Milford on Sea beach and clifftop
Milford on Sea, New Forest
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0
The seafront at Milford on Sea, looked after by New Forest District Council, runs from Hordle Cliff and Paddy's Gap in the west to Hurst Road, where the shingle spit heads out towards Hurst Castle. Beach huts line the promenade, and the clifftop grassland at Hordle Cliff is managed for wild flowers and wildlife.
Highlights
- Walk out along the shingle spit to Hurst Castle, about 1.5 miles
- Play area on the seafront near the Needles Eye Cafe
- Hordle Cliff clifftop grassland, managed under a plan for wild flowers and wildlife
- Rows of beach huts along the front
- Designated bathing water, sampled by the Environment Agency from mid-May to September
Good to know
- Keep away from cliff edges and follow warning signs
- Keep dogs under control and take litter home if the bins are full
- Flying recreational drones from the clifftop open space is not allowed
- Hurst Castle can also be reached by ferry from Keyhaven
Getting there
Milford on Sea beach and clifftop, Hurst Road, Milford on Sea, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 0PYParking: New Forest District Council car parks at Hurst Road West, Hurst Road East (with two rapid EV chargers), Sea Road, Paddy's Gap, Sturt Pond and Hordle Cliff. Coin, contactless and RingGo.
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against newforest.gov.uk, newforest.gov.uk, newforest.gov.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
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More things to do in Lymington
Nearby
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Keyhaven and Keyhaven Marshes
A level coastal walk from Keyhaven along the sea wall of the Solent Way, between Hampshire County Council's Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve and the Wildlife Trust's offshore saltmarsh and mudflats. There are views to Hurst Castle, the Isle of Wight and the Needles, and birdlife in every season.
Hurst Castle
An artillery fortress built by Henry VIII at the seaward end of Hurst Spit to guard the narrow western entrance to the Solent, later strengthened from the Napoleonic Wars to the Second World War. Reaching it is part of the outing, by ferry from Keyhaven through the saltmarshes or on a 2-mile walk along the shingle.
Barton-on-Sea clifftop and beach
A stretch of council-managed clifftop open space above Christchurch Bay at Barton-on-Sea, used for walking, cycling, picnics and watching wildlife. Designated paths and steps lead down to the beach, a designated bathing water, with beach huts along the shore.