from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 July 2027. It is a great day out with livestock, local food and countryside traditions, but the roads round Brockenhurst will be busy, so plan quiet walks for another week.

Source: New Forest Show: When is the New Forest Show 2027?, checked 8 November 2026

Questions

Can we get to the New Forest without a car?

Yes. Brockenhurst is on a mainline railway, and you can walk straight out of the village into the forest.

Can we feed the ponies?

No. The national park asks everyone not to feed or touch the ponies and donkeys, and you can be fined for doing it. Watch them from a distance.

When is the New Forest quietest?

Weekdays and the cooler months are calmer than summer weekends. Show week, 27 to 29 July in 2027, is one of the busiest times around Brockenhurst.