Ringwood (England)

Ringwood is a market town on the western edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, right on the border with Dorset. If driving to Bournemouth or the Jurassic Coast from Southampton or London, chances are you'll pass Ringwood on the A31. In truth, the road thunders past a little too close for auditory comfort, but that does make it easy for you to turn off and discover what the place has to offer. If it's not market day, there probably won't be much going on in town, but the near countryside offers plenty of wholesome outdoor activities: angling in the Avon, horse-riding on the heath, and falconry in the forest. Non-alliterative fun is also available; read on.

Understand
Founded by West Saxons, Ringwood's name probably means "border wood", referring to its natural environment and position near the Hampshire-Dorset boundary. In a charter of 961 CE, it was recorded that King Edgar the Peaceful gave some of the town's land to an Oxfordshire monastery. This uncontested act by a king known for his calm pleasantness rather set the tone for Ringwood: during subsequent centuries, nothing much happened. Whereas nearby Burley had to contend with a milk-crazed dragon, and other parts of the New Forest bore witness to medieval regicide, Ringwood was quietly busy becoming a prosperous market town.

The market has been held weekly for as long as anyone can remember — certainly since at least the 14th century — and the major industry besides tourism is a well-known real ale brewery. Shooting and fishing are popular local pursuits, and Ringwood is the place to stock up on supplies. Other items on the country town bingo card are also present and correct: Waitrose? Tick. Cosy pub on every corner? Tick. Local branch of the Women's Institute, stable house prices, Tory MP since 1910? Tick, tick, tick.

By car
The A31 trunk road runs from the end of the M27 motorway through the New Forest, past Ringwood, and on towards Dorchester. About a mile west of Ringwood, the A31 has a major junction with the A338 expressway, which brings traffic from the Bournemouth/Christchurch/Poole conurbation. The A338 also continues north of Ringwood as a single-carriageway road to Salisbury via Fordingbridge. Approximate driving distances:


 * From Bournemouth, via A338 –
 * From Salisbury, via A338 –
 * From Southampton, via M27 and A31 –
 * From Dorchester, via A35 and A31 –
 * From London, via M3, M27 and A31 –

By bus
Three National Express bus routes run through Ringwood: from London or Heathrow Airport (approx. 2½ hours) and from Birmingham (approx. 5 hours).

For more local travel, the most frequent bus routes are the X3 running between Bournemouth and Salisbury and the X6 which runs from Poole.

On foot

 * The Avon Valley Path runs for between Salisbury and Christchurch, following the River Avon.
 * The Castleman Trailway between Ringwood and Poole, following disused train tracks for . Also suitable for cycling and horse-riding.

On foot
It is easy to walk around the town, as it is only about a mile wide and mostly flat. There are some signposts near the town centre that show popular walking/cycling routes such as the Avon Valley Path. Google Maps works well for navigating in the town, and also shows the Ringwood sections of the Avon Valley Path and the Castleman Trailway.

By bus
There is a circular bus route around the town, the Ringo. It goes to Poulner (the section of Ringwood north of the A31) and to the Lidl/Premier Inn, with the main stop being Meeting House Lane.

By car
Ringwood only has a couple of main roads and no confusing one-way systems, so it is easy to drive around. There is a large paid car park (both short-stay and long-stay) at Meeting House Lane, with street parking available almost everywhere else. However, in the evenings and on warm holidays the roads can be very busy as people queue to join the A31, so it may be faster to walk.

A car will be very useful to have when visiting the various countryside attractions outside the town.

Fishing
Most of the local river and lake fishing rights are controlled by either Ringwood & District Anglers' Association or Christchurch Angling Club. Annual membership for adults costs £205 (R&DAA) or £140 (CAC), which you might consider if you're planning on staying in the area awhile or visiting multiple times a year. Otherwise, CAC offer holiday memberships to all of their sites for one week (£70) or two weeks (£90). You must also have a rod fishing licence from the Environment Agency, which costs £6-£82 depending on type and duration. (Aug 2022)



If you're not willing to purchase membership, your options are limited. Moors Valley Park sells day passes for one of its lakes (see above), as do sites further upstream in Fordingbridge.

Supermarkets






Budget






Mid-range




Drink




Sleep


Many of the pubs and inns in town also offer accommodation, all from about £70 per night when booked in advance.

Camping
Always popular in the New Forest.



Phone
The area code for landline phone numbers in the Ringwood area is 01425, or +44 1425 from outside the UK.

Go next

 * The New Forest - Ringwood is on the outskirts of the national park which has many footpaths and bridleways.
 * Fordingbridge - A smaller town to the north has both river and forest activities, plus access to a stately home and Roman villa.
 * Bournemouth - Its beach is very popular in the summer, and the town is the main shopping/nightlife area for people in Ringwood.
 * Salisbury - Home to Salisbury Cathedral and a gateway to Stonehenge
 * Southampton - The port for many cruises, with good connections to other cities in the UK.