The New Forest National Park
A world capital for wildlife
Ancient woodlands, wild open heathlands and stretches of beautiful coastline.
The New Forest National Park’s landscape is unique and includes the largest area of lowland heath in southern England, a rare habitat that once covered this part of the country. The New Forest is not a natural landscape though, it has been shaped over hundreds of years by people, by history and by the animals that still graze it today.
Visiting
Care for the Forest , Activity
Help care for the unique landscape and diverse wildlife of the New Forest.
Discover wildlife , Activity
Wherever you go in the New Forest you are likely to see many different types of plants, trees, insects and birds.
Walk traffic-free trails , Activity
Miles of off-road walks and cycle tracks take you into woods, by sea, over heath or along rivers and streams.
Special qualities
Outstanding natural beauty: the sights, sounds and smells of ancient woodland with veteran trees, heathland, bog and an unspoilt coastline.
An extraordinary diversity of plants and animals of international importance.
A unique historic, cultural and archaeological heritage from royal hunting ground to ship-building, salt-making and 500 years of military coastal defence.
An historic commoning system, forming the heart of a working landscape based on farming and forestry.
The iconic New Forest pony together with donkeys, pigs and cattle roaming free.
Tranquillity in the midst of the busy, built-up south of England.
Wonderful opportunities for quiet recreation, learning and discovery in one of the last extensive, gentle landscapes in the south including unmatched open access on foot and horseback.
A healthy environment: fresh air, clean water, local produce and a sense of ‘wildness’.
Strong and distinctive local communities with real pride in and sense of identity with their local area.
Did you know...
Architects of the Forest
One of the first things you notice in the New Forest are the free-roaming animals.
It’s rare to travel more than a few miles without coming across these famous Forest residents grazing on gorse, wandering through villages or even crossing roads.
The ponies, cattle, donkeys and pigs are known as ‘the architects of the Forest’ because it is their grazing that creates the accessible landscape we all enjoy.
They are owned by local people called commoners, who take great pride in their animals and there is a strong commoning culture within the Forest.
The animals have an ever-changing pattern of grazing which could not be replicated by a single herd and commoning makes a positive contribution to the remarkable biodiversity of the New Forest.
Getting around
The New Forest is a welcoming landscape with lots of villages, good visitor facilities and excellent rail and road links. It is well-served by a public bus network and there are three open top New Forest Tour routes running throughout the summer.
Arrive by train
Let the train take the strain and enjoy unforgettable views as you travel to the National Park. Brockenhurst station is in the heart of the New Forest and there are six further rail stations in and around the National Park.
Cycling
Cycling the New Forest’s network of permitted routes is an ideal way to discover the beauty of the National Park. It’s easy to hop off a train and head straight out for a cycle ride, so leave the car at home and experience the landscape up close.
Could spending more time among trees be good for us?🌳
Research into forests suggests natural compounds called phytoncides could promote a sense of wellbeing and that time spent in woodlands can help decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.
Forest bathing is the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku - which translates as ‘forest bath.’ It’s all about immersing ourselves in nature. Not to get steps in. Not to reach anywhere. Just to feel, be still and be present.
And our National Parks can certainly help. From pine forests and wooded valleys to ancient trees. Our parks are helping people to slow down and reconnect with the natural world every day.
Have you ever tried forest bathing? Tell us below👇
1. Stanmer Woods - @southdownsnp
2. Whinlatter Forest - @lakedistrictnpa
3. Cairngorms National Park @cairngormsnationalpark
4. North York Moors National Park @northyorkmoors
#Mindfulness #ForestBathing #Wellbeing #NationalParks
Has the rain reached you yet? 🌧️
A change in the weather is making its way across our National Parks. And with it comes a different rhythm to the landscape - changing how our surroundings look, sound and feel.
The sound of rain. The smell of wet earth. The air feeling fresher. Wildlife finding shelter.
What do you notice most when the rain arrives?
#RainyDay #BritishWeather #NationalParksUK
They may look like windmills, but in The Broads National Park, they are actually windpumps.
Rather than grinding flour, they were built to pump water from the marshes, helping to drain the land for agriculture and grazing.
Today, these distinctive structures are part of what makes the Broads landscape so recognisable.
And while this is a story from the Broads, it’s one that can be found across all 15 of our National Parks - landscapes shaped by people finding ways to adapt to live and work within their landscape. Something which still remains the case today.
Did you know that one of these mills is said to be haunted? Comment down below which one you think it is 👇
In photograph order:
📍1. St Benets Mill
📍2. Horsey Mill
📍3. Turf Fen Mill
📍4. Thurne Mill
📍5. Bograve Mill
#NorfolkBroads #NationalPark #Windpumps
✨🌙 Look up!
With a partial solar eclipse taking place tonight across the UK, we’re reminded about how important it is for our dark skies to be protected. Our National Parks are home to some of the best places in the UK to enjoy them, due to low levels of light pollution.
These incredible photos capture another recent celestial phenomenon that has been on display for stargazers and is peaking tonight - the Perseid meteor shower.
The sightings were captured in @northyorkmoors - home to one of the UK’s largest areas of protected dark sky.
🌟Tag us in your eclipse photos across our National Parks. Just be sure to follow safe viewing and photography guidance while you snap!
📷 1. Perseid meteor shower at Skelton Tower by Richard Horsman.
📷 2. Milky Way and Perseid meteor shower at Sutton Bank by Russ Norman.
📍North York Moors National Park #DarkSkies #SolarEclipse #Perseid #MeteorShower
Just goats being goats. 🐐
These incredible animals call the Valley of Rocks in @exmoornp home - scaling walls and cliffs, grazing on the rich meadows and, occasionally, blocking the roads!
They’re a wonderful reminder of why our National Parks are so important, providing a home for such a diverse range of wildlife.
Have you ever spotted one?
📷 Exmoor National Park
#ValleyOfRocks #Exmoor #Goats #NationalPark
Look out for us at the cinema. 🎬🌳
Our latest Wild Spaces episode, screening before selected films, takes you to Northumberland National Park. Their team, alongside farmers, landowners and volunteers, is working together to create healthier, more resilient landscapes through woodland creation and hedgerow planting.
It’s a story of partnership, long-term thinking, and the small actions that can have a lasting impact.
Find out more about the project and watch the episode via the link in our bio. 🔗
@northumberlandnationalpark
#WildSpaces #Northumberland #TreePlanting
💭You might have heard of peatland, but what exactly is it and why does it matter so much?
Peatlands are our natural climate allies. They store vast amounts of carbon, support rare wildlife, improve water quality, reduce flood risk and preserve thousands of years of archaeological and cultural history.
Some of the UK`s most important peatlands are found within our National Parks, making them critical places for tackling the climate and nature crises.
Across the UK`s National Parks, peatland restoration projects are helping damaged peatlands recover, benefiting both nature and people.
📍Dartmoor National Park
#NationalParks #Peatlands #NatureRecovery
Our National Parks tell the stories of the people and places that came before us.
A new Joint Statement on the Historic Environment in the National Parks of England, Scotland and Wales has launched.
Bringing together the 15 National Parks and heritage partners, the statement sets out a shared commitment to protecting the historic places and features that help shape our landscapes.
From ancient monuments and archaeological sites to historic buildings and traces of past generations, our National Parks are home to thousands of years of history.
Together, we’re working to care for these special places so their stories can continue to be discovered, valued and enjoyed for generations to come.
Read the full statement via the link in our bio 🔗
#NationalParks #UKHistory #Heritage
