Oakdene Forest Park

Direct forest access (added by manager 16 Sep 2012)

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Surely even the most determined of sofa-huggers will find something to tickle their fancy at this action-packed Shorefield Holidays park in Hampshire…and if not, you have our full permission to send them home. It’s all quite effortless too: as the name might hint, St Leonard’s Oakdene Forest Park has a forest backdrop – the Avon – and there are 55 acres of parkland to potter around; the bike and cycle trails from the park lead directly into the forest for access to nature reserves, country parks and the land of the Forestry Commission. (The park is more than half a mile from the nearest road, so safe for kids to run about.) If even forest walks seem too much hassle to a complaining family member, shove them in the direction of all the on-site activities that come included in the pitch fee: the fully-equipped gym* might be too much, but the sauna, steam room and flumes of the indoor pool should get them up and about. Naturally they’ll need a rest after all that sauna-going: they can take their pick from the Blues Bar, Colour Café or the Oak Suite… and if they’re feeling up for it they might then want to join in the regular Oak Suite entertainment and activities laid on by the Oakdene team, such as cinema nights, quizzes and parties. Food of all sorts, as well as takeaway, is laid on at the licensed Oak Suite, and there’s a fully-stocked supermarket on site too with off-licence – everything here has been thoroughly thought of, shorely… *Please note there is a £2 induction fee for the gym; usage is free thereafter.

Site type

Tent pitches 13
Caravans for hire 89
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 14

Tourist board rating

Languages spoken

English

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Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Games room

Hot tub

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Play area

TV room

Take away

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available

Car parking by pitch/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Launderette

Parent & baby washroom

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Public telephone

Shower available

Toilet block

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided

Barbecues allowed

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Themes

Forest

Spectacular scenery

Walkers' paradise

Utilities

Charging facilities

Chemical disposal

Electric car charging point(s)

Gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Type

Large (51-200 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Cycle hire nearby

Cycling nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horse riding nearby

Leisure/theme park nearby

Restaurant nearby

Sailing nearby

Location

Oakdene Forest Park

St Leonards

Ringwood

Hampshire

England

BH24 2RZ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.8111°N
-1.8595°W

Route directions

Take the A31 westbound from Ringwood. After three miles and two roundabouts, Oakdene is signposted on the left just past St Leonards hospital. Reception is at the end of the drive on the right.

Nearest transport

Coach
3.9 mi Meeting House Lane
5 mi Bournemouth University
5.8 mi Bournemouth Station
Rail
5.7 mi Pokesdown Rail Station
5.8 mi Bournemouth Rail Station
6 mi Christchurch Rail Station
Ferry
6.4 mi Tuckton Tea Gardens Ferry Landing
6.6 mi Christchurch Quay Ferry Landing
6.6 mi Wick Christchurch Ferry Landing
Airport
2.6 mi Bournemouth International Airport
23.9 mi Southampton Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

The sandy beaches of Bournemouth are only nine miles from Oakdene Forest Park: add the ones at neighbouring Poole and Christchurch and you’ll keep the kids happy for the whole hol, especially when you throw in the fossil-hunting of the Jurassic Coast and the Adventure Wonderland Theme Park. Start off at the Bournemouth Eye to see the town from heady heights; once nerves have recovered, totter off to the seven miles of award-winning Bournemouth beaches and the newly refurbished pier with kids’ rides and boat trips along the Dorset coast. To get about on land, take the Land Train along the pier to Poole – with a stop-off on the way at Alum Chine for the acclaimed Tropical Gardens and the pirate-themed playground. Poole’s gorgeous natural harbour is the biggest in Europe, and a harbour cruise from Poole Quay might make you think you’re in the Med (the multi-million pound houses of the Sandbanks peninsula might give this impression too). There are boat trips from the harbour to the National Trust’s Brownsea Island, home of increasingly rare red squirrels and described by Bill Oddie as ‘the best place for seeing wildlife in Dorset’. Go east from Bournemouth and Poole to reach Christchurch and another lovely natural harbour, then Portsmouth and the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with historic ships including HMS Victory. West leads to the seaside towns of Weymouth and Swanage, famed for watersports and more miles of sandy golden beaches. Boat trips and sea fishing trips can be picked up anywhere along this stretch of coast; if you want to keep it simple and/or cheap, give the kids a line and bucket and let them crab off Bournemouth Pier. Back in Hampshire, the New Forest wood be wrong to miss, and we suspect this won’t be an option once small people in your party discover it’s the location of Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park. The popular Beaulieu Motor Museum and Village, voted the best large visitor attraction 2013 by VisitEngland, is in the heart of the New Forest and also has Beaulieu Abbey and Palace House and Gardens on site.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Bournemouth Boscombe Pier 6.4 mi Sea N/A Good Good Excellent
Bournemouth Manor Steps 6.4 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent N/A
Bournemouth Fisherman`S Walk 6.5 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Bournemouth Pier 6.6 mi Sea N/A Excellent Good Good
Bournemouth Durley Chine 6.9 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Adventure Wonderland 2.6 mi

The Bournemouth Balloon 6.3 mi

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum 6.5 mi

Bournemouth Pier Beach 6.6 mi

Oceanarium, The Bournemouth Aquarium 6.6 mi

National Trust

Kingston Lacy 7.6 mi

White Mill 8.8 mi

Brownsea Island 9.5 mi

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 12.2 mi

Corfe Castle 14.8 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

AVON HEATH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 19/05/1998) 1.9 mi

Throop Mill - Parley Green - Nature Reserve - Berry Hill 3.5 mi

Holt Heath - Horton Tower - Holt Heath 3.6 mi

WIMBORNE ROAD CEMETERY 5.4 mi

AVON TYRRELL 5.4 mi

Local events

  • New Forest and Hampshire County Show (Tuesday 30 July 2024 – Tuesday 30 July 2024)

    Brockenhurst, Hampshire 12.3 mi

  • Tankfest (Friday 28 June 2024 – Friday 28 June 2024)

    Wareham, Dorset 18.6 mi

  • Camp Bestival Dorset (Thursday 25 July 2024 – Thursday 25 July 2024)

    Wareham, Dorset 19.4 mi

  • Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally (Friday 19 July 2024 – Friday 19 July 2024)

    Dorchester, Dorset 19.5 mi

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday 7 September 2024 – Saturday 7 September 2024)

    Dorchester, Dorset 25.5 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

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  • Does Oakdene Forest Park have a swimming pool? Yes View all features
  • Is Oakdene Forest Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Oakdene Forest Park? The sandy beaches of Bournemouth are only nine miles from Oakdene Forest Park: add the ones at neighbouring Poole and Christchurch and you’ll keep the kids happy for the whole hol, especially … Read more