Salt marshes, market history and an Iron Age hillfort give Lymington its distinctive character. When choosing a destination, it is worth considering this range: nature, local history and routes into the great outdoors complement one another.

Nature between Lymington and Keyhaven

The Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve lies between the town of Lymington and the coastal village of Keyhaven. Its habitats include mudflats, salt marshes, shingle banks, coastal grazing marshes and saline lagoons. The area is home to significant bird populations as well as rare and specialised plant and invertebrate species. For travellers who want to include nature in their choice of destination, both the diversity of habitats and the wildlife make this part of the area interesting. The reserve therefore offers a different focus from the market, museum and historic buildings.

History from the hillfort to the museum

Lymington Sea Water Baths opened in 1833 and is listed as a Grade II building. It is apparently the oldest surviving swimming pool still in operation in the United Kingdom. Buckland Rings reaches much further back into the past: it is the site of an Iron Age hillfort in Lymington. Together, these places represent different historical reference points, from a 19th-century swimming pool to the Iron Age.

St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery is housed in a former Victorian school building. It presents the history of Lymington from the time of William the Conqueror to the Second World War and hosts temporary exhibitions. Compared with the individual historic sites, the museum offers a broad perspective on the town across the centuries. As the exhibition programme may change, check in advance which exhibitions are currently on display.

A Saturday market with a long tradition

Lymington’s Charter Market is held every Saturday on the High Street; market hours are weather-dependent. The stalls offer local food and handmade goods. The market itself also has a long history: it was granted a market charter in the 13th century. Today’s market day thus combines food and crafts with a long market tradition. If you plan to visit the market, check the hours in advance.

Cycling route and Solent Way

The Lymington Station cycling route is 14 miles long and leads from the centre of Lymington onto roads in the New Forest. This provides both a specific route length and its direction for planning purposes. Another route option is the Solent Way section from Lymington to Beaulieu: it crosses the Lymington River and then heads inland. The Solent Way is marked with a tern on a green arrow. The cycling route and this section therefore differ in their described courses and offer different starting points for planning a trip.

Discover more destinations: Hastingleigh, Canterbury, Hailsham, Southampton, Herons Ghyll, Margate, Wadhurst.

Return to the main travel overview: South East England.