Day Trip to Lymington from London (Car- Free)

Day trip to Lymington, a town by the water in the New Forest, from London without a car.

Lymington is a little different from the other towns and villages in the New Forest. Unlike Brockenhurst, for example, you don't see free roaming horses and donkeys in the town centre (which is a lot more built-up.)

It is also a coastal town, with its own harbour, where you can spend a lovely day watching the boats and swans. So charming, I've been back several times- the last time was when I was staying at The Pig at New Forest.

• 10-1145: The train journey from London Waterloo to Lymington takes 1h 45 minutes, with 1 change at Brockenhurst.
• 1145-12: Walk from Lymington Town station to the High Street or Quay Hill
• 12- 130: Grab lunch (see Where to Eat for recommendations- if dining at The Elderflower, you may need a bit longer as it's more like fine dining)
• 130-2: Explore the High Street (or Lymington Market if you're there on a Saturday)
• 2- 3: Visit St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery
• 3-5: Take a countryside walk, such as to Lymington Marshes (details below)
• 5-530: Walk down Quay Hill, explore the harbour area and enjoy the sight of the waves and birds.
• Optional Dinner or late afternoon tea; Train back to London

Note: as a female who often travels solo (or with an elderly mother), I try not to be too far away from the main town when it's dark out (reflected in the itinerary above.)

Wander along the pretty and famous cobbled streets of Quay Hill from the bottom of the High Street to the Old Town Quay.

This steep and scenic cobbled road is a lovely place to take photos- sad to say, the area has gone downhill a bit since my last visit. It used to be just independent cute shops but when I was there in 2025, I spied a vape shop 🙁

Wander along the harbor and watch the yachts bob in the marina or the swans glide about. You can even take a 30 minute river tour and/or bird watching trips on one of the boats!

There's The Ship Inn pub, which has a great view of the water and al fresco seating- it's the perfect place to take in the fresh air when the weather is good.

Note: there is also The King's Head Inn, at the top of Quay Hill. Whilst it doesn't have a view of the water, the inside is SO cute. I actually prefer this pub! (More details below.)

If you're a fan of shopping, the High Street will be a breath of fresh air after Brockenhurst (pretty much 0 shops)- there's a decent mix of independent, charity, and chain shops here for a town of this size.

Lymington Market

Lymington’s Charter Market takes place each Saturday on the High Street.

It starts early at 8am to about 3pm (weather dependent)- great place for local food and craft!

Take a Country Walk

One of the reasons to visit New Forest is to escape the noise of London and enjoy the peaceful English country. There are several easy walks around Lymington, such as the one to the Lymington Marshes. This 4 mile walk is on mostly flat ground and will take you 1-2 hours.

Along the way, you'll see some of Lymington's famous attractions, such as the Sea Water Baths and Royal Lymington Yacht Club. Lymington’s famous sea water baths (about 15 minutes on foot from town) date back to 1833. They are very popular in summer!

Note: if you need the toilets, there are public toilets at Bath Road and Woodside Park (off Rookes Lane) and St Thomas St. The state of public toilets in the UK though sometimes leave a lot to be desired. For alternatives, you also pass The Haven and The Fisherman's Rest, where you can grab a coffee and use the toilet.

Church of St. Thomas

A chapel at Lymington is first mentioned around 1140. However, the earliest surviving part of the present St Thomas church dates back to the 1200s, making it the oldest building in Lymington.

Fun fact: The ringers of the church bells were sometimes paid in beer! (They were rung to celebrate important occasions or battles.)

This museum shares on the history of the area: how Lymington and the neighbouring towns and villages developed from the times of William the Conqueror through to present day.

Note that it closes early (at 4 pm) and doesn't open on Sunday.

WightLink runs direct ferry services between Lymington and the historic town of Yarmouth on the West Coast of the Isle of Wight!

Yarmouth is the 2nd smallest town in England (by population) and super cute. (The ferry takes about 40 minutes- and can even take your car!.)

If you're staying in Lymington for a few days, you can consider taking the train to Winchester, a beautiful cathedral city. (You'll need to change at Brockenhurst but the journey is only around 30 minutes.)

Located just off the High Street, Stanwell House is a gorgeous and chic boutique hotel in the heart of Lymington.

Courtyard Cottages

If you're looking for a place with a washing machine in the centre of town, Courtyard Cottages is the place for you.

Nutshell Cottage

Located just off Lymington’s High Street, the location of Nutshell Cottage can't be beat: it is close to the town, coast and train station!

Captains Keep

This Georgian townhouse is near The Quay and High Street. Captain's Keep is the closest to Lymington train station out of all the properties on this list.

Normally I don't like to stay near the train station in the UK as the area is usually a bit rough, but it doesn't feel that way in Lymington.

For those who want a rural escape and don't mind taking a taxi+ train to Lymington, you can consider The Pig at Newforest, which is just outside Brockenhurst. (Click through for my full review.)

This restaurant has a very reasonable 2 and 3 course lunch set, the perfect view of the steep Quay Hill and the cosiest interiors.

Food and service were both good!

I ate at this lovely Modern British restaurant on my 1st visit to Lymington in 2016. The food was a delight!

Unfortunately when I returned in 2025, they were unable to seat me as it was just before 2 pm.

Take the train from London Waterloo to Brockenhurst where you'll alight and change for a different train to Lymington. (Brockenhurst-Lymington trains are frequent and run about every 30 minutes- the entire journey from Waterlooo to Lymington will take 1h 45 minutes.)

Note: like Canterbury, there are TWO Lymington train stations. I recommend alighting at Lymington Town (not Lymington Pier, though the 2 are within walking distance of each other.)

Any questions about visiting Lymington in the New Forest? Let me know in the comments or sign up for my newsletter for more car-free trips in the UK.