New Forest Walking Festival back for 2026 improving health and wellbeing through connections with nature.
The New Forest Walking Festival returns from Saturday 17 October until Sunday 1 November, offering guided walks for all to boost health and wellbeing in the National Park.
A packed programme of events includes family-friendly walks during the school half-term and a spooky Halloween weekend, as well as chances to discover the National Park through the eyes of rangers and other Forest experts.
All the events across the fortnight invite people to spend time outside feeling the benefits nature can have on their physical and mental health.
From folklore-based and mindful forest bathing sessions to discovering centuries-old charcoal producing traditions, learning how to identify some of the thousands of New Forest fungi, to joining National Park Authority rangers for a series of accessible and longer routes, the Walking Festival has something for all.
Highlights of the 2026 Walking Festival include:
- Biofluorescent night walks with National Park Authority rangers and wildlife experts
- Guided bird watching with Bird Aware Solent
- Conservation, coppicing, and charcoal walks with Pondhead Conservation Trust
- Fungi identification walks with a wildlife expert
- Halloween wildlife explorer sessions for the whole family
- Autumn tours with the Head Gardener at Exbury Gardens
- Networking walks for local professionals, students and volunteers interested in nature
Find the full events timetable and book tickets at: New Forest Walking Festival – New Forest National Park
