The New Forest National Park

The New Forest may be England's newest National Park, and the first in the South East, but in other ways it is the oldest, being a part of the English countryside. It was set aside for special protection by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, who named it as his "New" hunting forest, as a jealously guarded Reserve for the Royal Deer.

This is a wonderful area of ancient forest, open glades and heath, where ponies and cattle freely graze in forest clearings, and wild deer still roam between mighty oak trees and dense beech woods. Local people still safeguard their ancient common grazing and other rights, administered by a special Verderer's Court which dates back to Norman times.

Established in 2005, the New Forest National Park covers 57,086 hectares or 220 square miles, extending from the Avon Valley in the west to Southampton Water in the east, from the Solent coast in the south to the Wiltshire Downs in the north. 66% of the area is within the ancient Perambulation of the Forest, mainly common lands controlled by the Verderers, whilst 56% includes areas of forest and lowland heath which are of national importance for nature conservation. National Park designation means additional powers to protect the area, and additional resources for conservation and for visitor management. Given the closeness of the New Forest to the cities of Southampton and Bournemouth, as well as fast road and rail connections from many other conurbations in the south of England, (London is barely 90 minutes away by train), such additional protection is vital.

The New Forest is crossed by numerous beautiful rides and walks through the forest and across its ancient commons, with full public access on foot along them. There is also a network of public rights of way outside the central areas, offering equally superb walks, and there are networks of quiet lanes and gravel tracks, where cycling is permitted.

The main public transport access is provided the London-Weymouth railway line, with very frequent electric trains (over 100 per day) to Brockenhurst from Southampton, Bournemouth , London and other stations, as well as hourly Virgin Cross-Country trains from Reading, Oxford, Birmingham and the north of England. There are also several local stations which give good access for walkers and cyclists into the Forest at Sway, Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst Road, Lymington Town and Pier (on the Isle of Wight branch).

In addition there are a number of regular bus services through and across the Forest, the most important being Wilts and Dorset's hourly service 56 between Southampton and Lymington which also link Lyndhurst village and Brockenhurst station, service X34/X35 between Bournemouth and Southampton which calls at Burley and Lyndhurst, and, to the west, the X3 between Poole, Bournemouth and Salisbury via Ringwood, Ibsley and Fordingbridge. These key services all operate approximately hourly weekdays, two hourly Sundays. Less frequent is local service 112 between Lymington and Hythe via Norleywood, East Boldre, Beaulieu and Dibden, (irregular and weekdays only). Very useful services to access the eastern edge and south east corner of the National Park are the Blue Star 9 route operates up to a 20 minute frequency (hourly Sundays) by Solent Blue Line direct from Southampton Bus and rail stations, 7 days a week to Dibden Purlieu, Holbury, Blackfield, Langley or Calshot.

The New Forest has an important "Car-Free Tourism" project supported by the National Park Authority and other the local authorities and tourism bodies in the Forest. They rightly state that "Cars are not naturally a part of the Forest and more and more visitors are wanting to come for a more enjoyable way of getting around the destination" (details from www.thenewforest.co.uk).

A major initiative of the Car Free Tourism project has been the New Forest Tour, operated by an open top double-decker bus - the perfect way of enjoying superb high level views of the Forest landscape. It also has a cycle carrying trailer capable of holding nine bikes. The circular service operates from Lyndhurst at 10am, and then hourly linking with Brockenhurst station, Lymington Pier and Beaulieu. Details of exact days of operation and timetable are available from the operator, Solent Blue line. In 2006, thanks to Hampshire County Council, a comfortable new state of the art vehicle will be available to operate this popular service.

Bike and Train are the perfect combination to discover the New Forest in an environmentally friendly way for a day or a to enjoy a weekend or longer break - bikes being carried on most trains, with the first stage of the New Forest Cycle Route which several New Forest villages being now open. You can hire cycles in advance of your visit and pick them up when your train arrives at Brockenhurst Station - see www.countrylanes.co.uk for full information.

Best places to stay in the Forest without a car

Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst with their excellent transport links. For comprehensive accommodation information, from comfortable luxury hotels and guest houses to camp sites details see www.thenewforest.co.uk. Further cycling information see the Hantsweb site. There is also a 36 bed Youth Hostel with family rooms at Burley, about 1km or half a mile from the X34/5 bus stop. Log on to www.yha.org.uk or tel 0870 770 5734 for details.