New Forest Activities Reviews

Had such a fun day this weekend at Battlefield Live, perfect day out! thanks guys!

Amazing day exploring Beaulieu River by canoe! New Forest Activities has wonderful service, very helpful staff and good facilities. It was our first time canoeing so we were given clear instructions and time to practice. Experienced guide answered all our questions regarding canoeing techniques and history of the Beaulieu region. The surroundings - nature, beautiful cottages and wildlife - are very attractive. It's definitely well worth time and money. Great day out of London.

Will be coming back!

Havent really been here but it has a great name and is very popular

Great days sea kayaking from Knoll beach. Excellent tuition and very knowledgeable leader. All kit supplied was great and kayaks very easy to paddle and control.

We had such fun. Instructor's were great fun and informative. Would definitely do this again.

Man versus kayak

A big thank you to Steve and Andy for a great day s BCU 1 Star Course on the beautiful Beaulieu River. The course brought together a diverse group of experienced and less experienced kayakers for a day s BCU approved training. With all the introductions and health and safety basics done we headed to the boats and the water. The weather was near perfect to be out on the water as we pondered the capsize, that we d been briefed would be waiting for us as the last element of the day.

Steve and Andy carefully guided us through the 1 Star syllabus and assessments as we paddled our way up river for about 2 miles to out lunch stop (own packed lunches needed). After lunch we left our kayaks on shore and paired up to paddle another stretch by traditional Indian canoe . This was a completely different experience to the kayaks we d left behind. Teamwork and an agreed rowing style and rhyme were the key to making safe watery progress to the agreed muster point at the creek. Here under Andy s instruction we learnt how to paddle the canoe sideways using a trio of stokes, of which some were clearly easier to do in tandem than others. After a paddle back in the canoes to the lunch stop we had the opportunity to look at and try out on the water a range of other more specialised kayak types, including those for the sea and those for white water .

At around 4pm we set off in our kayaks back to Buckler s Hard slipway, our start point, with the imminent capsize exercise very much in mind. The Beaulieu current was running fast as we paddled effortlessly down river arriving at the slipway and our last element in next to no time. Steve carefully explained the capsize and release theory to the group as we sat around in our kayaks in about a metre of water. The final instructions being, right, paddle towards me, throw your paddle away right, and throw your head and body weight left to capsize and turn your boat over . With the theory covered we headed for Steve one at a time. On launching their paddles into the air, paddlers immediately turned and fell out of their boats safely rising out of the water like scalded cats , job done. The success of this exercise is to give confidence to paddlers on their ease of quick release, should they inadvertently encounter this situation out on the water in the future.

Back at the boat shed paddlers shared their day, rinsed their kit from salt water and most importantly changed into some dry clothing. The final group Q&A exercise was a useful reflection on the day and confirmed a 100% pass rate for this group in terms of achieving the 1 Star Certificate. All in all a brilliant day with something really useful to show for it at the end. Thanks to Steve and Andy and all at New Forest Activities.

People were super friendly and hygiene all up to scratch with the situation. However, our activity was kayaking and we were given little to no instructions. If someone had experience, it was good enough not to explain anything about what to do if you suddenly fall in the water.

Because asking someone if they can swim and getting the response 'kinda' should of made them explain the basics. I myself was fine and am a good swimmer and never fell in but my partner did. His 'kinda' swimming skills almost failed him and his instinct to thrash to stay afloat made things worse. The instructor was nowhere to be seen either nor phoned us after mentioning he noticed the event.

If it wasn't for the life jacket things would have been more serious.

After that event however my partner and I started to enjoy ourselves. He says he might return. It was a wonderful day. Minus that event.

Totally awesome!
River cruise for 2 hours was brilliant
Adult and 2 kids - 8&6 yrs
Shared a boat
We had such a great time

Cracking 3hrs. Very good location and great equipment. Highly recommended.

The young lads who lead our Kayaking session were great - safety was adhered to without labouring the point. They made sure we were all OK along the way, and lead some fun games. Perfect session for a large group of girls on a hen do. The Beaulieu River was beautiful and the walk down from the car park was stunning.

Absolutely fantastic.Booked for 8 people as a stag do at Battlefield Live at Sopley on an old RAF base.



Everyone that went said they would go to do this again which is a ringing endorsement.

Only think i would say is they could do with a sign that is more visible from the road so you know exactly where to turn in.

Battlefield LIVE was a tremendous amount of fun. I regularly play paintball but battlefield LIVE offers something different with re-spawns (So you're never sitting out) and no nasty bruises left at the end! The location was excellent, set in the new forest at an ex military barracks. The staff were very friendly and definitely helped make the experience. I look forward to returning in the future and would recommend this to anyone!

Brilliant event from start to finish.
Well organised, easy to book.
Guys running it were great fun and very helpful!

We all can't wait to go again!

Fantastic course with a great instructor. Facilities were great and really enjoyed learning to roll!

When we arrived we were promptly greeted by the lovely Sam, who offered us refreshments and explained what we would be doing during the activity. Everything was clearly explained and we had fun trying to perfect our aim! Towards the end Sam gave us some fun games to play. Despite the rain we had a really great time and piqued both our interest in Archery for the future. We would definitely recommend New Forest Activities and specifically, Archery.

Excellent Service, I was unsure on some things when booking so called rather than doing it online.
The phone was answered quickly and the lady was able to help and take my booking straight away, it was completley hassle free.
One downside would be the signage wasnt very clear from the road so it might be worth mentioning that when people book. It could well of been in my confirmation email and i missed it. But otherwise fab and we will be back.

Brilliant fun, great staff. Really enjoyed the canoeing

It was an absolutely amazing experience - I really felt like I'd escaped back to nature. The instructor (Andy) was incredibly helpful and thoughtful regarding my disability, and really informative about the local wildlife and history. It was wonderful to see the New Forest from such a unique perspective - it was so peaceful and untouched. I am so glad I had the experience, and would love to return. I have definitely caught the kayaking bug!

Fantastic three-hour kayaking experience along the river in a two-person kayak. It was a self guided tour and it was enjoyable and peaceful. The staff had antibacterial gels at the site and I saw them cleaning the boats. The team felt professional.

Very accommodating! Great staff and activities. Went a s a group booking and we all loved it.

Went on family kayaking trip sat 16th June it was fab, we all really enjoyed the 3 hour trip.

Our instructor Ellen was brilliant very supportive and professional. Would recommend to everyone.

I have been kayaking with these guys before and every time it has been great. Yesterday was no exception. I had a private coaching day with Steve and he took the time to ask me what I wanted to achieve from the day. With the goals in mind, we headed out on to the water and ticked off each of the goals one by one. Steve was very knowledgeable and great company and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both him and Liquid Logistics to everyone.

Very easy booking, easy to find and park. The staff were friendly and very helpful making sure we were comfortable before setting off on our all day cycle hire. I'd highly recommend them.

Fantastic family day out 8 of us did kayaking never done it before our ages are from 10years to 50 we all loved it . Thank you

I visited Battlefield LIVE over the weekend with some friends and was surprised at how much fun it was! Great site, run by great people, cant wait to go back in the summer!

The experience is consistent from the website to the day of the activity. Well organised, well communicated.

Activities can be booked in advance, specifically, to a high level of detail. Reminders and comprehensive information via email in advance, upon booking (also consistent to what can be found on the website).

On arrival, the experience follows, organised, informed.
Considerate and responsible guidance, decent equipment with decent storage areas, kept clean and in good shape.

Also flexible for a variety of abilities in one session.
I have tried to book many alternative locations online previously.

This is the best in my view.

Booked a 3 hour guided kayak session from Buckler's Hard with my partner and lived every minute. The kayaks were really easy to get used to, and our instructor Chris was great fun and gave some interesting facts about the river Buckler's Hard in general.
Would highly recommend, even if you've never been kayaking before!

Loved the canoeing. Even in challenging weather conditions, Jake made the experience fun and interesting.

A truly lovely kayaking experience, helped in no small measure by Dani, our guide. Lots of fun, a beautiful location on the Beaulieu River, and glorious weather. The perfect tonic for those post-lockdown blues.

We booked Battlefield Live for my Mums 60th birthday. Three generations joined in and all absolutely loved it! To quote my 11yr old neice \"That was the best birthday party I have been to EVER!\". The staff were great and created a really exciting funfilled day. I\'m considering rebooking for my birthday at the end of the month if my legs have recovered from all the running around and crawling on the floor by then!

Booked a 1 hour Kayak at Sopley Lake, online a day in advance.

My sister and I had never been kayaking before.

It was a really great experience. Steve the organiser was so helpful. So welcoming, took the time to show everyone what to do. He chatted with the whole group and made everyone feel very at ease.

The lake is large enough for the group, and is nice with the same island in the middle. It is calm, and there is fishing take place around the edge. Perfect for first time kayaking.

Would highly recommend for all, families, couples, friends etc.

Thank you for a really lovely morning.

Reviewed by 2 guys, 30 and 28, April 2019.
Jonny was our instructor for the day and was great throughout.
We started with Archery and luckily - due to no one else booking on - had a private lesson. The archery got incrementally harder, starting close to the target then working further back and finishing on a fox pie making challenge which was extremely fun (won't ruin the surprise). There was a good mix of competition and co-operative play. By far our favourite activity.
We followed this with the river tour and opted for single kayaks over canoes. The speed was slower than we'd hoped due to a slower couple in our group which couldn't be helped. This meant waiting around a bit. Regardless, we learned about the local land and history and enjoyed the views.
Overall we had a great day and would spend another with New Forest Activities next time we're in the area.

What a great service! We took 20 children to the New Forest for our annual residential in June. The children loved every minute! Every instructor was outstanding and really cared for each child, booking made easy through great organisation and attention to detail. The campsite was very well set up, great hot showers and lovely meals. Our lead instructor Andy was amazing, really looking after us throughout our week. We will be back. Thank you, everyone, for making great memories for our kids!

We went on the Canoe Easter Egg hunt on 14th April and we had a really lovely time. All the instructors were really friendly and helpful, making sure everyone knew what to do and how to be safe while making it fun and accessible for everyone. Hunting for The Easter eggs through the woods made my daughters day! She didn t do much canoeing on the way back as she was busy eating the chocolate!!!

We went for an archery session and it was fantastic. Our guide Rich was so friendly and helped our group gel really well together, he also gave us brilliant advice and the whole session flew by. Great fun and can t recommend enough.

We did the family canoe tour with Chris. It was the perfect afternoon canoeing on the most beautiful river in Beaulieu. Chris kept the group moving even though there were different abilities within the group. Definitely recommend this activity

We had booked for tomorrow (3rd March) but the weather is pretty rotten so we cancelled.
This evening we are Informed we are to be offered a full refund or rebooking .
Thank you very much to New Forest Activities for brilliant service to customers you have never met.
MANY THANKS

The kayak hire was great - quick, simple instructions and left to explore - perfect! Beautiful surroundings, good price, decent equipment. Could not be happier!

Myself and my son George really enjoyed our 3 hour private Kayak tuition. Jake was extremely helpful and knowledgeable on everything about Kayaking and also on the wildlife around Bucklers Hard.

Wonderful canoeing spot on the Beaulieu River. Enthusiastic and professional tutor/ guide. Lovely family fun

Excellent ladies only evening paddle with Leander... thoroughly enjoyed every minute...thank you so much.

We did archery. Our leader/teacher Chris was very friendly and made his points well. He interacted well with the children and was very patient. We had a great time.

This was my first try in a sea kayak and it was a really enjoyable evening paddling up the Beaulieu River as the sun set. The instructor - Callum - did a great job teaching the basic skills and gave me enough confidence to try a capsize and self rescue. By the end of the evening I felt that I'd picked up new skills and I'm keen to do more sea kayaking. Many Thanks.

Really good time doing the laser tag war thingy. Well organised and loads of fun.

Excellent time on the river, Benny & Andy were amazing guides and were so knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend!

I visited Battlefield Live New Forest last Saturday with 3 friends and was so surprised by the amazing experience had. It was a great activity which is completely pain free compared to paint ball. The location and employees made the games really realistic and fun!

Will be defiantly be worth visiting again with more friends!

Winter canoeing the Beaulieu River was beautiful. Our instructor Sam was really informative and helpful with canoing tips. Luckily we were the only group and the little less formal feel was great. Sam gaves us lots of info and question opportunities as it was a research trip. Highly recommend the winter canoe

Superb day out and professional team . Really enjoyed it.

We had an amazing time last weekend kayaking with Tom from New Forest Activities at Sopley Lake. I would highly recommended them for Hen Do activities. We were a group of 18 ladies and all had a great time.

Efficient and targeted planning for our team building event. Highly recommended

Great activity and fun to try something new. Sam was a great instructor - giving help if wanted but not if it wasn't necessary. A brief instruction/demonstration given and then plenty of shooting time given with the competition element thrown in as well. A great experience - would recommend and will likely be back again.

Adam led a superb archery session today! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit: lots of opportunities to shoot; competitive group games; and great intructor knowledge. Would definitely recommend.

Birthday presents for my three sons, and I muscled in! Each brought their family to watch, and had an amazing afternoon. Easy to book, and all the staff so helpful and accommodating, and FUN. Very special thank you to Tom. Oh, and did I mention? I am in a wheelchair. Very supportive.

Great way to get outdoors. Lots of different activities to choose. Friendly and professional service.

We had the best experience ever on a hen do kayaking trip, the instructior was brilliant and we were so lucky with the weather. Will be recommending to everyone and booking again!

The Beaulieu Victorian event was an outstanding success in many ways, the main parking site at the motor museum was packed and closed by 17.30 causing frustration and disappointment to thousands who were trying to park their cars for this mainly unadvertised local event.
Sadly, due to what looked like inexcusable bad organisation, the coach ride facility failed and must have lost the charity at least a thousand pounds during the evening. Coaches should have been on site and preparing to operate by 14.30
Although there was less Victorian costume dress than in previous events, there were more period type stalls. Children loved the period entertainers. Small animal show area and steam tractor.
If you were wise enough to get to the car park early you got the full benefit of the charge free evening. Sadly many had a wasted drive from their homes and had no option but to drive home straight away due to the total lack of car parking.

What a fabulous morning on the Beaulieu River. My partner and our 4 year old son absolutely loved it. Dani was lots of fun and very informative. We'd highly recommend.

Hired bikes, excellent bikes, helpful friendly staff, biked to bucklers hard from Beaulieu with kuds, great afternoon.

Grandson loved this archery lesson -wants to do again with his cousins.
Daisy the instructor was a delight.
Great time

Brilliant I think the guy was called Andy

Great with people and kids. He towed my son when he was tired. We went kayaking for the 1.5 hour and this I more than enough time to knacker the kids out of you want more for adults I would definitely go back and do the 3 hour.

I had a brilliant time kayaking and the instructor that took us (sorry I can\'t remember her name) was very good. She was very helpful and I soon felt relaxed. Would definitely do it again and would recommend it to others too. Also after that taster session I am more serious about taking the sport up.

We went with the Urban Battlefield followed by Raft Building for a 12-man stag do.

We had been worried that the Urban Battlefield may seem inferior to its paint-balling counterpart but we were proved wrong - everyone afterwards was raving about it and searching on the internet for similar outfits closer to home. The different games organised within the Battlefield were well thought out and a good laugh.

The Raft Building, just down the road from the Battlefield, provided a good cool-down after the shoot-out and was well-equipped - maybe could have done with a little more rope but that is probably a strategic move to make it more difficult.

All in all a great day run by a good outfit and I would highly recommend to other stag dos and other parties!

Great family activity! Well organised and lots of fun! Highly recommend.

We had great team building event at New Forest Activities. Event organizer Hayley was very helpful throughout. Instructors Steve and Tom at rope course were very friendly. Justin at Battlefield was very professional. All my colleague at Huawei are amazed by the interesting activities offered and great fun we had on the day. Thanks to everyone at New Forest Activities. Will definitely recommend to others.

Great experience kayaking down Beaulieu river. Great views and laid back vibe. Our instructor, Dani was great: wasn't over bearing in anyway and offered tips if it looked like you were struggling. Also gave some interesting information on the local area. This was an ideal session, as it wasn't a tutorial, but the river offered a comfortable environment to go for a ride over a fair distance even though I'm not particularly experienced

Great canoe session, really informative instructor. Would definitely recommend the early morning session as you tend to avoid youth groups. They had plenty more to offer, just a shame that we weren't down that way for long, otherwise we would have booked some more of their activities.

We had a brilliant afternoon of archery, thank you. Phil was a first class host and instructor. His knowledge of the sport enhanced the whole experience. Also, the guidance and encouragement he gave to my nine year old daughter was fantastic - she came away really enthused! We all had a great time, thank you very much.

It was great fun and the instructor was very friendly and helpful

Friendly staff. Going out with Steve and co. feels safe all the time. Great day out with some entertaining aspects (skill practice). I always welcome activities where I can improve and challenge my skills.

Wonderful time spent on the River Beaulieu. Really friendly staff. Definitely worth bringing some drinks and snacks and taking some pics. Great way to spend 3 hours. Would recommend

Friendly relaxed and knowledgable instructors. Good range of activities and all in the new forest!

The live battleground laser tag is by far and away the most immersive and enjoyable children\'s party we have been to with our son. The instructors were friendly and welcoming and ensured they took the time to engage with the children and explain to them how to use the light guns and re-spawn points. The fact they managed to keep the attention throughout the 2 hours of 8 very excitable 8 year olds in addition to the other group who were slightly older speaks volumes of how good the activities were. The children all came away having had an energetic and engaging party and my son has asked to have his next birthday party at the same venue.

We had an excellent day on the canoe Easter egg hunt. The instructors / guides were all really good. The canoes were excellent it was great fitting our whole family of 4 in one canoe. We had a brilliant time, and jumping in off the jetty at the end was a great finish.

What a fantastic day! Even though we were late arriving as we got lost, Steve, our "responsible adult"/ instructor was so welcoming and flexible. Had a great morning on the low and high ropes, safe, great fun and personally challenging, but no one was forced into anything. Amazing. Delicious lunch was delivered to us in the forest, and was amazing - more food than we needed, nice variety. An hour of archery after lunch, with fun competition between us, was great. I cannot say enough how much we all enjoyed the day, how professional Steve was and how it made my sisters Hen do. Thank you!

Hen/Stag do. Full of fun with a nice length for each session. Lunch was impressive considering we thought we would have a few sandwiches.

We had a lovely time kayaking on the river. The team at New Forest Activities was very friendly and efficient. Our gear was all ready for us when we arrived, with a staff member ready to give us a thorough briefing before we embarked on our river adventure. Beaulieu river is gorgeous and well worth exploring. Communication was excellent all round, from enquiries, to making the booking, to the briefing. Well worth it!

We had a really enjoyable canoeing experience on the picturesque Beaulieu River, despite rather miserable weather. The instructions before we got started were clear, and out guide was knowledgeable and friendly. In our two hour time slot we were able to paddle up to Beaulieu, and get lovely views of Palace House from the water, then back down towards Bucklers Hard. It was a good location for some bird spotting, and for viewing expensive riverside real estate!

We did the family canoeing activity which takes you a short way up and down the Beaulieu River. It was really lovely, the four of us in our own canoe, and about four other boats plus two great guides who were very knowledgeable and fun. Our little ones loved it, and a group of teen-agers that were out with us also had a great time.

Fantastic day, Great activities (Battlefield Live + Canoe Explorer), Enthusiastic instructors (Adam + Chris). Good selection of food provided for lunch

We booked a "paddle to the pub" experience for the winners of our apprenticeship awards ceremony to thank them for their hard work during their qualification. A few participants were nervous about the activity and some highlighted that they were unable to swim so needed extra support. The team at New Forest Activities were amazing! Their knowledge and enthusiasm made the experience really enjoyable and despite the weather, everyone really enjoyed themselves. Thank you to everyone at New Forest Activities.

We did a 2 hour family canoe activity with Sam (our children are 12 and 13).
Not only was Sam clearly an experienced canoer, the instruction he gave was clear and he gave us a couple of fun challenges early on to test our abilities!!
He made our meander along the stunning river more enjoyable by pointing out fascinating things about the nature and history along our journey.
Sam was really pleasant and friendly and asked us questions as well as offering information.
As it was VERY hot we were allowed to stop off at Beauliea for an ice cream!!!!
As a very unfit mum I thought I might be shattered at the end of it but as there were 2 or 3 of us in the boat the work was shared - I survived!
All of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I'd highly recommend it!

A great fun team activity (Paddle to the Pub), we had a really lovely evening, thank you! Amazing instructors, very good at what they do - they even managed to make the safety instructions fun too which isn't easy to do!!

We did an hour and a half of archery with the kids and we loved every minute of it. The instructor was very well trained. The area was beautiful, we will definitely do it again .

Always great. If you need to learn something about kayaking it's the place to go. Steve is brilliant at teaching a roll. Achieved it on my first visit and I'm competent now