The New Forest - Britain's newest national park

The forest is famed for its large numbers of "wild" ponies, although wild is something of a misnomer now as most are totally at ease with the volumes of visitors and their vehicles and will allow you to approach them without fear.

Wild deer also reside in the forest; although their natural timid quality means that you will be fortunate to spot them.

The small, rustic villages are a delight with their thatched cottages and ancient Saxon churches.

Quick Tips:

Don't be led into a false sense of security because it is an English forest. Some areas are densely populated with trees and can extend for several square miles, so plot your intended bearing and remember your compass. There is a large, native adder population, mostly occupying the more open areas, particularly in the dense fern and gorse moorlands. They are rarely a threat to humans, but go carefully if you decide to turn over a dead tree bough or go treading through the ferns. Just realise that there is always the possibility of a snake resting there.

All roads throughout the forest are subject to a 40mph limit with good reason. Whereas the ponies will gently amble across, giving you ample time to stop, the deer will bound across without any warning. I had the misfortune of colliding with a 200-pound stag several years ago, and as well as the untimely death of the animal, my car required almost £3,000 of repairs, so drive carefully.

Best Way To Get Around:

It is an immensely varied countryside of not just dense woodland, but also of heath and moorland, glades, streams, ponds, and bogs. Much of it is still impenetrable unless you decide to pack your rucksack and take to the woods as the local roads tend only to skirt the main forest areas. Most of the main roads feature regular pull-ins, some of which extend back some considerable way into the forest.

The New Forest has existed for as long as records have been kept, and at one time, prior to the Norman Conquest, was many, many times it's current size of 92,000 acres, stretching well up into central Wiltshire and across westwards into Dorset.

After the Norman Conquest, William was quick to realise the importance of the forest, and he presided over the rapid replanting of any areas where the trees had been cut for timber. However, over the centuries, much illegal timber was taken and the forest diminished rapidly until Charles the Second ordered more planting in the 17th century.

Even then, timber was still being illegally felled, and so in 1848, a commission was appointed to oversee the upkeep of the forest, and finally, in the 20th century, it passed into the caring hands of the Forestry Conmmission.

The forest is full of many ancient earthworks and barrows, most of them now lost beneath layers of leaves and fallen branches from the four principal tree species that flourish here, namely the oak, elm, beech, and chestnut.

Very recently, the forest has been designated as Britain's newest national park, which will protect the indigenous flora and fauna for the enjoyment of everyone.

Buckler's Hard is a tiny village situated to the south of Beaulieu and still remains in a time warp. Sleepy cottages snooze beneath giant oaks as they've done for hundreds of years.

The villages main income is from the visitors who travel a couple more miles after seeing the delights of Beaulieu's stately home and motor museum.

Like most of the forest's villages, it has an ancient church dating back to Saxon times, plus the standard village prerequisites of a post office and pub. Were it not for the latter two, you could close your eyes here and whisk yourself back several hundred years before the din of a passing motor vehicle draws you from your daydream.

Sitting as it does on the narrow estuary of the Beaulieu River, somewhat peculiarly, an attempt was made once to turn the village into a small port. In the 18th century it became a ship-building centre with the local giant oaks providing timber for Admiral Nelson's fleet.

Close by is the Hatchet Pond, a large natural lake that serves as a haven for waterfowl and is a mecca for ornithologists.

Beaulieu is a lovely village that is often overlooked by the visitors who come to see the museum and house bearing the same name. If a little extra time is taken to park the car and explore this quaint little place, then the rewards are obvious. To find the village, follow the A337 south and then take either the B3056 from Lyndhurst or the B3055 from Brockenhurst a few miles farther south.

Beaulieu is positioned amongst hills and woodlands on the river bearing its name. This flows lazily through the village and then bubbles beneath the road built across the old weir, which has been restored recently.

There are many notable buildings here-not least of all The Montague Arms Hotel, named after the long line of lords who have occupied the nearby stately home for hundreds of years.

Beaulieu had its own Cistercian Abbey, founded in 1204 by King John, although this has long since fallen into ruin, with a few stones outlining its original plan. The Abbey's 14th-century Great Gatehouse has now become the Palace House and is preserved in fine condition.

Brockenhurst is probably a Saxon name meaning "badgers' wood", and the town is centrally located for exploring the forest. It is situated on the main north-south route through the forest, the A337.

It is a small, lively and predominantly residential town of thatched cottages and ancient inns, not least of all the oddly named "Snakecatcher Inn". This is thought to refer to the large numbers of adders that abound within the forest, which presumably required some form of culling during earlier times. No doubt, some worthy from the village performed what sounds like a less-than-enviable task.

If you take a right turn just to the north of the town, onto an unmarked lane, you will find St Nicholas' Church, situated on this site since circa 800 AD and the oldest church in the forest. It was rebuilt in 1086 by the Normans, using much of the old Saxon walling that once enclosed the yard. The small graveyard also contains many Commonwealth War graves from both global conflicts.

Lyndhurst is a bustling little town, often referred to as the capital of the new forest. Two major routes cross here, and nowadays, traffic does tend to spoil the experience somewhat. The town is to be found a further than three miles north of Brockenhurst on the A337.

The main street is full of Victorian and Edwardian buildings but is dominated by the soaring, 160-foot-high spire of the church of St Michael and All Angels, constructed in the Victorian Gothic style. If you enter the churchyard via the gate in Church Lane, the stepped pathway up to the main entrance is formed with ancient gravestones, many of them dating back more than 300 years. Apparently, the yard contains the remains of one Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration behind Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

The town has an impressive Visitors' Centre, focused naturally enough around the forest, and when I called by in early November, the place was very busy with out-of-season tourists.

The High Street is full of cosy tea shops, art studios, and over-priced antique galleries; but for the constant roar of the traffic, it would make an idyllic stop-over point. But don't let this put you off; Lyndhurst is a pretty place to see, with much of that attraction set back from the busy streets.

Downton is situated on the northernmost fringes of the forest, some 10 miles north of Lyndhurst on the B3080, and like its counterparts, it is a thriving little town bejewelled with some stunning architecture. It is also just six miles south of Salisbury, meaning that many commuters now reside in the town, preferring its rustic charms to the bustle of its grown-up neighbour.

The town's original pattern of streets dates back to circa 1250, and it contains many distinctive buildings. These include the Kings Arms public house, dating from circa 1480, and the impressive St Laurence's Church, its yard entered via a lovely, blackened-oak archway.

Just off the main street is the "Moot House" and its accompanying gardens, which are open to the public. Thatched cottages abound here, many being several hundred years old.

Downton participated in the UK's millennium celebrations on 31 December 1999, which saw a chain of beacons lit across the length of the country in specific townships and atop various hills and cliffs. Downton's own beacon has been preserved for posterity and is to be found on a small grassy bank, just up the road from the "Wooden Spoon" public house.

Just down the lanes from the town is to be found the charming hamlet of Redlynch, which is very worthwhile visiting, should you have the time after sampling the delights of Downton.