At over 560 square kilometres, the New Forest National Park is one of the largest wooded areas in the south of England, and home to a wide range of terrain including idyllic glades, exposed cliffs, heathland and woods dating back centuries.
New Forest National Park
New Forest National Park
New Forest Heathlands
A relatively unspoilt and unenclosed area, don’t be alarmed if you see ponies, donkeys, deer and cattle roaming free – this gloriously unspoilt area is very much as nature intended and is all the better for it.
Some areas of the forest date as far back as 12,000 years ago when the forest first came to life when the ice sheets started to melt, while there is evidence of Bronze Age settlements in the area, whose inhabitants cleared some of the land for grazing. The forest is home to 150 scheduled ancient monuments as well as the only remaining Early Iron Age burial site in Britain. With a diverse makeup of woodland, grassland, heathland and tree plantations, the New Forest is home to a wide range of wildlife and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
While much of the New Forest is left untouched, there are plenty of things to see and do in and around the forest. Green-fingered gardeners will love the award-winning 200-acre Exbury Gardens while kids will snort in delight when they see the signs for Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park which also has over 70 rides and attractions. Petrolheads should head for the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, home to over 850 cars and bikes. Today, there are some gorgeous villages and small towns in the New Forest, with their cobbled streets perfect for exploring. Burley, with its free-grazing animals, is like taking a step back in time while Lymington, with its picture-perfect marina and classic high street, is a great day trip.
And our Christchurch / Highcliffe hotel is perfectly positioned to take it all in, just a short drive from the southern edge of the New Forest.