New Forest autumn walks: three cosy pub stops

Autumn is when the New Forest really earns its name, and there is no better way to take it in than by walking between pubs. The National Park covers 34,800 hectares of heathland, woodland and farmland, with 150,000 acres of open heath and ancient woods, 26 miles of coast and marshes, and grazing animals like horses, cows, donkeys and pigs free to roam. It was established as a Royal Forest in 1079 and became a National Park in 2005, and its pubs are as much a part of the landscape as the ponies.

Start near Lyndhurst at The New Forest Inn, a traditional country pub on Enery Down that dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. It serves homemade seasonal food and Cask Marque real ales, lagers and ciders, with breakfast from 8.30am and food from midday. The Sunday roast runs 12pm to 9pm and comes with at least three meat options plus a vegetarian choice, Yorkshire pudding, chipolata and stuffing. There are eight rooms if you want to stay over, and a tack room for those arriving on horseback. A 10% discount is available with the promo code DIRECT10.

Not far off, The Trusty Servant in Minstead sits just off the A31 and looks out over the village green, with forest walks starting right from the door. It is family-run and dog-friendly, serving fresh homemade food all day from a seasonal menu with daily specials, alongside Cask Marque real ales, three lagers, three ciders and a wine list. The Sunday roast covers roast turkey, pork, beef and a vegan Wellington, and there are five boutique-style ensuite rooms if you fancy a night. The Barn, a heated country barn, takes events, and the two-level beer garden is a good spot when the sun is out. Direct bookings get 10% off with DIRECT10.

Over towards Beaulieu, The Royal Oak Hilltop is one of the oldest pubs in the forest, a 17th-century country inn on Exbury Road with original beams and log fires. It does hearty pub classics and seasonal specials from locally sourced ingredients, a traditional Sunday roast, light lunches and sweet treats, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The bar runs 11am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 10pm on Sundays, food from 11am on weekdays and 12pm on Sundays, and it is dog-friendly and family-welcoming.

For a longer day out, you can string these together with the forest's best walks. The Tall Trees Trail on Rhinefield Ornamental Drive winds between Douglas firs and redwoods, while the Castleman's Corkscrew Trailway is a flat gravel path on the old Southampton to Dorchester railway line, part of National Cycle Network 2 from Brockenhurst. Ornamental Drive also takes you up to the Bolderwood and Rhinefield redwoods, and the Knightwood Oak is reckoned to be over 600 years old. If you are with children, the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst gives the area's history some shape, and the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary is a reliable place to spot deer.

Whether you are after a quick lunch or a full Sunday roast, the New Forest is built for this kind of day. The pubs are spread across the park, so you can pick a couple and walk between them, or make one your base and explore the trails around it.