How to Spend Three Days in Lymington

Surrounded by woodland walks and coastal strolls, the Georgian port town of Lymington remains a popular base for all those keen to explore the New Forest National Park and wider county of Hampshire.

However, if you’re considering a long weekend, short escape or quick break, this historic town, with its cobbled streets, market days and sparkling marinas, could be your ideal choice.

When your time is precious, you need a holiday itinerary to match. Here are some activities and outings both in and near to Lymington for you to design your days around.

Arts and Culture

Arts enthusiasts and culture vultures will be in their element perusing the town’s many museums, potteries, artisan workshops and galleries. Surrounded by the tracks and trails of the new Forest and the sparkling Solent, there’s no shortage of inspiration for the town’s artisans and artists, making Lymington a hub for creativity.

Located in the heart of the town, the St Barbe Museum has benefitted from a multi-million-pound refurbishment and stages some of the most prestigious exhibitions found on the south coast, exploring the history and heritage of the area. The building is also home to the Old School Café with its sunny terrace and delicious menu. Expect plenty of mythical tales and colourful forest folklore and dive deep into the skulduggerous lives of the smugglers who once made the town a den of thieves, their secret network of tunnels said to run from the harbour to the local taverns. You’ll also see artwork on display from national galleries such as the Tate.

Other leading, independent galleries on the Lymington arts scene are Coastal Gallery, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, Clarendon Fine Art, a community for art lovers with a mix of emerging talents and 20th century masters, and Chalks Gallery, a thriving outlet showcasing work from a variety of artists where you can have your portrait hand stitched while you wait.

Founded in 2013, The Solent Music Festival attracts some of the world’s most talented musicians to the characterful harbour town. This week-long summer programme includes live concerts, piano solos, string quartets, symphonies, operatic singers, and poets, all invited to perform beneath the hallowed vaults of St Thomas Church. A great opportunity to immerse yourselves in music in one of the town’s most historic and venerated buildings.

Led by local history aficionado, Jack Bradbury, Lymington Town Tours uncovers the mystery and legends of this famous port. Jack imparts a lifetime of knowledge, bringing to life the cobbled streets with fascinating and timeless stories, from the crinkle crankle wall to Donkey Cottage. With eleven different walks to choose from, step back in time as you’re introduced to the town’s most influential characters.

In later years, one of the town’s most famous residents was sailor and four-time Olympic gold medallist, Ben Ainslie, who lived in the town for twelve years and was made an honorary life member of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club.

History and Heritage

Saxon settlers founded the “Limen tun” in the 6th century, its Celtic forefathers describing it as a “village by the marshy river”. In fact the earliest known settlement in the parish is the Buckland Rings Iron Age Fort on the southern fringes of the New Forest. It was William de Redvers, Lord of the Manor, who first delivered the Lymington town charter and its right to hold a market circa 1190, laying out the High Street that remains today. The town’s major endeavour, from the Middle Ages up until the 19th century, was salt making, the process of guiding sea water into clay-lined trenches, the brine then fed to boiling houses and coal-fired boiling pans that collected the salt crystals. At its zenith, there were 163 boiling pans in the Lymington Area.

Travel the cobbled streets and back lanes of Lymington and you’ll be impressed by the historic architecture on display. Lymington is a medieval town, its character retained by its many buildings and monuments, 244 listed buildings in all, which includes 14 that have Grade II status.

Parts of the Parish Church of St Thomas the Apostle can be traced back to the 1200s having survived ransackings by Puritan soldiers during the English Civil War. The bell tower houses eight bells, five of which were cast in 1785, its ornate cúpula dominating the roofscape at the top of Lymington High Street.

Dating back to the 17th century and considered one of the most prominent houses in Lymington, Monmouth House also lies on the High Street, last year appearing on the residential housing market with a guide price of £5 million. This grand, red brick dwelling was once the office for the Clerk of Justices.

Known locally as “Bath House” and home to the Lymington Town Sailing Club, this iconic building was built in 1825 but fell into dereliction after WWII. Saved from demolition, it became the quarters for the town’s sailing club who successfully renovated its interior and most recently introduced a members’ balcony. This building remains an important focal point for the community.

Other historical sites in the local area…

Perched at the end of a shingle spit, not far from Milford-on-Sea and seven miles from Lymington, Hurst Castle was originally built by King Henry VIII to help guard the Solent seaway. Legend has it that this ancient sea fort is haunted by a spectral monk, its most famous visitor being King Charles I who was held prisoner here ahead of his trial and execution at the hands of Oliver Cromwell. It’s said that the king still haunts the ramparts, walking the sentinel posts and waiting for a royalist gunboat to come to his rescue. Hurst Spit is a coastal defence that protects the Western Solent from floods while offering shelter for the Keyhaven saltmarsh formed in the lee of the castle. It provides a spectacular seascape walk along a mile-and-a-half stretch of shingle.

Named as the New Forest’s most beautiful village in 2001 by The Telegraph, Brockenhurst has bags of history and charm, a lovely day trip surrounded by enchanting leafy walks, the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and Whitefield Moor to name a few. Not far from the village is the Knightwood Oak, or the “Queen of the Forest”, an English oak believed to be more than 500 years old, making it among the oldest in the forest, standing seven metres tall, and still growing!

Action and Adventure

With its proud sailing heritage and 5-star yacht haven and marina, Lymington is one of the region’s most celebrated maritime destinations. If you’re looking for action and adventure on the water, you’ve come to the right place, yacht charters and sailing days an extremely popular holiday excursion. Among the long list of companies running trips on the Solent are Escape Yachting, sailing out of Lymington and offering award-winning day trips touring the English coast and Isle of Wight. If you like the rush of fresh sea air and the thrust and whir of a powerful outboard engine, a seat on a Solent Rib Charter offers you all the thrills and exhilaration you’ll need while providing you with magnificent views of the coastline. Perhaps a gentle and scenic boat trip along the Lymington River is more your cup of tea, if so, Puffin Cruises is at your service. With more than 35 years’ experience at the helm, this husband-and-wife team know the Lymington shoreline like the backs of their hands, from the sparkling yachts in the marina to the salt grass marshes.

Anglers also flock to these glinting shores, with boat charters and local skippers at your beck and call. Katfish Charters and their boat Manta Ray run fishing trips up and down the Solent and along the shores of the Isle of Wight, also venturing further offshore, sharing their local knowledge and helping you reel in some monsters from the deep and keeping your lines tight. Running bespoke charters and exclusive fishing trips for smaller groups, Greg Pitt Sea Fishing is a family-run outfit with more than 60 years of experience on the water. Greg’s Inshore day trips for up to six people are ideal for groups of friends or families, combining sightseeing with mackerel fishing around the coastline’s cherished and lesser-known haunts, including the magnificent Needles sea stacks and lighthouse that lights up the Solent Way.

How about putting your back into something strenuous but also very exciting? Introducing you to the exhilarating sport of coastal rowing, Lymington’s Coastal Rowing Adventures will guide you on a single or double scull ocean row around the Solent. If that all sounds a bit too adventurous, why not book in for some expert tuition to help get you started.

If you’re more of a landlubber, maybe you’d enjoy saddling up and exploring the tracks, trails, and byways around Lymington by bike. There’s no need to worry about the added hassle of bike racks when you can easily hire locally. For an even more leisurely ride, why not hire an e-bike courtesy of Jaunt and take the sting out of those hills. Longstanding independent bicycle shop, Figgures Cycles, is based in Lymington and also offers cycle hire for all those keen to discover the endless network of waymarked cycling trails in the New Forest, as well as a myriad of coastal paths. And for all you daredevils, the dirt jumps and hairpin berms at the abandoned quarries of Buckland Rings is just around the corner!

For the ultimate New Forest experience, why not navigate the sun-dappled trails and open heaths on horseback. Coombe Stables, near the idyllic village of Sway, offers riding lessons, pony treks and forest hacks, welcoming all abilities and imparting their expert equine wisdom. What better way to enjoy the stunning scenery of Hampshire and appreciate its medieval origins than by following the hoof prints of King Henry VIII.

If it’s a grandstand view you’re seeking, a seat on the New Forest Tour open top bus will be just the ticket. Running throughout the summer, the tours follow three scenic routes through the enchanting, leafy turns of the forest interrupted only by chocolate box villages and free-roaming ponies. You’ll be able to stop off at some of the county’s major landmarks and attractions while enjoying a bespoke commentary full of local history and popular folklore.

Step aside Rory Mcllroy, it’s time to take on the twists and undulations of Lymington’s Adventure Golf Course. These specially adapted miniature fairways are designed for all the family, the full 18 holes a cleverly crafted replica of the New Forest, from the Isle of Wight to Exbury Gardens, the course also encompassing the gentle wends of the Lymington River and Beaulieu River. They’ll be no green jacket presentation once the final ball is sunk, but you can indulge yourself in a punnet of pick-your-own strawberries from Goodall’s Farm.

Create a splash at Lymington Sea Water Baths when you take on its giant inflatable assault course that will test your aqau-ninja skills to the nth degree. You can also try your hand at stand up paddle boarding in this safe environment ideal for all those trying to build their confidence in the water.

An island hop to the Isle of Wight is a maritime adventure for the whole family. Cross the Solent aboard one of the regular car and passenger ferries from Lymington to Yarmouth and relax on deck while you’re steered along this famous coastal passage. The crossing takes approximately 40 minutes. The Isle remains one of the region’s most popular holiday destinations, miles of glorious coastal paths and a long list of tourist attractions to keep the whole family entertained.

Walks and Rambles

Walkers and ramblers are spoilt for choice when exploring this coastal corner of Hampshire. With its magnificent seascapes, dramatic clifftop trails and precious wildlife havens, Lymington continues to inspire all those who arrive with their maps and walking boots.

Find your bearings with the Lymington Town Trail, a two-mile circuit that takes in the historic high street and harbour, starting and finishing at the town’s train station. Browse the shops and market stalls, stroll along the waterfront, and discover the civic buildings and landmarks that add so much character to this historic sailing town.

The popular Lymington Circular is an easy-going route that takes the average walker under two hours to complete. Encapsulated by the Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes Nature Reserve, wildlife enthusiasts and birders will adore this coastal yomp…just don’t forget your binoculars.

Walkers and runners love this delightful lapping trail around the timeless village of Exbury, famous for its gardens home to well-established collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Open all year round, this popular dog-friendly route takes you into the heart of the countryside before weaving a path towards the mouth of the Beaulieu River and the Solent Nature Reserve, a 10km round trip.

A little under seven miles, the Buckland Rings Walk follows the waymarks through the magical and ancient realm of Roydon Woods nature reserve, a home to great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, skylarks and rare moths and butterflies, then across the thriving tussocks and thickets of Setley Plain to the site of a former Iron Age hill fort on the outskirts of Lymington. Walkers generally start this much-loved trail at the Brockenhurst Railway Station.

For more information about walking and cycling routes close to Lymington and the New Forest visit the national park’s website.

Shopping and Eating

Set on the bustling High Street and maintaining a tradition dating back to the 13th century, Lymington Charter Market takes place every Saturday between 8am and 4pm selling artwork, jewellery, plants and the catch of the day, a smorgasbord for local artisans.

Lymington has a healthy mix of independent shops, grocery stores, gourmet eateries, gift shops, boutiques and local traders as well as well-known high street outlets, combining to provide a thriving shopping scene.

You’ll also find an enticing selection of bistros, restaurants, pubs, tearooms and street food vendors. The town can boast a flourishing fine dining quarter, whether that be a table by the waterside or an á la carte menu on the sun terrace. From its handsome pubs to its Michelin star dining rooms, you’ll find a venue for every occasion.

Save a date in July for the three-day long Lymington Seafood Festival held annually in the heart of the town, more than 80 stalls selling delicious Solent seafood accompanied by craft ales, ciders, and live music.

From stylish sea captain’s townhouses to sleek dog friendly apartments, discover our collection of self catering properties in Lymington.