Summer Fun in Milford on Sea
What’s not to love about summer – long summer nights, beach BBQs, picnics and lazy days.
Every season in Milford on Sea has its secret treasures, but the fun and energy that a Milford on Sea summer time fills you with is hard to beat, and the good news is…it’s coming!
There is lots to do and many places to visit in Milford on Sea throughout the summer, but you can also just choose to wander around our traditional village green with its independent, boutique shops or drop down a gear or two and enjoy a pasty or fish and chips at the beach.
We’re lucky enough to have a vast seafront at Milford on Sea, with visitors enjoying the Hordle Cliff end of the beach, which is sandy at low tide, revealing a sand bar where groups gather to splash in the surf or enjoy a game of beach cricket. It is also home to the colourful Milford on Sea beach huts and the beach is popular with swimmers, kite surfers, kayaks and paddle boarders.
At the Hurst Road end of the seafront there is the new look play park, the Needles Eye café and the award-winning concrete beach huts. Here you can enjoy spectacular views from the top of the beach huts, as a walkway runs along the top, enabling you to walk its full length and enjoy views of the Solent from an elevated position.
But if you also feeling like getting out and about and exploring whilst here then these are just a few suggestions that the whole family will enjoy:
The ferry ride to Hurst Castle is a highlight for many families as it meanders down the Keyhaven River, taking in the local wildlife, with Henry VIII’s mighty Tudor fort, Hurst Castle suddenly bearing down on you, as you get closer – a truly magical sight.
Here you can step inside the heart of Hurst Castle to its Tudor fort, which retains much of its 16th-century appearance and follow the steps to the first floor of the Tudor keep, where it was probably here that Charles I was kept prisoner in 1648. While spectacular views from the roof of the Tudor keep across the Needles Passage to the Isle of Wight can be enjoyed.
If you’re looking for an unusual trip to Hurst Castle then combine it with a paddle with the New Forest Paddle Sport Company, who offer a special ‘Hurst Castle Experience”. You will start your journey on a two hour guided paddle from Keyhaven to Hurst Castle through the stunning salt marshes. Once you arrive at the Henry VIII castle, you’ll have lunch at the castle’s cafe and then you’ll be free to explore this amazing coastal fortress, steeped in history before catching a ferry ride home. The tours run until October and pre-booking is essential – £60 per person.
New Forest Paddle Sport Company offers you the chance to explore the stunning Keyhaven River and salt marshes by stand up paddle board or kayak. It really is the perfect place to start your paddling adventure and don’t worry if it’s your first time on a board or in a kayak – it’s not a problem!
There is a popular one hour taster session for SUP or Kayak on almost a daily basis, weather and tide permitting. This 1-hour session is £25 per person and includes world leading equipment, buoyancy aids and instruction. A team of professional instructors will get you out on the water enjoying yourselves in no time!
You can also enjoy one of their unique SUP experiences, such as the Moonlight SUP, a couple of dates are still available in July and August for £45 per person.
Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve
You can start this walk or cycle from the pretty hamlet of Keyhaven, just a mile outside of Milford on Sea. This is part of the Solent Way Coastpath and you can walk all the way to Lymington along the coastal footpath, with spectacular views across the saltmarshes and mudflats, where there is a wealth of summer birds, including Little, Common and Sandwich Terns who all breed in the area.
If you fancy hiring some bikes whilst here then check out our friends at New Forest Bikes, who can deliver your bikes direct to your holiday accommodation.
Get outside and enjoy the village, leaving the route to us. Our knowledgeable, local guides will be able to fill you in on the inside guide to the village, the best views and possibly where to find the perfect cup of coffee! The walks are only bookable online, with only 10 places per walk so be quick to secure your place.
There are two walks available – ‘Discover Milford on Sea’s Hidden Woodland’ and the ‘Insider’s Guide to Milford on Sea’ – which take place alternate Thursdays at 10.30am from the village green.
The walks cost £10.00 per person and can be booked online at Guided Walks.
Leave the car behind and enjoy grandstand views of the New Forest National Park from the top deck of the open-top New Forest Tour bus from 25th June – 18th September.
Sit back and enjoy a spectacular, panoramic perspective whilst listening to an audio commentary telling the story of the history and heritage of the landscape, its people and culture, and some fascinating facts about its flora and fauna. Your ticket gives access to discount at Beaulieu National Motor Museum, the New Forest Wildlife Park, and local businesses participating in the Go New Forest card scheme.
There are three routes – Blue, Green, Red – which cover different parts of beautiful countryside and coast. Interchange points: Blue/Green at Brockenhurst and Lymington, Blue/Red at Burley, Green/Red at Lyndhurst.
The Blue route takes in the coast and stops at Hurst Road and Sea Road in Milford on Sea. One ticket allows you to travel everywhere.
If you plan your day, you can experience all three routes in one day, hopping on and off along the way. Or, if you prefer, you can remain on the same route without changing. You choose!
Visitors are welcome at Barton on Sea Golf Club with amazing views across the Solent and The Needles.
This 27 hole golf course provide a good test for golfers of all abilities, with the added advantage of being able to have a choice of three alternative18 hole combinations with unparalleled views of the sea on every hole.
This friendly golf course is a short drive from Milford on Sea and has a clubhouse where you can enjoy a meal or drink too.
Discover the wonderful sport of coastal rowing with Rowing Adventures. It offers the gateway to safe, single sculling in and around the Solent. Sessions are suitable for all ages (8yrs+) and there is an entry point for all abilities.
The ‘Try Rowing’ session is the perfect way to be introduced to rowing a single scull. The session covers safety, launching and recovering and an introduction to the basic movement pattern. It gives you the opportunity to get a taste to see if coastal rowing is for you.
Milford on Sea Community Centre
Milford on Sea Community Centre, located in the heart of the village on Sea Road, provides a wide variety of events and entertainment for all ages to enhance your visit.
Check out Milford on Sea Community Centre to see what they have lined up for the summer months.
Crabbing is a great free activity for the children to while away the hours. All you need is a crabbing line, bait (raw bacon works well), bucket and net. Please use net bags for placing food in rather than hooks, which are harmful to the swans, ducks and gulls.
Great crabbing locations within the village include the two bridges by Hurst Spit and crabbing gear can be purchased from one of the shops in the village.
And if you fancy a day trip, just a short drive from the village then check out Paultons Park, where you can enjoy rollercoaster rides, flumes, many play areas and meeting Peppa Pig characters.
And a stay in Milford in Sea is not complete without a visit to Beaulieu – probably best known as the home of the world-famous National Motor Museum. The museum houses more than 280 vehicles and includes legendary motor vehicles from all over the world, including the record-breaking Bluebird. Permanent and temporary exhibitions add to your visit, including the World of Top Gear, featuring vehicles from the popular BBC show.
So escape, relax and unwind –forget the worries of everyday life in this beautiful seaside village and make it a summer to remember.