Visiting the New Forest

Historically, the New forest was dense woodland, containing little more than very small settlements and penetrated most frequently by smugglers following ancient pathways. With the coming of the great age of shipbuilding, culminating in the 18th century, large amounts of the forest were cut down to provide wood for the ship industry - hence there are now also large moorland and cleared regions.

The New Forest is a designated National Park, and it is for the outdoor activities that most visitors come here. There are numerous walks that pass through the forest, and across the moors, and a great deal of attractive scenery to enjoy.

You will also see the New Forest ponies. These ponies (of which there are many) are allowed to roam freely in large parts of the forest, and in villages and towns they have right of way, so if your car is stuck behind a slow moving pony you might be in for a long wait! There is a great variety of other wildlife as well, including many deer.

There are a sprinkling of interesting towns and villages both in and around the edges of the National Park. These include:

Lyndhurst: the central village in the park, and home to the main tourist information centre. If possible you should visit Lyndhurst on the day you arrive in the New Forest to be sure you are aware of any events during your stay.

Burley: a very pretty traditional village, and once home to one of the most famous witches in Britain, Sybil Leek.

Beaulieu: home to the National Motor Museum, the gothic Palace House, and to the 17th century harbour port at Bucklers Hard. The Motor Museum contains an exceptional collection of cars, ranging from very early cars to some used in recent James Bond films - and much between!

The information centres at Lyndhurst, Ringwood, Lymington and Fordingbridge will all give you plenty of ideas for things to see and activities in the New Forest. Whichever you choose you won't be disappointed, but be sure to get out of your car sometimes and follow a couple of the trails through the woods, for it is here that you will find the true magic of the New Forest.