Burley New Forest – A New Forest Village

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Burley New Forest Postcode: BH24 4AB

Within the New Forest is a stunning little village called Burley. Famous for its links to witchcraft and the New Forest Ponies and other New Forest animals walking around it freely. Easy to travel to from Bournemouth. It’s a 30-40 minute drive.

Burley New Forest is a place everyone must visit when they are on holiday to Bournemouth. There are so many things to do in the New Forest and Burley is one of the favorite places. It’s simply magical.

Pubs in Burley New Forest

There are three excellent pubs in Burley village. And a few hotels and Bed and Breakfasts which can also be stopped off at for a drink, such as the stunning Burley Manor Hotel. More about that hotel further down.

1. Queens Head Burley New Forest

Address: The Cross, Burley, Hampshire, BH24 4AB

The pub right in the middle of the village itself is called The Queens Head Burley. This pub is where the New Forest Burley Carriage Rides start and can be boarded in the car park at the back of this pub.

You’ll also often find the New Forest Ponies and other New Forest animals congregating around the car park sheltering under the trees.

A gorgeous pub which dates back to 1685! This pub has been central to Burley Village for hundreds of years.

The building was originally the village Blacksmith and the pub still retains some of its original features from hundreds of years ago.

New Forest Ponies Burley — New Forest Ponies in The Queens Head Car Park

The food is reasonably priced and a great family pub with a lovely courtyard out the back to sit in. They serve traditional pub food from paninis to a Sunday roast.

This is the pub the local villagers frequent, it’s a central part of Burley New Forest life and a great place to eat for all the family. Dogs are allowed here, so it’s a great place to stop off after a long dog walk in the New Forest.

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2. The White Buck Burley New Forest

Address: Bisterne Cl, Burley, Ringwood BH24 4AZ

The White Buck is another one of my favorite pubs. This pub used to be someone’s home. Set in beautiful surroundings enclosed by trees and a lovely large lawn and courtyard. You’ll see ponies tied up here when their riders have stopped off for a bit of lunch or a drink half way through their hack.

The White Buck now also is a b&b new forest burley so this is an option too if you are looking for a stunning place to stay in Burley New Forest. Now a Fuller’s pub this serves the traditional Fuller’s pub menu.

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3. The Burley Inn, Burley New Forest

Address: The Burley Inn, The Cross, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 4AB

The Burley Inn is another centrally located pub, situated right in the middle of Burley and opposite The New Queen Pub. This is another very old pub which is hundreds of years old. Keeping its charm and with an old pub feel with lovely fireplaces. This is a lovely little pub to spend the afternoon.

B&B New Forest Burley

If you’re looking for a good bed and breakfast in the New Forest then this is a great little gem that has some great reviews and is renowned for being ‘very clean’. It’s also in the perfect position for everything you would want to see in the area and beyond.

The Inn offers 10 en-suite bedrooms with cozy log fires, traditional features, and a patio decking area that overlooks the lovely village of Burley. What more could you ask for from a pub and a Bed and Breakfast.

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Burley New Forest Witches

Sybil Leek The Burley Witch with her pet Jackdaw

Burley has a long history with witches. Decades in fact. The history started with a famous Burley witch called Sybil Leek.

She wasn’t only a witch but she also dabbled in astrology and was a self-proclaimed psychic. She lived in Burley in the late 1950s and was born there in the 1920s. She was a White Witch but she liked to wear black.

She had an unusual companion she used to walk around the village with on her shoulder. She had a pet Jackdaw who would go with her everywhere called Mr. Hotfoot Jackson.

This freaked the local villagers out in Burley and so she decided to leave the village after the landlord refused to renew her lease. She decided to go and live in America after she had fallen in love with the country when she had traveled there previously to promote one of her books.

She stayed living in America for the rest of her life and she wrote a few books and became rather famous in the world of Witches and is known as the Most Famous Witch in the UK.

During the late 1950s being a witch was still a huge taboo and when she announced she was a White Witch the media and tourists flocked to Burley to see this person who had the audacity to announce to the world they were into the occult.

The Coven Witches Shop Burley New Forest

The Witchcraft Act was only repealed in 1951 so it was still a big deal back then and a lot of fear surrounded the subject of the occult.

She became so famous that she ended up rubbing shoulders with some pretty famous people of the time and was requested to appear on many TV shows.

Another remarkable event saw her being recruited by the UK Government during the Second World War to write fake horoscopes for the German soldiers who believed in Astrology.

She is said to have put together an astrology chart for the Nazi Rudolf Hess to fly to England. And because of this, the Government was able to capture him.

By the time Sybil died, she had written over 60 books on everything from occult to astrology.

The witches’ shops you will find in Burley are there because of her and they have stayed selling anything witchy to this day. One of the shops ‘The Coven’ was named by Sybil herself. You can see photos of her in the shops with her pet Jackdaw.

Hotel in Burley New Forest – Accommodation Burley New Forest

Burley Manor Hotel Burley New Forest

The Burley Manor is a stunning old hunting lodge that has not been converted into a stunning hotel and restaurant.

Burley Wagon Rides – Great for all the Family

Something I love doing every time I go to Burley is to take the Burley Wagon ride. This is a beautiful carriage ride through the forest on a horse drawn cart. Drawn by two horses. It’s a great way to see Burley and the New Forest and a really unique experience. On your trip you will get to see many of the New Forest animals roaming the village and surrounding forest.

The Burley Wagon Rides have been going for many years, I remember them there when I was a child about 30 years ago. Children absolutely love this as they not only get to meet the horses but get a magical trip on a wagon.

The Burley Wagon Rides leave from The Queens Head car park you will see a sign there where you can wait for the wagon to come round again. If you watch the first video of Burley at the top of this page you will see the Burley Wagon go past at the beginning of the video.

Burley New Forest Ice Cream

One thing you also have to try when you visit Burley is the famous Burley New Forest Ice cream Shop. Amazing whipped ice cream with a never ending supply of toppings. They really are the best ice creams around and very popular in the village of Burley. People literally come from all over Bournemouth to have an ice cream here.

Burley Tea Rooms

If you like a good cream tea then you won’t be disappointed by visiting the Burley Tea Rooms. Officially called the Old Farmhouse Restaurant and Tea Rooms. Situate in the hear of Burley next to the Burley ice cream shop. This place has been a tea rooms for over 100 years.

You’ll be please to know that all the family can visit too as dogs are allowed in the tea rooms. Huge choice of menu; starting at breakfast and going all through the day. They also do a cracking Sunday Roast.

The Burley Tea Room building is very old and a stunning place to visit. All of the windows are original lead windows and the roof is traditional thatch. Inside you’ll find Inside inglenook rooms and outside is a beautiful garden area.

Out back you’ll find a large car park for visitors to the tea rooms.

Horse Riding Burley New Forest

horse riding stables in burley — Burley Villa Horse Riding Stables New Forest

Horse Riding around Burley is one of my favorite things to do, you get to see the stunning countryside and go to areas of the forest you wouldn’t normally be able to get to. There are quite a few riding stables in the New Forest and a few also in Burley.

We have written a review here on the best horse riding stables in the New Forest.

If you’re in Burley for Christmas you can have your Christmas dinner here around the cosy fireplace.