High ropes in the treetops, a raft you built yourself out on the lake, and the good ache of a day well spent — the New Forest Outdoor Centre is barely ten minutes from The Bell Inn.
Somewhere above your head, a rope creaks and a friend edges out along it, arms wide, laughing nervously. Down on the lake, a home-made raft of barrels and lashed poles wobbles its first uncertain metres from the bank. There is birdsong, the smell of woodland and damp earth, and the particular kind of cheering that only happens when people are slightly out of their comfort zone and loving it. This is a proper day outdoors, the New Forest way.
The New Forest Outdoor Centre sits tucked into private woodland at Emery Down, just north-west of Lyndhurst — which happens to be barely ten minutes from the door of The Bell Inn at Brook. It is a residential and activity centre built for groups: school trips, Duke of Edinburgh cohorts, corporate away-days and gatherings of friends and family who fancy doing something a little braver than a walk. Programmes are booked and built to order rather than dropped into on a whim, so a little planning ahead is the secret to a great day.
At a Glance
- Where: Emery Down, Lyndhurst, Hampshire (SO43 7GA) — roughly ten minutes' drive from The Bell Inn at Brook.
- Good for: school and youth groups, Duke of Edinburgh residentials, corporate team days, and organised gatherings of friends or family.
- Allow: a half or full day for most activity programmes; overnight and multi-day residential stays are also possible.
- Season & booking: activities run through much of the year and are arranged in advance as bespoke programmes — check current sessions, group sizes and availability on the New Forest Outdoor Centre's own website.
Up in the Trees: Climbing and High Ropes
The centre's climbing tower and high ropes course are the classic test of nerve — the bit everyone photographs and no one quite forgets. You are clipped in and safe throughout, but that does little to quiet the heart when you are inching along a wire with the woodland floor a long way below. It is the sort of gentle terror that turns colleagues into teammates and turns quiet children into the loudest cheerleaders in the group.
- Climbing tower for a straight-up challenge against your own head for heights.
- High ropes course strung through the canopy.
- Low ropes and team-challenge elements closer to the ground, ideal for building confidence first.
On the Water at Leominstead Lake
A short walk from the main site lies Leominstead Lake, a calm sheet of water screened by trees. This is where raft building happens: teams are handed barrels, poles and rope, a set of knots to learn, and the shared goal of not getting wet — a goal that is met with mixed success and much laughter. It is teamwork in its most honest form, and a highlight of many a group's day.
Bushcraft, Target Sports and More
Away from the ropes and the water, the centre spreads out across its woodland with a broad menu of land-based activities. These lean into the Forest setting itself — learning to read the land, light a fire, or loose an arrow among the trees.
- Bushcraft and woodland skills.
- Target sports, including archery-style shooting.
- Orienteering through the surrounding woods.
- Pioneering and problem-solving team tasks.
- Mountain biking as an add-on for those who want to cover more ground.
Who It Suits
Because everything here is arranged as a tailored programme, the centre works best for organised groups with a bit of notice rather than passing visitors. If you are planning a milestone birthday with friends, a team-building day for the office, a youth-group residential or a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, this is a place that can shape a day — or several — around exactly what you want. For confirmed activities, minimum numbers and residential options, the New Forest Outdoor Centre's own website is the place to look.
After the Adventure, Come Back to the Inn
All that climbing, paddling and fresh forest air has a way of sharpening the appetite like nothing else. It is a short drive back to The Bell Inn for a proper lunch from our seasonal, best-of-British menu — a plate of something hearty by the inglenook fire, and a well-earned drink after all that adventure. It is worth booking a table ahead at weekends, which you can do on our Eat & Drink page or with a quick call. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the bar and garden — and several of our bedrooms are dog-friendly too — so the whole family, four legs included, is looked after.
And if you have travelled from further afield, the Forest is far too good to see in a single day. Our rooms make a warm and characterful base for exploring the whole Forest, and a night or two turns a good day out into a proper little escape — take a look at our stays, or call the team on 023 8081 2214 and we will help you plan it.