Ringwood is a town on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, right on the border with Dorset.

Get in

By car

The A31 trunk road runs from the end of the M27 motorway through the New Forest, past Ringwood, and on towards Dorchester. About a mile west of Ringwood, the A31 has a major junction with the A338 expressway, which brings traffic from the Bournemouth/Christchurch/Poole conurbation. The A338 also continues north of Ringwood as a single-carriageway road to Salisbury via Fordingbridge. Approximate driving distances:

• From Bournemouth, via A338 – 12 mi (19 km)
• From Salisbury, via A338 – 17 mi (27 km)
• From Southampton, via M27 and A31 – 22 mi (35 km)
• From Dorchester, via A35 and A31 – 35 mi (56 km)
• From London, via M3, M27 and A31 – 100 mi (160 km)

By bus

• 1 Meeting House Lane. The main bus stops in town, where all buses from other cities stop, including the National Express. 

Three National Express bus routes run through Ringwood: from London or Heathrow Airport (approx. 2½ hours) and from Birmingham (approx. 5 hours).

For more local travel, the most frequent bus routes are the X3 running between Bournemouth and Salisbury and the X6 which runs from Poole.

On foot

• Avon Valley Path between Salisbury and Christchurch, following the Avon River. 35 miles.
• Castleman Trailway between Ringwood and Poole, following disused train tracks. 15 miles. Also suitable for cycling and horse-riding.

Get around

On foot

It is easy to walk around the town, as it is only about a mile wide and mostly flat. There are some signposts near the town centre that show popular walking/cycling routes such as the Avon Valley Path. Google Maps works well for navigating in the town, and also shows the Ringwood sections of the Avon Valley Path and the Castleman Trailway.

By bus

There is a circular bus route around the town, the Ringo. It goes to Poulner (the section of Ringwood north of the A31) and to the Lidl/Premier Inn, with the main stop being Meeting House Lane.

By car

Ringwood only has a couple of main roads and no confusing one-way systems, so it is easy to drive around. There is a large paid car park (both short-stay and long-stay) at Meeting House Lane, with street parking available almost everywhere else. However, in the evenings and on warm holidays the roads can be very busy as people queue to join the A31, so it may be faster to walk.

A car will be very useful to have when visiting the various countryside attractions outside the town.

See

• 1 St Peter and St Paul Church, ☏ +44 1425 489898. There has been a church on-site for at least 1000 years, though the current building only dates from the 1850s. Look out for the 15th century monumental brass, a matchstick model of the church made by air raid wardens while on fire watch in the 1940s, and a contemporary triptych depicting the two patron saints and a cross. Free, donations welcome. (updated May 2021)
• 2 Meeting House & History Centre, 22 Meeting House Lane, BH24 1EY, ☏ +44 1425 480656. Open for visits M Tu, Th-Sa 10AM-noon, W 10AM-2:30PM. Times vary for events and exhibitions. Grade II*-listed Presbyterian meeting house dating from 1727, now houses the municipal archives. A selection of artefacts are on permanent display, and the house hosts numerous events throughout the year, including concerts and art exhibitions. Entry by spare change. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 Liberty's Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre, Crow Lane, BH24 3DZ, ☏ +44 1425 476487. Apr-Sep daily 10AM-5PM, Oct-Mar Sa Su and Feb half-term 10AM-4PM. Large collection of owls, hawks, falcons, eagles, and vultures, some of which take part in flying displays every day. There is also a small reptile house on site, which also puts on occasional shows in the summer. Site can be difficult for wheelchairs. No dogs. Adult £11.95, senior £10.95, child (3-15 yr) £5.95. (updated May 2021)

Do

• 1 Ringwood Brewery, 138 Christchurch Road, BH24 3AP, ☏ +44 1425 470303, store@ringwoodbrewery.co.uk. Tours closed due to COVID. Normally at least once daily except W. Shop: Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM. Informative and entertaining tours of the brewery with a knowledgable guide. Count on around two hours for the tour and a lot of free samples at the end. Tour customers can get discounts both from the brewery shop and also from some local restaurants. Tour: adult £12, child (aged 8-17 only) £6. (updated May 2021)

Out of town

• 2 Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve (Hampshire Wildlife Trust), Ellingham Drove, BH24 3PJ (1 Car and bike park outside education centre. Bus: X3 to Ellingham Crossroads, 500-m walk from centre), ☏ +44 1425 472760, Robert.Chapman@hiwwt.org.uk. 24 hours daily; centre and car park open 9AM-4:30PM, closed 25 Dec. A group of disused gravel pits that have filled with water over time and now form a cluster of lakes over 160 ha. The reserve is a magnet for great flocks of migratory birds in winter (terns, lapwings, oystercatchers...), while in spring and summer dragonflies and wildflowers put on a display. Other resident birds include redpoll, brambling, kingfisher and bittern. 8 km of level paths are suitable for wheelchairs; the hides are also accessible. No dogs except guide dogs. Entry by donation (suggested £4 pp). (updated May 2021)
• 3 New Forest Northern Commons (National Trust), Rockford Car Park, Ellingham Drove, BH24 3NF (Bus: X3 to Ellingham Cross, just over 1 mi (1.6 km) on foot), ☏ +44 1425 650035, info.newforest@nationaltrust.org.uk. 24 hours daily; car park open dawn-dusk. Walking and bike trails among a landscape of woodland pasture and open heathland. You'll almost certainly see some New Forest ponies, and if you're lucky you might glimpse fallow or red deer, or perhaps hear the tune of a Dartford warbler. Just by the car park is a large sand dune for kids to roll down. Free entry and parking. (updated May 2021)

Sandy footpath through Avon Heath

• 4 Avon Heath Country Park (Dorset County Council), Brocks Pine, St Leonards, BH24 2DH (Off A31, 2 mi (3.2 km) W of Ringwood. Bus: 38 to St Leonard's Hotel, 10 min walk from park), ☏ +44 1425 478082, avonheath@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Park daily 8:30AM-6:30PM / dusk (whichever is sooner). Visitor centre daily 10AM-4PM. Explore several miles of walking and cycling trail through open heathland. The park is part of a breeding programme for sand lizards, nationally-scarce reptiles which favour the heaths of southern England. Facilities include a visitors' centre, dog wash, café, picnic area and an imaginative nature-themed play area. Free. Parking 2 hr £3, 4 hr £6, all day £8. Barbecue day hire £40. (updated May 2021)
• 5 Moors Valley Country Park and Forest (Dorset County Council / Forestry England), Horton Road, Ashley Heath, BH24 2ET (3½ mi (5.5 km) W of Ringwood. Leave A31 at Ashley Heath turnoff, then follow brown signs. Bus: 38 to Castleman Trailway (stop dordmdam), ½ mi (600 m) from main entrance. Walk or cycle from Ringwood via Castleman Trailway.), ☏ +44 1425 470721, rangers@moors-valley.co.uk. Daily Sep-Mar 8AM-5PM, Apr-Aug 8AM-6PM/7PM during school holidays. Closed 25 Dec. Extremely popular forest park with miles of walking, running, cycling and callisthenic trails. Free audio and mindfulness trails to download. Kids will love the treetop walk and Gruffalo sculpture trail. There are numerous on-site activities and attractions, listed below. On-site ranger station, café-restaurant, dog wash and picnic spots. No barbecues or camping. Free entry. Parking charges apply, up to £15 for whole day. (updated May 2021)
  • Cycle Hire. Daily 9:30AM to mid-afternoon. Proof of ID required. £10 deposit (for up to four bikes) plus adult/child bike 1 hr £7/£6, 2 hr £13/£10, 3 hr £18/£13, all day £22/£17. Helmets free; trailers, tagalongs and child seat extra. (updated May 2021)
  • Fishing in Moors Lake. 15 Jun-15 Mar, same hours as park. Dace, perch, roach, rudd, and tench are all regularly caught at decent sizes. No barbed hooks, floating baits, live baiting or spinning. Adult £4.80, child/concession £4.10. You must also have a rod fishing licence from the Environment Agency (£8/£12/£30 per day/week/year). (updated May 2021)
  • Golf, ☏ +44 1425 479776, golf@moors-valley.co.uk. Advance booking and payment mandatory. 18-hole, 6337-yard course along the Moors River valley, with four par 5s, ten par 4s and four par 3s. Oct-Mar: 11/18 holes M-Sa £13/£20, Sa, Su, holidays £15/£25; Apr-Oct 11/18 holes M-Sa £16/£24, Sa, Su, holidays £19/£29. Good discounts for under-25s. (updated May 2021)

Fun in the tree tops at Moors Valley

• • Go Ape, ☏ +44 1603 895500 (national number), questions@goape.co.uk. Daily 9AM-7PM, booking essential. High ropes, swings, zip wires, and bouncy nets in the trees. There are four courses suitable for different ages, all 1-2 hr in length. If you can't stomach heights, you might prefer a Segway ride through the forest (1 hr). High rope courses from £20-£33, depending on difficulty, nets from £20, segway from £35. (updated May 2021)
  • Hawks in the Forest, ☏ +44 7954 522843 (mobile), hawksintheforest@gmail.com. By appointment only. Walk with a Harris's hawk! Your guide, a professional falconer, will instruct you on how to handle the bird, which will then fly freely as you walk through the woods and take turns in calling it to your outstretched gloved hand. Walks are aimed at couples and small groups. One adult £50, two adults £70, four adults £120; children £15, family (two adults, two children) £80. (updated May 2021)
  • 6 Moors Valley Railway, ☏ +44 1425 471415. Winter weekends and school holidays 10AM-4PM, summer daily 10AM-5PM. Email via online contact form. Return trip: adult £4.35, child £2.90. Footplate courses £180-£225 incl lunch and refreshments. (updated May 2021)

Buy

Ringwood's farmers market takes place at Gateway Square on the last Saturday of the month, 10AM-2PM. There is also a smaller market on the High Street every Wednesday, 8AM-3PM, which sells food, clothes and crafts among other things.

• 1 Roebridge Natural Food Market, Unit 3, Meeting House Lane, BH24 1EY, ☏ +44 1425 473133. M-W 9AM-5:30PM, Th F 9AM-7PM, Sa 8AM-5:30PM, Su 9AM-4PM. Small regional chain of greengrocers stocking local produce including New Forest mushrooms and Dorset chillies. Also sells nuts and free-range eggs. (updated Jul 2021)

Supermarkets

• 2 Sainsbury's, 24 Meeting House Lane, BH24 1EY. M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated May 2021)

• 3 Waitrose, The Furlong, BH25 1AT. M-Sa 7:30AM-8PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated May 2021)

• 4 Lidl, Christchurch Road, BH24 3AS. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated Jul 2021)

Eat

Blashford Lakes

Takeaway

• 1 Price's Fish And Chips, 38 Christchurch Road, BH24 1DN, ☏ +44 1425 480290. Lunch W-Sa noon-1:45PM, dinner Tu-Sa 5PM-9PM. Popular traditional chippy. For something a bit different, try their homemade sweet chilli fishcakes. Medium cod, chips and side £8.50. (updated Jul 2021)

• 2 Chinatown, 44 Southampton Road, BH24 1JD, ☏ +44 1425 471622. Tu-Su 5PM-10PM. The usual Chinese takeaway fare, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Most dishes are £5-£6. (updated Jul 2021)

Restaurants

• 3 Indian Tree, 14 Market Place, BH24 1AW, ☏ +44 1425 476563. 5PM-11PM. Indian curries, as the name suggests. Prices are typically £8.95 (chicken) to £13.95 (king prawn). Also offers takeaways. (updated Jul 2021)

• 4 Prezzo, 27 Market Place, BH24 1AN, ☏ +44 1425 471200. noon-10PM. Probably the only chain restaurant in town, serving Italian pizza and pasta dishes. A decent children's menu. Most dishes are £10-£14. (updated Jul 2021)

• 5 The Old Cottage, 14 West Street, BH24 1DZ, ☏ +44 1425 474283. Lunch Tu-Su noon-2:30PM, Dinner Tu-Th 6PM-9PM, F-Sa 6PM-9:30PM. Classic dishes made with locally-sourced meat and fish, housed in a 16th century cottage. Mains cost £15-£20. Also offer a separate Sunday Lunch menu with different roast options. (updated Jul 2021)

Drink

Razor Back best bitter is Ringwood's original brew.

• 1 The Original White Hart, 4 Market Place, Ringwood, BH24 1AW, ☏ +44 1425 472702, originalwhitehart.ringwood@marstons.co.uk. Daily noon-11PM. 17th-century coaching inn. Although it's a Marstons pub, it also serves Ringwood ales. Sports on the telly and pool table. Wheelchair accessible. Dogs welcome. (updated Jul 2021)
• 2 The Elm Tree, Hightown Road, BH24 3DY, ☏ +44 1425 472516, info@elmtreeringwood.co.uk. M-Th noon-10:30PM, F Sa noon-11:30PM, Su noon-9PM. Thatched cottage with cosy interior and large beer garden. Live sports on TVs. Basic cheap pub food available, which gets mixed reviews. (updated Jul 2021)
• 3 The White Hart Inn, 171 Southampton Road, BH24 1HU, ☏ +44 1425 483123. Su-W noon-11PM, Th noon-11:30PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Email via online contact form. In the residential neighbourhood of Poulner is this characterful low-ceilinged pub with pool table, darts and dominoes. Lounge chairs and picnic blankets in the garden in summer. (updated Jul 2021)
• 4 Inn On The Furlong, 12 Meeting House Lane, Ringwood, BH24 1EY. (updated Feb 2021)

Sleep

Many of the pubs and inns in town also offer accommodation.

• 1 Premier Inn, Forest Gate Business Park, BH24 3AS, ☏ +44 1425 206667. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Around a 15 min walk from the high street. Several accessible rooms. Free parking and Wi-Fi. On-site restaurant for breakfast and dinner. From £42 for a double room, booked in advance. (updated Jul 2021)

Go next

• The New Forest - Ringwood is on the outskirts of the National Park which has many hiking routes.
• Bournemouth - Its beach is very popular in the summer, and the town is the main shopping/nightlife area for people in Ringwood.
• Salisbury - Home to Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge
• Southampton - The port for many cruises, with good connections to other cities in the UK.