Camping in Exbury

Exbury sits within the New Forest National Park, and as with anywhere else in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law here, whether on Forestry England land, the open forest or the private estate land around Exbury Gardens itself. The New Forest is a working, grazed landscape managed under ancient commoning rights, and unauthorised camping causes real damage to the ground-nesting birds, ponies and livestock that depend on it, so anyone wanting to sleep out under the stars needs to use one of the recognised campsites in the area rather than pitching up on the heath or riverbank.

Fortunately, this stretch of the New Forest coast is well served by campsites that make the most of its position between woodland and water. Sites around Beaulieu and the Waterside villages offer easy access both to Exbury Gardens and to the shingle beach and coastal paths at Lepe, while others further into the forest interior put you closer to the open heath and grazing ponies that define the New Forest landscape. The mix of terrain here, from soft river valleys and saltmarsh to drier heathland further inland, means conditions can vary considerably between sites, so it is worth checking ground conditions and shelter from the prevailing south-westerly winds off the Solent before booking, particularly outside the summer months.

Spring and early summer are the classic seasons to camp near Exbury, coinciding with the peak flowering at the gardens and with long, pleasant evenings for walks along the Beaulieu River or the Lepe Loop. Summer brings the warmest weather for beach days at Lepe and boat-watching on the river, though sites near the coast can get busy and are worth booking well ahead. For those who want the outdoor feel of the New Forest without pitching a tent, glamping options in the area, including safari tents, shepherd's huts and pods, are increasingly common, offering a comfortable base from which to explore Exbury, Beaulieu and the wider Waterside countryside.