History of The New Forest

slight recompense, they were given the right to graze their ponies, cattle and pigs in common (i.e. running free) across the forest.

The result of this regime, together with the Royal Navy's need for oak trees during the Napoleonic wars (which led to the development of the forested enclosures) has given us a unique, if very much man made, landscape. Semi-wild ponies, cattle and pigs still roam across the forest, sharing it with several species of wild deer and leading to a very special flora and fauna driven by their grazing. The ponies especially have become a symbol of the forest, and the New Forest Pony is a recognised breed.

Of late there has been a proposal to incorporate the New Forest as a National Park, although this is controversial with the local residents who currently still operate within a quite distinct legal framework (the forest has its own special courts and governances).

The New Forest has an area of about 148 square miles, and can become very busy on a spring or summer weekend. Road traffic can be a problem on the narrow unfenced roads, which all have a 40mph speed limit to safeguard the animals. Off the paved roads, however, there are miles of unpaved forest road ideal for walking and cycling.