Boldre is a large parish in the New Forest National Park extending from the Solent three miles North, containing 10,370 acres of land, of which 63 acres are covered with water. It comprises a number of distinct settlements, the largest being the villages of Boldre itself and Pilley. The character of the area has been created by the particular landscapes of the New Forest and the Solent coastline. Forest edge settlements using local materials and vernacular architecture have developed to the north, while large country houses predominate towards the coast and along the Lymington River.