Rise & Shine: How To Make The Most Of Spring In The New Forest
Longer days, warmer temperatures, and off-peak tranquillity.
This is your chance to spend a weekend outside, to escape the emails and those looming chores, but also to give some time to your mental and physical wellbeing and yourself time to breathe. So, whether you’re desperate for a digital detox or simply a relaxing retreat, make the most of spring and spend some time in the New Forest National Park.
If you’re looking to take advantage of this beautiful time of year with a hotel break in the heart of an ancient woodland, here’s how…
Surrender to the sunrise
Relish early morning wake-ups for some of the best sunrises. Sometimes the special moments are worth waking up for. So, if it’s a fresh New Forest morning walk and a spectacular sunrise you’re after, hop in the car and enjoy a peaceful winding drive to reach Picket Post Car Park, and watch as the forest awakes before heading back to the hotel for a freshly brewed coffee and a relaxing breakfast.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to get up and walk from the hotel. Wake up and step outside and enjoy the fresh morning air, the dappled low morning sun sparkling through the trees and glistening on the dewy grass…
Seek supreme sunsets
If, however, the thought of setting an alarm whilst on a relaxing break feels counterintuitive, wake up gently, and when you do venture out, stay out until the sun sets for some spectacular views. Just 10-minutes from our spa hotel you will find Bolton’s Bench in Lyndhurst, where you can park up and make the short climb to the top of the hill which commemorates the Duke of Bolton, for 360-degree views. Or if sunset reflections and a quiet place away is what you seek, Hatchet Pond never disappoints. Just 11-minutes from our Hampshire hotel, enjoy a walk at dusk and watch the sun set over the pond. The perfect way to end a day before your dinner in one of our three hotel restaurants, included in the Rise & Shine Break.
Picnics and mindful walks
The joy of spring can be found in simply being outside, surrounded by nature. If it’s picnics and gentle walks along winding ways you’re dreaming of, retreat to the New Forest. We can arrange a picnic for you if you like, so all you have to do is pick a spot and walk. We have some wonderful picnic spots near the hotel.
Mindful walking is a wonderful skill to hone to keep a clear mind and ease tension, combined with a digital detox, this essential time spent out in nature can be healing and restorative, not only reducing stress but boosting creativity. Try our mindful exercise: Mindful Walking
Rejuvenating jogs
What could be better than waking up to birdsong after your best night’s sleep and realising you’re in the middle of the peaceful New Forest with miles of trail and track to explore. Get up and out, warm up the body, wake up with the wildlife and feel ready to rest and relax for the rest of the day.
Circulation boosting cycles
Cycling is also a great way to discover more of our National Park and it’s a wonderful aerobic exercise to boost your circulation; not only does it get the blood pumping and the heart rate up to strengthen the cardiovascular system but it’s also great for mental health and wellbeing.
Download the map of local cycle routes from ForestryEngland.uk, with over 100 miles of off-road gravel tracks and traffic-free paths to explore. The routes are marked with numbered wooden posts which are referenced on the map or you can follow the Ordnance Survey grid references on the markers.
Bikes can be hired in our village of Brockenhurst, just a short walk away from our hotel you will find CycleXperience.
A SenSpa sensation
Begin the day with a morning swim and a sauna, our hotel leisure facilities are there for our hotel residents to use freely, with a poolside jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. With the Rise & Shine package every guest has £30 spa credit to use; why not upgrade and spend an afternoon using the spa’s award-winning hydrotherapy suite or put it towards a deeply relaxing treatment.
A spa in the middle of a national park offers the perfect balance for a spa retreat; spend time out in nature and natural light to realign your body to its natural rhythm and then seek sanctuary in our healing spa, designed to ease tension and stress and restore the mind and body.
Make it a sleepover!
You’re never too old for a sleepover. Sometimes you just need to get away, reset and catch up with a friend or loved one. A digital detox doesn’t just benefit you; it can benefit your relationships too. Spend a short break away, phone-free to reconnect and chat like you used to and go back to a time when the only selfies that were taken, were taken with disposable cameras.
Look up, see the beauty, listen to the birds and wander through the forest; enjoy your complimentary bottle of Prosecco (with the Rise & Shine break), hire bikes or simply spend time together relaxing in our hotel gardens without distractions.
A spring break in the New Forest is all about reconnection; with nature, with self-kindness, with friends or loved ones. It’s the perfect time to enjoy a digital detox, to set goals for and intentions for the year ahead, and to honour and respect your mental and physical health – we all need a break sometimes. Making time for yourself, to relax, to explore and to rediscover. To reconnect, nurture relationships and stay grounded. There’s never a bad time to enjoy a short break away, but spring in the New Forest, with its vivid colours and thriving wildlife is certainly something special to behold.
