New Forest 11-13 July - Camping, Hiking and Seafood Festival

This event is also being advertised on my other group – Inspired Adventures – and my guests are people who have signed up with that group.

Let’s meet up for a fun weekend of camping and hiking in the beautiful New Forest National Park, with an optional day at the Lymington Seafood Festival (though other cuisines are available!).

The New Forest National Park has been a cherished destination for generations - a place where time slows, nature thrives, and every visit brings something new to discover. With its ancient woodland, open heathland, and free-roaming ponies, this is a landscape shaped by people and place, past and present. Anyone with a keen passion for walking and wildlife will love the variety on offer in the New Forest.

The festival is crammed full of epic street food and pretty much every fishy delight to sample. It’s not just seafood either; lots of other cuisines, wines, beers, spirits and sweet treats too! There’s also live music throught the day.

We will be staying at Roundhill Caravan and Camping Site, who work in partnership with Forestry England, and situated on the picturesque woodland road between Beaulieu and Brockenhurst. This well-appointed campsite was awarded Best Campsite in South East England in 2024! You can book a pitch for a tent, campervan, motorhome or caravan as you wish.

How it works

In keeping with the ethos of this group, this is very much a private trip amongst MeetUp friends, and to keep the cost and organisation down to the minimum (and give you the most flexibility) you will need to book the various elements yourself and understand how the trip will work.

Please note: Your attendance will only be confirmed when you have booked a pitch at the campsite and paid the contribution towards MeetUp fees.

• Book a pitch online at Roundhill Caravan and Camping Site for a tent, campervan, motorhome or caravan to sleep in. Prices start from £50 for two nights for a tent with one adult. You can pitch between 13:00 – 20:00 and must vacate by 11:00 on the day of departure (and there will be an optional walk and pub lunch afterwards). We might not be able to pitch next to each other, but I have an event tent where we can all congregate. You will need to bring along all your own equipment (tent, equipment, bedding, etc.) as this cannot be supplied.
• You will need to make your own way to the campsite (though we will explore the possibility of lift shares).
• If you wish to attend the Lymington Seafood Festival on Saturday 12 July, please book your ticket directly on the website. Tickets are £10 plus 60p booking fee. We will aim to travel in shared cars as the car park could be busy.
• I will plan a couple of shortish walks for the Friday afternoon after we have pitched (roughly 3-5 miles), and Sunday after we have packed up (4-6 miles), both of which are optional. We won’t have time for anything longer!
• You will need to make your own arrangements regarding food. It’s entirely up to you whether you wish to cook on your own stove, go to a nearby café/pub etc. There will of course be food at the festival!
• A contribution of £5 is required to help meet the hefty subscription fees that MeetUp charge to run a group. This is payable within 7 days of signing up for the event, or before the event begins if sooner. Please make payment via PayPal where possible to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/philkmeetup using the “Friends and Family” option if prompted.
• I will set up a WhatsApp group for the trip so that we can communicate about lift shares, any travel problems or delays, where we can eat (if not doing your own cooking), where to convene, etc. Joining the WhatsApp group is essential as no other form of communication will be provided.

Disclaimer and Safety

The group is not run as business of any kind and not run for profit. Nevertheless, in this litigious age, you can’t be too careful. By signing up to this event, you are deemed to have agreed to the Disclaimer Policy found in the Discussion Groups at the following link. https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-slrlaqff/discussions/?eventOrigin=your_groups