Leave the blur of the city far behind and immerse yourself in the New Forest: a place where every view is as captivating as the next and wild deer and moorland ponies are just as at home as two-legged visitors. Boasting rugged moorland, tufty heathland, ancient forests, river valleys and dramatic coastline, it must be seen to be believed. 

Peppered with picture-postcard villages, the New Forest affords ample opportunity to shrug off responsibility and embrace the holiday spirit. Whether you are savouring chilled out mornings in your luxury cottage, lacing up your boots for walks through tangled woodland or inhaling exhilarating sea air, you are sure to find the perfect way to relax.

After a day of adventure, reward yourself to a drink and hearty plate of New Forest fare in one of the many traditional pubs, cosy tearooms and award-winning restaurants, welcoming both high heels and mud-clad wellies. Satiated and relaxed, round off the day nestled in the cosy embrace of the fireside sofa in your very own Boutique Retreat.

As well as its strikingly diverse scenery, the New Forest is also a haven for food-lovers and hosts the New Forest Food & Drink Week every October. Making use of the abundant natural larder on its doorstep, the amount of quality, seasonal and organic produce on offer will make ducking in and out of local delis, farm shops and fishmongers, like local’s favourite Hockey's Farm Shop, hard to resist. Look out for the New Forest Marque and pick up some treats to delight your taste buds with the freshest tastes and textures in the South West. 

For an added sense of ceremony, you can also visit some of the area’s most prestigious restaurants and eateries to be served skilfully and passionately crafted meals. An integral part of the area’s history the New Forest pubs, like the Drift Inn near Lyndhurst and the Walhampton Arms in Lymington, provide a welcoming atmosphere and delicious home-cooked meals – not to mention a delectable selection of drinks. For haute-cuisine with a glass of Hampshire fizz, book a table at the Montagu Arms in Beaulieu or Le Blaireau in Brockenhurst. 

Whether you are supping a cold Muddy Boot from Red Shoot Brewery in the pub to reward yourself after a long country walk or savouring a New Forest Cider as you relax in the garden watching the afternoon sun sink further towards the horizon, treat your tongue to the unique tastes of the New Forest.

For a behind the scenes glimpse, take a 2-hour tour around Ringwood Brewery or make your way to Setley Ridge, Brookhill, Coach House and Marlings vineyards to sample gorgeous wines, before heading home with a selection of bottles and toasting the day in your favourite home away from home.

Stretch your legs or take to two wheels over the New Forest’s 140 miles of trails, tracks and footpaths and come face-to-face with knotted woodland, heather-strewn heathland and secret coast, all peppered with wisteria-clad homes and traditional thatched cottages.

For sporty types of the two and four-legged variety, the area’s wealth of activities will keep you so busy you’ll be wishing you’d booked an extra week (or two), while history buffs won’t be able to resist travelling through time at Rockbourne Roman Villa, Buckler's Hard and Hurst Castle.

Top off your trip with a visit to Bolderwood, one of the best places to see the famous fallow deer who call the New Forest home. Boasting multi-generational appeal and offering plenty of dog-friendly attractions too, all the family will fall in love with the New Forest and make memories to cherish forever.