The New Forest, in Hampshire in southern England, is a national park of ancient woodland, heath and open grazing where ponies, cattle and donkeys roam freely among the villages and along the roads. Despite its name, it is one of the oldest forests in England: it was created as a royal hunting ground almost a thousand years ago. A few kilometres from the sea and from Southampton, it is perfect for walks, bike rides and nature breaks.
History
In 1079 William the Conqueror declared this area a royal forest, that is, a hunting reserve for the king, with very harsh laws against anyone hunting the deer. The word forest then meant land subject to these laws, not necessarily covered in trees. In 1100 the Conqueror's son, King William II, known as Rufus, died here, struck by an arrow during a hunt: a stone, the Rufus Stone, marks the traditional spot of his death.
The inhabitants were granted ancient rights, such as the right to graze their animals freely in the forest, known as rights of common. These rights still exist: their holders, the commoners, turn out ponies, cattle, donkeys and, in autumn, pigs that eat the acorns. An ancient court, the Verderers, founded in the Middle Ages, still oversees the forest. Over the centuries the New Forest supplied the oak for the ships of the Royal Navy. In 2005 it became a national park.
- 1079William the Conqueror creates the royal forest
- 1100King William II dies during a hunt
- 1877The New Forest Act protects the commoners' rights
- 2005The New Forest becomes a national park
What to see
Free-roaming animals
The New Forest ponies are the symbol of the park: they live free all year round but belong to the commoners. Cattle and donkeys graze alongside them, and five species of deer live in the woods. The animals must not be fed or stroked, and drivers must go slowly: the speed limit on many roads is 40 miles per hour.
Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst
Lyndhurst is the capital of the forest, with the visitor centre, the New Forest museum and the Queen's House, seat of the Verderers' Court. Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, is buried in the churchyard. Brockenhurst, with its railway station, is the ideal starting point for walks and cycle routes.
Beaulieu and Buckler's Hard
The village of Beaulieu has the ruins of a Cistercian abbey, the Montagu family home and the National Motor Museum, with historic and record-breaking cars. Just to the south, Buckler's Hard is a small riverside village where ships of Nelson's fleet were built.
Woods and heaths
Among the loveliest places are the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, where you can watch fallow deer, the Tall Trees trails among giant redwoods and firs, and the open heaths around Rockford Common. In summer the heather turns the landscape purple.
Getting there
- By train: from London Waterloo to Brockenhurst in about an hour and a half.
- By car: from the M27, about 20 minutes from Southampton.
- By air: Southampton Airport is about 25 minutes away, Bournemouth Airport about half an hour.
Nearby
- Southampton and Bournemouth.
- Salisbury, with its cathedral, and Stonehenge.
- The Dorset coast with Durdle Door and Corfe Castle.
Tips
- How long: at least a day, ideally a weekend.
- When to go: all year round; in autumn the woods are spectacular and the pigs hunt for acorns.
- A tip: hire a bike in Brockenhurst and follow the forest tracks: you will meet ponies and deer far from the roads.