Camping in the New Forest

Camping is one of the best ways to experience the New Forest, largely because the ground suits it. Much of the park is free-draining sandy heath and gravel, so pitches dry out quickly after rain and stay firm underfoot in a way that upland campsites rarely manage. The classic forest sites are unfenced clearings within the woods themselves — you pitch among the trees with no hedges or marked bays, and ponies or cattle may well walk through the site during the night. It is a genuinely different experience from a fenced park, and it is worth understanding before you book that many of these sites have deliberately minimal facilities.

Wild camping is not permitted anywhere in the New Forest. The land is grazed common with legally protected habitats, and Forestry England enforces the ban, so all overnight stays must be on a licensed site. That still leaves plenty of choice, from bare-bones forest clearings to full holiday parks with pools and entertainment.

The season runs roughly from March to the end of October, with only a small number of sites open through winter. May, June and September are the sweet spot: reliable weather, long evenings and fewer families than the July and August peak. The forest sits low and close to the coast, so it is milder than most of England, but it is also exposed on the open heath — expect wind rather than cold, and bring proper pegs for sandy ground. Midges can be a nuisance near the boggy valley mires on still summer evenings.

Pack for variable weather even in August, and bring a decent groundsheet: the sandy soil is abrasive. Many forest sites have no electric hook-up and limited or no showers, so a solar charger or power bank and a water carrier are worth having. If you would rather not camp cold, glamping has grown quickly here — safari tents, pods and shepherd's huts are available on several of the larger parks, generally at three to four times the cost of a tent pitch but with beds, heating and often a private bathroom.