Explore the New Forest – Accessible Days Out
The New Forest National Park is full of places to visit, wildlife to enjoy, and activities for all ages. Many locations offer wheelchair access, accessible toilets, or facilities like hoists and trampers. Below we’ve combined our favourite attractions and activity ideas to help you plan your stay.
Practical information
Accessibility is different for everyone. A venue that works well for one wheelchair user may not work for another, and access needs can also include distance, seating, toilets, sensory needs, surfaces and quieter spaces.
We have included places that may be worth considering for a day out from Our Bench, together with useful access features we know about. Please check each venue's own current accessibility information before travelling, as facilities, routes and availability can change.
Our top attraction suggestions with useful access features
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New Forest Heritage Centre
Located in Lyndhurst, the Heritage Centre showcases the history and traditions of the New Forest, with exhibits on wildlife, conservation and interactive displays for children. Admission is free, with cafés and shops nearby.
Don’t miss Bolton’s Bench, a local landmark, and park of Our Bench's history! New Forest Wildlife Park
Meet badgers, otters, owls, deer and more. The park has woodland trails, play areas and a restaurant. Scooters and wheelchairs are welcome, but it’s worth checking ahead for access details that suit your needs, it is compressed gravel underfoot.
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Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre
Located near Burley, Liberty’s offers daily flying displays, falconry experiences and a reptile house. A great day out for bird lovers, it has a dated feel - but it is a great day out if you time it right for the flying displays and the sun is shining.
Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World
A family theme park with rides for all ages, landscaped gardens and Peppa Pig World for little ones. Guests who use a wheelchair or mobility scooter may be eligible for access support (check the current policy before visiting).
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Beaulieu
Home to the National Motor Museum, Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey and gardens. Scooter hire is available, carers enter free, and advance tickets may include a free return within six days (check ticket terms).
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Buckler’s Hard
An 18th-century shipbuilding village on the Beaulieu River. Enjoy the maritime museum, tea room and river cruises. Some areas have limited access due to the historic setting.
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Hockey's Farm Shop
This is so much more than a farm shop, there is coffee and lunch, a farm shop full of local seasonal produce, animals to look at and a traditional New Forest thatch cottage, parking is usually quite easy, (but on compressed gravel and can be muddy when wet) and there is a large accessible toilet too. My favourite product is the gingerbread Land Rovers they have in the shop - my kids still smile if I buy them one!
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Lepe Country Park
Seafront park with ramped access, an accessible café, a Changing Places toilet and all-terrain wheelchair hire. Enjoy coastal views, boardwalk trails and birdlife across Southampton Water.
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Exbury Gardens
Two hundred acres of landscaped gardens, famous for spring and autumn colour. Carers have free entry, wheelchairs are available and you can hire trampers. There’s also an accessible steam railway (check seasonal opening).
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Highcliffe Castle
A Grade I listed cliff-top building with interactive displays, cafés and woodland walks. Accessible paths link to Steamer Point Nature Reserve with Solent views.
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Longdown Activity Farm
Family farm with tractor rides, animal handling and play areas. Includes a Changing Places facility. This is one of my favourite places to visit with young children - there are so many hands on experiences, grown ups love it too, and there is a lovely farm shop for local produce.
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Moors Valley Country Park
Woodland park offering play trails, a miniature railway, golf, Go Ape, Segways and fishing lakes. Accessible toilets, a changing room, trampers and a café are available.
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Furzey Gardens
Woodland gardens with fairy doors, a tea room and a children’s play area. Free entry for disabled visitors and their carers.
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Blashford Lakes
Birdwatching reserve with around 8km of rolled gravel paths, accessible gates and hides. Tramper scooters are available by arrangement.
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Milford on Sea
Seaside village with clifftop parking, a tarmac seafront path, Needles Eye Café and a children’s play area. There’s an accessible Changing Places toilet nearby.
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Accessible New Forest walks
Many forest inclosures have gravel tracks suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Maps and route ideas are provided in your holiday cottage welcome pack.
We have also listed some amazing walk resources on our web site: New Forest Accessible Walks
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Barton on Sea
Clifftop views with sloped access down to the seafront, and paragliders overhead in the right weather.
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The Bakehouse, Brockenhurst
A favourite for fresh doughnuts, pastries and lardy cake. Perfect for a forest picnic.
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Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
A free site with accessible toilets and picnic spots. Deer are fed daily from April to September, making it a brilliant place to spot them.
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New Forest Reptile Centre
Near Lyndhurst, with reptile enclosures, trails and quizzes. Learn more about the forest’s natural residents.
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Car parks and viewpoints
The New Forest has many named car parks, which can make planning easier. Read our Blue Badge Parking Guide.
Inclusive cycling
Try wheelchair bikes, tandems and hand cycles with Pedall New Forest.
Paultons Park
Fun for all ages with Peppa Pig World, rollercoasters and gardens.
New Forest Wildlife Park
Meet native animals, enjoy woodland trails and a family day out.
Accessible activity ideas
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Inclusive cycling with Pedall
Pedall offers guided rides with wheelchair bikes, hand cycles and tandems. Ideal for individuals, families or groups up to 10. We have visited and have shared our view of their facilities and how they make the experience inclusive. Pedall - our view.
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New Forest Activities
Discover our first-hand guide to archery, canoeing, kayaking, wheelchair access, transfers and equipment near Beaulieu, and how to book your New Forest Activities adventure.
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Crazy Creature Encounter
Book an interactive animal session at your cottage with snakes, owls and bugs. Great fun for families, with photography available. Find out more at Crazy Creatures.
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Conductive Education
Specialist rehabilitation to build mobility and confidence. Available locally you can read about one of our guests experiences here.
More ideas
- Cycle hire including inclusive bikes.
- Horse riding at Burley Villa or the Island Riding Centre.
- Go Ape at Moors Valley – high ropes and Segways.
- Avon Tyrrell – inclusive outdoor centre.
- WetWheels Hamble – adapted sailing and powerboat trips.
- Disability Horizons co-founder Martyn Sibley explored the New Forest. Read his article or watch his video.
Barton on Sea
Sloped path from the cliff top down to the seafront with stunning views.
Lepe views
Accessible paths and Solent viewpoints, with a Changing Places toilet on site.
Testwood Lakes
Accessible reserve near Totton with waterside trails.
Wheelchair access at Hurst Castle
We are often asked about Hurst Castle. Henry VIII's coastal fortress can be reached by ferry or by walking along the shingle spit. Wheelchair access is limited, with shingle, steps and uneven floors in parts of the historic site, but families love exploring the passageways and soaking up the Solent views. It is an iconic castle on the solent and viewable in the distance from Keyhaven, and a great place to go if you are looking for somewhere quiet to explore.
If you have a paddleboard or a kayak with you, Keyhaven river is tidal but is an amazing place to paddle in summer, and you can paddle / row out to the Castle and enjoy coffee on the shore - if you give us a call, the sun is shining we may be on the water having a board meeting!
Plan a day out that works for you
The best day out is not necessarily the place with the longest list of accessibility features. It is the one that works for you and the people you are travelling with.
Always check current opening times, admission charges and access information with the venue before travelling. For ideas closer to our cottages, including accessible walks, parking, toilets and activities we have explored ourselves, visit our Explore the New Forest guides.
Always check opening times, admission charges and accessibility details before visiting.
For more ideas close to our cottages discover our Explore section.
Last updated: March 2026