Public toilets in the New Forest

The New Forest is one of the easiest national parks for a family day out, all wandering ponies, gentle walks and shady picnic spots, and the facilities are reasonably kind too. The district council runs more than twenty public toilets, most of them open 7am to 7pm, at Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Burley, Beaulieu, Lymington and the coastal villages, and many of the Forestry England car parks dotted through the woods have a block as well.

It's flat, open and very accessible compared with the upland parks, so a loo is rarely as far away as it would be on the fells. The catch is the north of the Forest, which has no public toilets at all; that's where the National Park's 'wee for free' scheme comes in, letting you use the loos in participating pubs and cafés without buying a thing.

Use the map to find what's open near your spot, especially on a warm weekend when Lyndhurst and the main car parks fill up early.

Accessibility

Being flat and well served by car parks, the Forest is among the better parks for accessible toilets and family facilities. Each council toilet lists its own accessibility and baby-changing detail, and the 'wee for free' window stickers show which businesses offer accessible or baby-change facilities, so check the listing near your spot.

Seasonal

The council toilets keep their 7am to 7pm hours year-round, bar Eling Cemetery which closes at 4pm, though coastal blocks can shut at short notice in a storm.

Where the gaps are

The north of the Forest and the quieter heath car parks have no public toilets, so anchor a family day around the staffed villages, the larger car parks and the 'wee for free' venues.