In celebration of National Picnic Week, new research has revealed the top spots for some al fresco food, with one New Forest location appearing in the top 10.

The study, carried out by recipe box delivery service, HelloFresh, has ranked the UK’s most popular picnic locations naming Moors Valley Country Park and Forest in New Forest National Park among them.

The almost 1000 acres of managed woodland and parkland shares the list with famous greenspaces such as Hyde Park, St James' Park and Regent's Park in London and Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.

Top 10 picnic locations

Daily Echo:

By analysing 1,020 UK attractions listed on Tripadvisor as ‘Things to do’ and finding the 15 places that most frequently had ‘picnic’ mentioned in reviews, the rankings have revealed the UK’s most popular.

The data reveals the most popular location is London’s Hyde Park, followed by St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff and St James’s Park in London.

Here’s the complete top 10 with Hampshire’s entry coming in at number nine:

1. Hyde Park, London

2. St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff

3. St James' Park, London

4. Wollaton Park, Nottingham

5. Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire

6. Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

7. Regent's Park, London

8. York Museum Gardens, York

9. Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, New Forest National Park

10. Roundhay Park, Leeds

Of course, the success of any picnic relies on the food you serve and it seems Brits want some advice on that front; searches for 'picnic recipes' are up 60 percent in preparation for the national event.

Recipe Development Manager, Mimi Morley, from HelloFresh said: “Picnics are a great British classic, with lots of opportunity to get together with friends and family to enjoy tasty food in stunning locations - what’s not to love.

“Create your favourite summer meals this National Picnic Week, whether that be delicious salads, your go-to picky bits, mouth-watering fruits and naughty treats. My favourite is a big salad bowl with crumbled feta, rocket, and watermelon!”

To take the hassle out of filling the picnic basket, HelloFresh’s picnic recipes for National Picnic Week include Panzanella Salad, Bacon, Cheese and Pesto Wheels or Smoked Salmon Sandwich.

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest

Along with being a great place for a picnic, Moors Valley Country Park and Forest has lots more going on if you feel like making a day of it.

For families, the Play Trail has unique pieces of wooden play equipment. Youngsters can wriggle through giant snakes in the ‘Snake Pit’, attempt the ‘Crocodile Crossing’ and balance on the fallen forest of ‘Timber’.

Halfway along the Play Trail, there is also the option to divert onto the five-metre-high Tree Top Trail.

If you fancy even more time in the treetops, there’s Go Ape high ropes and down on the ground, Go Ape Forest Segways.

In addition to all this, there are the Castle and Sandworks play area for younger children and the Adventure Play Area for older ages, as well as the Gruffalo sculpture trail.

For young and old alike, there’s the Moors Valley Railway at Kingsmere station with 19 steam and two diesel locomotives in use on the railway.

Walking and Fitness Trails range in distance from three-quarters of a mile to five miles with walking routes waymarked on the ground with posts or use the detailed ‘Explore’ map available for £1 from the Visitor Centre.

If you prefer to explore on two wheels, there are cycling trails for all abilities, from those just learning to balance, to experienced riders looking for a singletrack experience.

Other sporting pursuits include a golf course and fishing, or for chill out on a mindfulness audio tour.

National Picnic Week runs until June 26 and, according to the Met Office, there should be plenty of sunshine for Hampshire residents to enjoy in the great outdoors.