Two Hampshire national parks named the UK’s best for solo escapes

Two Hampshire national parks have been named the UK’s most accessible places for solo walking, according to a new ranking.

The New Forest and South Downs, which goes across Hampshire and Sussex, took first and second place respectively in a Solo-Friendly Travel Index created by outdoor clothing brand TOG24, scoring 8.5 and 8.05 out of 10 respectively.

The index ranks UK national parks on how suitable they are for solo outdoor time, based on route accessibility, terrain, visitor infrastructure and ease of navigation.

The New Forest tops the list thanks to its high number of easy circular routes, excellent transport links and well-developed visitor infrastructure, while the South Downs follows closely - supported by a wide network of accessible walking routes.

Both parks are within easy reach of Portsmouth, meaning residents have quick access to countryside escapes. The South Downs Way offers gorgeous ridge walking across the Downs, while routes around Bolderwood and Rhinefield in the New Forest open up access to shorter woodland walks, with well-signposted paths and a mix of gentle loops suitable for shorter solo outings.

The findings suggest solo time outdoors isn’t equally accessible across the UK, even in well-known national parks, with some places making it much easier to spend time alone than others.

TOG24’s Solo Season campaign was developed alongside clinical psychologist Dr Charlotte Russell, who highlights the value of time alone for mental wellbeing.

“Intentional solitude is extremely beneficial for us… an important way of looking after our mental health in a world where many of us are busy and stressed (...)” she commented. 

TOG24’s Solo Season campaign looks at the benefits of spending time alone outdoors, with the index used to show how national parks across the UK vary in how easily they allow people to access time in nature on their own.

“It is really a case of safety first, and I would encourage women to think about how they can access the benefits of nature and solitude in ways that feel safe for them.”