New Forest

In spite of its name, the New Forest is by no means new and is not a continuous area of forest, large parts of it being heath and moorland, with a certain amount of agricultural land as well. It extends over an area of some 145sq.mi/375sq.km from Southampton to the River Avon at Ringwood.

From the time of William the Conqueror the New Forest was a royal hunting preserve, while in the 19th C it was declared a recreational area. Today the forest has been designated a nature conservancy area, even though large tracts of it still belong to the Crown. The wildlife of the forest is symbolized by the famous "New Forest Ponies", which are to be found wherever one goes. Motorists therefore need to proceed slowly and with care, as ponies are likely to stray on to the road at any time. Extensive reforestation is now in progress; a visit in spring can be particularly lovely, when wild flowers are in bloom everywhere, and also when the heather is out. Away from the roads the visitor is able to find real peace and quiet, although occasionally it is possible to come across adders. The Forestry Commission has signs up warning about these snakes, and others alerting people to the dangers posed by areas of marshy land and bog. Besides walking in the forest, it is possible to take a ride in a horse-drawn cart. These are available in Brockenhurst, Burley and on the Butterfly Farm in Ashurst.