Themed rides in the New Forest

Whether you want to fill up on cream tea, see historic sites or stop at the best real ale pubs, you’re sure to have a memorable day out with these themed cycle routes in the National Park.

For foodies

Work up an appetite on Country Lanes’ Cream Tea Trail, where you can choose from a 10- or 23-mile route, ending with a visit to a village tearoom where you’ll be treated to scones with jam and clotted cream and a pot of tea of your choice. They also offer Picnic Trails where you can fill up a hamper at their partner delis and enjoy an alfresco lunch in the woods. Bike hire is included in both packages. Or, if you fancy sizzling a steak at the end of your journey, Cyclexperience’s 12-mile BBQ Ride takes you along a disused railway track to a scenic picnic and BBQ area.

For a tipple

As well as their food-themed days out, Country Lanes also offer Pub Pedaller bike hire packages, where you’ll receive a voucher for lunch and a drink at one of two of the best pubs in the New Forest. Or if cider’s your weakness then try out their Cider Rider package, which will treat you to a pint of the golden stuff at a cider farm in the historic village of Burley. If you’d prefer to stop at a watering hole of your choice, Forest Leisure Cycling’s Villages, Views & Vales route takes in quiet leafy lanes, charming villages and a choice of six forest pubs. Drink responsibly!

For kids

Children would relish a pit stop at the New Forest Wildlife Park where they can see rare and endangered animals, such as the Scottish Wildcat, on our Ashurst to New Forest Wildlife Park route – an easy six miler. Forest Leisure Cycling has a beautiful family-friendly woodland trail, almost completely off-road on gravel tracks, or if your kids want to get a bit more adventurous and muddy, Sandy Balls’ Mud Rats course will boost your child’s confidence on two wheels and ensure a fun-filled day out.

For history buffs

Our 15-mile Lymington Loop takes you to Buckler’s Yard on the banks of the Beaulieu River, where back in the 18th century, oaks felled in the New Forest were assembled to build Lord Nelson’s ships. You can learn more about this at The Maritime Museum. If you fancy delving into the forest’s pre-history, Forest Leisure Cycling has a fascinating nine-mile trail that takes you along the old railway track, past Mill Lawn streams and onto Castle Hill, the site of of an Iron Age hillfort.

Explore more of our suggested routes or plan your own cycling adventure.