What New Forest Activities does

New Forest Activities, trading under National Park Activities Ltd., is the largest provider of outdoor adventure activities within the New Forest National Park, operating from a multi-site footprint centred at Hazel Copse Farm in Beaulieu, Hampshire, with additional sites at Bailey's Hard, Buckler's Hard, and Hartford Woods. Founded in 2003 by Sam Sutton and Rich Pearsall as Liquid Logistics with six canoes on the Beaulieu River, the company has expanded over 20+ years into a portfolio of water-based activities (canoeing, kayaking, kayak hire), land-based activities (archery, bushcraft, ropes courses, bike hire), and a proprietary outdoor laser tag experience called BattleZone. A wholly-owned subsidiary, Cairngorms Activities, operates a second centre in the Scottish Highlands following the 2022 acquisition of Craggan Outdoors. The business is AALA-licensed and LOtC-certified, with British Canoeing, Archery GB, and ERCA-qualified instructors.

The company's technology stack is built on third-party SaaS infrastructure: Fareharbor for online booking and availability management, Stripe for payment processing, GoHighLevel as its CRM, HubSpot for marketing automation triggered by enquiry forms and brochure downloads, and Google Analytics for web analytics. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI capability disclosed. Operations are supported by an apprenticeship programme and on-site seasonal staff accommodation.

Revenue is generated through per-person transaction fees for activity bookings, structured multi-tiered deposits for group/corporate/school bookings (50% deposit for groups of 8+, staged payment schedules for residential school trips), gift voucher sales valid for one year, and bike hire. Distribution is hybrid: self-serve online booking for individuals and families, plus sales-led enquiry processes for schools (with brochures and book-a-call functionality), corporate teams, and celebration groups. Customer segments span families, schools and colleges, business teams, celebration parties (stag, hen, kids' birthdays), and individuals/couples. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

New Forest Activities

Legal name

National Park Activities Ltd.

Website

https://newforestactivities.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Forest Activities is the largest outdoor adventure activity provider in the New Forest National Park, offering canoeing, kayaking, archery, bushcraft, BattleZone laser tag, and ropes courses across four Hampshire sites plus a Scottish Highlands subsidiary, serving families, schools, corporate teams, and celebration groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaulieu

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Activity Bookings: Per-person fees for outdoor adventure activities including canoeing, kayaking, archery, bushcraft, BattleZone laser tag, and rope courses. Individual and family sessions booked via online platform with per-head pricing.
2. Gift Vouchers: Monetary gift vouchers sold in configurable amounts, valid for 1 year from purchase. Recipients choose their own adventure. Physical vouchers available for additional fee with postal delivery.
3. Group and Corporate Bookings: Structured packages for corporate team building, school day trips, and residential programmes. Includes accommodation options at their bell-tent campsite. Billed with deposits and final balances per terms.
4. Party and Celebration Bookings: Birthday parties (kids parties, children's bushcraft parties, BattleZone parties), stag parties, and hen parties booked as group sessions.
5. Bike Hire: Full-day bike hire services for self-guided exploration of the New Forest.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Forest Activities operates a portfolio of guided outdoor adventure activities from multiple sites within the New Forest National Park, including paddlesports (canoeing, kayaking, kayak hire), land-based activities (archery, bushcraft, ropes course, bike hire), and laser tag experiences (BattleZone). It also runs school day and residential trips with on-site bell-tent accommodation, corporate team building programmes, party packages (kids, stag, hen), mobile activities delivered off-site, gift vouchers, and seasonal events. A second centre (Cairngorms Activities) operates in the Scottish Highlands under the same ownership.

Product overview

New Forest Activities is an outdoor adventure company operating a portfolio of water-based and land-based activities from multiple sites in the New Forest National Park, Hampshire. The core offerings include paddlesports (canoeing, kayaking, kayak hire), land activities (archery, bushcraft, ropes course, bike hire), and laser tag experiences (BattleZone). The company serves diverse segments including families, schools (day trips and residential packages), corporate teams, youth groups, and celebration parties (stag, hen, kids). Additional services include gift vouchers, mobile activities delivered off-site, and seasonal events (Easter, Halloween, Christmas). A second location operates under the Cairngorms Activities brand in the Scottish Highlands. Booking is handled through the Fareharbor platform. The company holds AALA licensing and LOtC certification for educational activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Canoeing Tours Guided canoeing tours on the Beaulieu River teaching paddling skills, river history, and wildlife appreciation; suitable for individuals, families, and groups.
• Family Canoeing Gentle guided canoeing sessions on the Beaulieu River suitable for families with children from 18 months+, sharing canoes with adults.
• Kayaking Tours Guided kayaking tours on the Beaulieu River teaching paddling techniques while exploring the river nature reserve.
• Kayak Hire Self-service kayak rental for independent exploration of the Beaulieu River.
• Archery Target shooting sessions teaching archery basics, techniques, and scoring games on a woodland range.
• Bushcraft Survival skills training including fire lighting, shelter building, foraging, den building, and natural crafts.
• Family Bushcraft Family-friendly bushcraft sessions covering seasonal skills, fire lighting, shelter building, tool use, and woodland games.
• Ropes Course High and low rope obstacles suspended in woodland canopy, offering land-based activity days for groups.
• Bike Hire Full-day bicycle rental with access to recommended New Forest trails for self-guided exploration.
• BattleZone Laser Tag Outdoor laser tag experience in woodland setting using high-tech gaming guns with 80-metre shooting range, scopes, and live on-screen stats; open public sessions and group bookings.
• Kids Holiday Clubs

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 visitors served in 2021
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Forest TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2025Conservation partnership with New Forest Trust supporting their 'Love the Forest' campaign. New Forest Activities offers optional customer donations at checkout for canoeing and archery sessions, with proceeds supporting forest conservation, wildlife protection, and education initiatives. Partnership reflects shared mission to protect the New Forest National Park environment.
• Bartley Lodge HotelminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024New Forest hotel partnership announced December 2024, offering activity retreat packages combining accommodation with adventure experiences. Part of broader strategy to provide comprehensive New Forest visit packages.
• BIP100 MembersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024Exclusive activity retreat package announced January 2026 specifically for BIP100 Members Only community, demonstrating targeted partnership approach for membership organisation audience.
• Cairngorms Activities (formerly Craggan Outdoors)coreOthers · 1 January 2022Second activity centre purchased in Scottish Highlands 2022, transformed using New Forest Activities expertise. Now operates as Cairngorms Activities offering outdoor adventures in Cairngorms National Park. Same ownership/management as New Forest Activities.
• Weymouth College (NCS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018National Citizen Service contract with Weymouth College from 2018, delivering outdoor activity programmes to help 15-17 year olds gain confidence, meet new people, and develop skills for positive life impact.
• Highbury College (Prince's Trust)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Longstanding partnership delivering Prince's Trust programmes since 2004, providing outdoor activities for 16-25 year olds who are unemployed or lacking qualifications/confidence. First external partnership established when company operated as Liquid Logistics.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Go Ape: UK-wide outdoor adventure operator running high-ropes, zip lines and forest activities across multiple sites including in the New Forest. Directly comparable in offering outdoor adventure activities to families, schools and corporate groups within National Parks.
• PGL Travel: UK specialist in school residential outdoor activity trips with multiple centres. Comparable in the school residential and outdoor education segment, serving schools and youth groups with multi-day packages.
• Bewl Water: Water sports and outdoor activity venue in Kent/Sussex offering kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling and adventure courses. Comparable in offering a portfolio of water and land-based outdoor activities to families, schools and groups.
• Calshot Activities Centre: Hampshire-based outdoor and water sports activity centre near the Solent. Direct peer offering paddle sports, climbing and archery to schools, families and corporate groups in the same regional market.
• Foxlake Adventures: Scottish outdoor adventure centre offering water sports, rope courses and group activities. Comparable multi-activity outdoor operator with similar target segments, relevant to NFA's Cairngorms expansion.
• Thames Young Mariners: Outdoor activity centre in Surrey offering paddling, archery and team-building activities for schools and groups. Directly comparable offering mix and school/corporate customer base.
• Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activity Centre: Outdoor activity centre located in the New Forest offering land and water-based activities for schools and groups. Direct geographic and product competitor within the New Forest National Park.
• Lee Valley Outdoor Activity Centre: Large outdoor activity centre north of London offering water sports, climbing and ropes. Comparable in scale and activity portfolio for school, corporate and consumer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Center Parcs UK: UK operator of forest holiday villages offering a wide range of on-site outdoor activities. Broader-scale incumbent overlapping on family outdoor activities and on-site activity booking, but operating as a wider short-break destination rather than a focused activity centre.

Emerging players

• Norse Adventure: Smaller UK outdoor adventure provider focused on water sports and bushcraft experiences. Comparable product mix (paddlesports, bushcraft, archery) but at a smaller scale and different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@newforestactivities
• Xx.com/NewForestActivi
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewForestActivitiesBookingCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-forest-activities

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Forest Activities