The New Forest Accommodation

Vast heathlands stretch as far as the eye can see in the New Forest National Park
Don't be surprised to see horses, donkey and cattle wandering along the streets
One way of seeing the New Forest is taking the New Forest Tour bus
Traditional seafaring towns like Lymington are on the New Forest Coast
New Forest Ponies roam free across the heathland
Cattle and horses roaming the commons at Denny Lodge
Plenty of things to do in the New Forest like the Beaulieu Estate
Visit the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu

New Forest Holidays Tourist Information Hampshire

The New Forest is a vast area in the south west of Hampshire that has maintained a unique way of life for those that live there. The New Forest has been a wilderness, an ancient Royal Forest and the source of timber for the forces during World Wars. All this has impacted on the site and made it what it is today - one of the largest expanses of heathland in Europe and one of the most popular places for recreation in the country, let alone Hampshire.

As you travel around the New Forest you'll see the New Forest ponies and cattle wandering around the countryside, villages and roadsides. They amble along with an air of confidence that stems from their right to roam the commons never having been hindered. The heathlands are vast and bloom a wonderful purple in the late summer. The shade of the woodlands hide woodland walks and over one hundred miles of cycle trails particularly in the Forestry Commission areas.

Featured Hampshire Accommodation

The Old Chapel Bed & Breakfast - The New Forest

Beautifully converted chapel with charming bed & breakfast rooms in Sway near Lymington. Families welcome, ground floor accommodation.

£28 to £35 Per person B&B (2 sharing)

New Forest History

The New Forest was originally ancient woodland that was first inhabited by Stone Age man. This is when areas of the native forest started to be cleared for settlements which continued through to the Bronze Age. Heathland became established in these forest clearings and you can find both ancient woodland and heathland throughout much of the New Forest today. There are hundreds of scheduled ancient monuments throughout the New Forest including round barrows and boiling mounds although these are not often easy to find amongst the trees and gorse.

In the eleventh century the New Forest was designated a Royal Forest by William I, more famously known as William the Conqueror. This meant that the forest was protected and reserved for hunting by the royals and those they chose to entertain. William the Conqueror devised the system of Forest Law which issued stiff penalties to those damaging the forest habitat or poaching game in the Royal Forest which at that time included deer, boar, hare and wolf. This had significant impacts on those living in and around the forest and who depended on it for their own survival. Forest Law was upheld by Verderers (judges) with Agisters (stockmen) and commoners (land users) managing the land.

These terms are still used today and a Verderers Court still meets quarterly in Lyndhurst. The King's son William Rufus, William II, was killed while hunting in the forest in 1100. The Rufus Stone, just off the A31 near Minstead, marks the spot where Rufus was accidentally killed by an arrow launched by Sir Walter Tyrell at a stag on 2 August 1100.

The Forest changed little over the years although boar became extinct by the thirteenth century and wolves by the late fifteenth century. The next great change came about when broadleaved trees were felled and replaced with non-native conifers for timber required by the Royal Navy in the eighteenth century and then again during the First and Second World Wars. This drastically altered the character and wildlife of the New Forest and current forest management is now trying to reverse the negative impacts that this has had on such an important ancient woodland site. However, this didn't prevent it being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1971 and it is now protected as an internationally important wildlife site due to its wet and dry heathlands, bogs and beech and oak woodlands. In 2005 the New Forest was designated a National Park due to its unique history and landscape character and for being the most intact example of a medieval hunting forest and pastoral system in England.

Exploring the New Forest Hampshire

Today the New Forest is one of the most popular places in the country for all forms of recreation. A network of footpaths, cycle trails and bridleways run through the National Park making walking, cycling and horse riding easily accessible.

For a less active tour of the New Forest, why not hop on the New Forest Bus Tour that runs hourly between May and September. It's a great way of seeing some of the New Forest towns including Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington and Beaulieu. You can also take your bike aboard - great for linking up with circular cycling routes. Check the weblink right for more information on the route and ticket prices.

New Forest Tourist Information Centres Hampshire

To help you make the most of your visit check the links right or pop into one of the Visitor Information Centres listed below. A great place to start is the New Forest Centre at Lyndhurst (formerly the New Forest Museum) that contains displays and artefacts detailing the history of the New Forest and the unique way of life for its inhabitants. The comprehensive Christopher Tower New Forest Reference Library is also housed here as well as a gift shop.

Lyndhurst Visitor Information Centre, The Main Car Park, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7NY. Tel: 023 8028 2269.

Lymington Visitor Information Centre, New Street, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9BH. Tel: 01590 689000.

Ringwood Visitor Information Centre, The Furlong, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 1AZ. Tel: 01425 470896.

New Forest Ponies

The New Forest ponies can be seen all over the New Forest National Park. Often you'll see them alongside the roads, so take care when driving as the horses have more rights than you do to be there and they act like it! Quite often when you're visiting New Forest towns and villages you may see some horses or donkeys walking along the streets or hanging around outside shops.

The New Forest ponies come from native wild horses although they have long been semi-domesticated. Wild horses were recorded as being present in the New Forest as early as 1016.

The New Forest Ponies are hardy animals able to withstand all weathers as they roam freely to graze the commons. They are owned by the commoners who retain rights to graze the forest as they did in William the Conqueror's time. The horses are renowned for their strength and gentle nature which make them popular attractions - but resist the temptation to feed them as they're better off with the natural forage of the forest.