Winter in the New Forest

Tour Code: GBR15

A weekend to enjoy the peace and the birds of the New Forest in winter, as well as of nearby Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes.

3 days from
£495 (land only)
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

The New Forest covers 144 square miles of Hampshire and Dorset, and includes Britain’s most important area of lowland heathland, as well as mixed forest and boggy hollows which together are home to a rich diversity of plants and animals. While most wildlife enthusiasts choose to visit during the spring and summer, the forest reclaims its wild charm in the winter, when many species such as Hawfinch are more easily seen, and hardy residents including Dartford Warbler remain on the heaths. We’ll search for flocks of finches, geese, waders such as Little Egret, birds of prey and woodpeckers amongst many other birds, from our comfortable base in the pretty New Forest town of Lyndhurst.

  • Goshawks begin their roller-coaster display flights in February
  • Dartford Warbler & Great Grey Shrike present during winter
  • Hawfinch, Crossbill, Stonechat, Treecreeper, Siskin, Redpoll & Meadow Pipit
  • Green, Great Spotted & Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers
  • Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Hen Harrier & Buzzard
  • Brambling among roving winter finch flocks
  • Brent Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, flocks of Dunlin & Eider
  • Led by expert naturalist guide

Grading

Easy day walks only.

The extensive rolling heaths and woodlands of the New Forest are home to a wealth of wildlife throughout the year and, whilst the majority of birdwatchers visit in the spring and early summer, ‘The Forest’ reclaims its wild and ancient charm during the winter months; a beauty accentuated by a hard frost on the trees or a sprinkling of snow on the ground. Hardy little Dartford Warblers remain on the heaths all year and these are joined in the winter by Hen Harriers and the occasional Great Grey Shrike. Hawfinches are more easily seen in trees free from leaves, whilst roving winter finch flocks frequently hold Bramblings. Goshawks start their roller-coaster display in late February and Merlin, Crossbill, and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker are also possible. For this weekend break we will base ourselves in the pretty coastal town of Lymington. From here we will not only explore the inland portion of the New Forest National Park, but also spend time birdwatching around the marshes and lagoons along the Solent — in particular at Pennington and Keyhaven Marshes — in search of wintering Brent Geese, Little Egrets, Peregrine, grebes, divers, ducks and a variety of waders.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Meet at hotel
Day 2
Exploration of the New Forest; Bishop's Dyke/Beaulieu Heath
Day 3
Pennington and Keyhaven nature reserves
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Accommodation:

    We stay in the Forest Lodge Hotel near Lyndhurst. All rooms have private facilities.

  • Food:

    Breakfast and evening meals are included. Allow around £10/£15 per day for a pub lunch.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Fri 7th Feb – Sun 9th Feb 4 £495
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£95
Fri 7th Mar – Sun 9th Mar 3 £495
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£95
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Dominic Couzens

Tour Leader: Dominic Couzens

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Fri 6th Feb – Sun 8th Feb SPACES £495
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£95
Fri 6th Mar – Sun 8th Mar SPACES £495
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£95 
  Array
(
    [168] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 168
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/shortbreak
            [title] => Short Break
            [alias] => shortbreak
            [description] => 
Short Break Wildlife Holidays


Among our programme is a significant range of short breaks, designed specially for those wishing to enjoy some of Europe’s top natural history highlights at the best time of year. All of these holidays have the bonus of being short-haul and supported by like-minded wildlife enthusiasts.


Naturetrek Short Break Wildlife Tours


Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme both within the UK and abroad. Most of our short breaks are within Europe, for convenience of travel.


For some of our mini-breaks there is an option to travel by plane or train, and we offer a choice of duration and type of break, from a weekend’s birdwatching in the Somerset Levels to a 6-day whale watching tour in the Azores.


A selection of our UK short breaks:



A selection of our overseas short breaks:



 




 


Our specialist recommends...








"We offer two superb short breaks to the lovely island of Madeira in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds. It’s hard to beat our Just Brown Bears trip for families, while if you fancy something off the beaten track, try Estonia in Early Spring for some excellent spring birdwatching." 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




All Short Break Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] =>  https://i.assetzen.net/i/4nqk52HDKwI4/w:1500/h:824/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Shortbreak
            [note] => 11
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [180] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 180
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/birds
            [title] => Birdwatching
            [alias] => birds
            [description] => 
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] =>  https://i.assetzen.net/i/4nqk52HDKwI4/w:1500/h:824/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Birds
            [note] => 02
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [197] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 197
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/no-fly-tours
            [title] => No Flight
            [alias] => no-fly-tours
            [description] => 
Flight-free Wildlife Holidays


At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.


It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!




Our specialist recommends...






"Our Picos & Plains tour offers an environmentally-friendly route down to Spain for some excellent birding and cetacean-watching. More broadly, we’re very keen for Naturetrek to offer the most dynamic, market-leading carbon-reduced holidays available, and we hope you enjoy browsing our list of no-flight wildlife holidays!” 

Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager




All No Flight Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] =>  https://i.assetzen.net/i/4nqk52HDKwI4/w:1500/h:824/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => No Fly Tours
            [note] => 31
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

)

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!