Come face to face with giant otters, wolves and a mob of free-roaming wallabies at the family-run New Forest Wildlife Park — a brilliant all-weather day out, barely fifteen minutes from The Bell Inn.
There is a particular thrill to standing just a few feet from a giant otter as it torpedoes through the water, or feeling a fallow deer step cautiously up to take food from your open hand. Hidden away in twenty-five acres of quiet, dappled woodland at Longdown, the New Forest Wildlife Park is built almost entirely around these close-up moments — and it sits barely fifteen minutes from the door of The Bell Inn.
Family-run and refreshingly free of theme-park bustle, the park is home to more than 260 animals across some 40 species. Raised timber boardwalks wind through the trees from one enclosure to the next, so it feels far more like a woodland walk than a day at the zoo. Here is how we would spend a morning there.
At a Glance
- Where: Deerleap Lane, Longdown, near Ashurst — about fifteen minutes' drive from The Bell Inn
- What you'll see: Otters, wolves, lynx, Scottish wildcats, European bison, owls, deer and wallabies
- Allow: Two to three hours for the highlights — easily half a day with the talks and play areas
- Good for: Families, all ages, and any weather — wooded trails with a café and indoor areas
- Tickets & times: Vary by season, so it is worth a look at the park’s own website before you set off
Otters — The Stars of the Show
The park is best known for its otters, and it is easy to see why. Four species live here, including the extraordinary Giant Otters of the Amazon — dog-sized, endangered, and rarely seen anywhere in the UK — alongside mischievous Asian short-clawed otters and our own native British otters. Time your visit around one of the daily feeds, when they become a whirl of chirping, tumbling energy. It is genuinely one of the finest wildlife spectacles in the county.
Wolves, Lynx and the Forest's Lost Natives
Deeper into the trees you meet the animals that once roamed Britain's own wildwoods. Grey wolves pad the length of their enclosure, lynx and Scottish wildcats watch from the shadows, and there are pine martens, European bison, owls and even tiny harvest mice to seek out. Interpretation boards tell the story of Britain's lost and returning wildlife along the way, which makes it as thought-provoking for the grown-ups as it is exciting for children.
Walk Among the Deer and Wallabies
The moment most children remember is stepping inside the walk-through enclosures, where a herd of friendly deer and a mob of wallabies wander freely around your feet. There are no fences between you and them — just the gentle etiquette of moving slowly and letting the animals come to you.
Time It Around the Keeper Talks
Throughout the day the keepers give talks and feeds across the park, and they are the highlight of any visit — full of the sort of stories and detail you simply do not get from a sign. The day's schedule is posted at the entrance, so pick one up when you arrive and build your route around a couple of them.
After the Park, Come Back to the Inn
Half a day in the fresh forest air has a way of sharpening the appetite. 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 exploring. 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.