Top 5 Romantic Walks in the New Forest
The New Forest in winter inspires cosy romantic breaks for couples and invites special moments of connection on a luxury hotel break dedicated to honouring time together.
Getting away to our New Forest National Park urges you to leave phones on silent, the everyday stresses behind and give your loved one your full attention. Take advantage of our 26% off your 2026 stay and book something special now.
Intimate dinners for two, idyllic New Forest sunsets, romantic destinations on our doorstep and a host of beautiful walks through and around our ancient woodland will capture your hearts during your New Forest getaway.
Spending time in nature, together, is the perfect winter reset, allowing you to share beautiful views, make memories, reconnect and reminisce. Walks are just one of many reasons to whisk the one you love off for a romantic getaway in the New Forest and they needn’t be lengthy to be romantic as long as they embolden the soul and relax the mind and body.
On our doorstep
The place we call home
Start from The Montagu Arms hotel
Top of the list for romantic strolls from our Hampshire hotel has to be a walk around our very own village of Beaulieu just a one-minute walk away; oozing charm and romance; the quintessential cobbled streets, independent shops and cafes, and riverside views are a world-away from your everyday, forcing you to slow the pace and be totally present; people watch, listen to the birds, smell the forest’s pine, and feel the crunch of frost under foot.
A walk to history
Start from The Montagu Arms hotel
For a longer walk during your couples’ retreat, and a great option if you’ve also brought your four-legged friend to our dog-friendly hotel, is the Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard walk. It’s a beautiful 4-mile out-and-back trail that takes you o’er the fields surrounding our charming village, spotting New Forest ponies as you go, before taking you through patches of woodland as you walk beside Beaulieu River, over boardwalks to the fascinating Buckler’s Hard, the historic shipbuilding village now home to a maritime museum, pub and tearoom.
A short drive away
Walk below the River of Light
Start: Depends on the car park you choose.
What could be more romantic than a crisp winter’s evening walk and stargazing with the one you love.
Our location in the heart of the New Forest National Park is far enough away from bigger towns and cities that it benefits from darker skies and therefore wonderful stargazing opportunities. From the many car parks dotted around our National Park you can enjoy some magical moments, especially during the winter, looking out for major constellations including Cassiopeia, Orion and the Pleiades star cluster. On crisp, clear nights keep an eye out for planets, visible to the naked eye, and the dreamlike Milky Way – the “river of light”.
You can book private stargazing sessions or night walks with expert guides. Perhaps the perfect romantic surprise?
Stroll among giants
10.9 miles | 21-minute drive to start
Parking: Free at Blackwater Arboretum Car Park
A scenic drive from our Beaulieu hotel, plan to take them on the short but ever-sweet walk; the Tall Trees Trail at the Blackwater Arboretum. A must during your luxury short break, stroll, hand-in-hand beneath the canopy of Douglas firs and redwoods. A special place year-round, but if you’re lucky enough to capture it on a crisp winter’s day when the sun is out, capture the light sprinkled among the trees, highlighting the rich greens of the moss and lichen – a fairytale spot and an unforgettable walk.
Sunrises & sunsets to remember
1.7-miles away | 4-minute drive to start
Parking: Free at Hatchet Moor Forest Car Park
Hatchet Pond sits on the outskirts of Beaulieu, as the largest body of freshwater in the area, it makes for a wonderfully romantic spot for a winter sunset stroll or early sunrise adventure.
Pack a thermos and a headtorch and enjoy this relaxing, peaceful walk around the pond, approximately 1.8 miles. Enjoy watching the grazing New Forest donkeys and ponies, the roaming cattle and the light change as the winter sun sets, reflected in the pond before leaving a beautiful dramatic glow in the sky as dusk moves in.
When it’s time to warm up and come inside, a romantic dining experience awaits at The Terrace, our charming wood-panelled dining room where our finest forest-to-fork dishes will renew your love for seasonal British cuisine.
A romantic break should be all about you and nothing else; a dedication to love, reconnecting, relaxing, sharing experiences, and spending time together.
Getaway to the New Forest with your loved one this winter, for an anniversary, for Valentine’s Day or just because.