Forest Leisure Cycling

Cycling, mountainbiking, bike rides, nordic walking, hiking the riverside paths. We have access to a great track at Forest Leisure Park. All year round cycle routes for all abilities. New mountain bike trails and tracks here now open 7 days in all weathers. Open 7 days a week all year round. Come and try out mountain biking near Nottingham. Cycle hire and bike sales from the Severn Valley Forest. Cycling Routes, cycle training, cycle hire, workshops and taster days.

Located close to the Severn Way, Bristol to Bath Railway Path, Ermin-hayes Nature Reserve and River Avon, Hampshire List (hampshire-list.co.uk). Details of local attractions. Cafe with views over the River Avon. Cycle menu available in the cafe. Forest Leisure Cycling is based in East Sussex and is available to you for all your cycle hire and cycle skills needs. We offer cycle hire packages from a regular mountain bike to an electric assisted pedelec. Cycle trails are accessible by foot, cycle, car or train and they cover a huge area right around the coast of Rye Bay.

Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway

Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway. Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway is currently closed for winter maintenance. We look forward to welcoming you again in Spring 2019, and have lots of exciting plans in store! Thank you for your patience while we work hard to deliver an exceptional visitor experience for our returning visitors, as well as those of you who haven’t visited us before. Think of Exbury Gardens as a giant self-watering jigsaw puzzle, made up of 9 acres of flower beds and planted with over 7,000 trees and shrubs.

Every year the team at Exbury grows & plants 2 million bulbs especially for the Spring display. Why not explore our Gardens to see what you can find!. Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway is currently closed for winter maintenance. We look forward to welcoming you again from 1st April 2018. Please check back on our website or Facebook page for a full update nearer the time. Meanwhile, we will see you in the Spring!. When you think of Exbury Gardens, you’re probably thinking about their wonderful Early 20th Century gardens.

Furzey Gardens

Furzey Gardens, originally built in the 17th century is a charming and unique tea room set within a working organic Herb Garden. The gardens are open to the public and are a great day out for all the family to explore the history of the estate, enjoy Children's play areas within fabulous walled gardens, discover our wildlife pond, wander down tree lined avenues or just admire many varieties of herbs, alpines and plants. In the summer I often have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

It’s so busy, I hardly have a moment to stand still. The winter is hard work, with the chill in the air and the wind sweeping everything off the table outside the tearoom. But despite our fierce weather and shorter days, there is still much to see in Furzey Gardens in the winter months. During the winter of 2017-2018 we closed Furzey Gardens and the Furzey Tearooms. Our plan is to reopen in Spring 2019, with a new entrance, new tea rooms and gift shop, and a brand new cafe.

Our garden. Furzey Gardens is a stunning place to visit. It has been made more special since the old tea-rooms became a new art gallery, and all the grounds have a calming and delightful atmosphere. Furzey Gardens Take a break, and enjoy the views. The tea rooms are open until 30th September. Download our brochure for 2019 here…. But did you know that it’s also home to the Exbury and New Forest Steam Railway?.

New Forest Classic Car Hire

The New Forest is an area of southern England which is home to some of the most impressive scenery nature England has to offer, and also some very cool cars. Each day you could find yourself driving on a country lane with the stunning New Forest in view as you pass through villages, commons and heathland. New Forest Classic car hire takes pride in supplying some of the best classic cars available on British roads today.

From Aston Martins and Lotus to Jaguar E-Types and Mercedes SLC’s, we cater for all tastes. New Forest Classic Car Hire is a luxury classic car hire company in the heart of the New Forest, close to Beaulieu. We offer self-drive 2 hour trips across the New Forest in a beautiful selection of vintage and classic cars. This is an unforgettable experience that will bring back many memories and make your days an adventure. We have something for everyone.

New Forest Classic Car Hire offers a selection of quality classic and vintage cars to hire for self drive holidays. We think that driving your own car gives you the freedom to explore at your leisure, the road less travelled and most importantly provides a fun self drive holiday alternative if you're planning a visit to the New Forest. In a beautiful location with stunning scenery, New Forest Classic Car Hire provides an exquisite classic car hire service.

Whether it’s for a family picnic or celebration photographs, our stunning models provide a perfect location for any occasion. If you are looking for something different and fun to do this summer or just want to have a great day out then take a look at New Forest Classic Car Hire. Forest Leisure Cycling, Located close to the trails, Cycle routes for all ages and abilities. Open 7 days, All Year Round.

Eling Tide Mill Experience

Eling Tide Mill has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries. For 900 years millers have harnessed the power of the Thames Estuary’s nine-metre tides to grind grain. But tide mills were one of many watermills and windmills that powered England’s tenth century economy. Water wheels could be found on all the main rivers of South East England and on manors across the country. Eling Mill, is an historic working tide mill, and one of very few remaining to have survived in its original state and location.

It is a valuable reminder of the way in which England was transformed from an agrarian economy into a major European industrial powerhouse in just 300 years following the Black Death. Eling Tide Mill has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries. For 900 years millers have turned the tide using water drawn from the river Test, faithfully grinding grains of corn into flour on every tide change and filling the tide lock in order to keep the sea out.

The Mill is unique, not only because of its age - it is now a scheduled ancient monument and one of oldest working mills in England - but also because it is still owned by a family, with three generations working there today. Eling Tide Mill has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries. For 900 years millers have read its tides to regulate the grind of corn into fine flour to feed the islanders.

I suppose when you have had your business at the heart of a community for that length of time you earn your place in our hearts as Eling Tide Mill has. Eling Tide Mill has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries. For 900 years millers have harnessed the power of the tide to grind the grain grown by local farmers ensuring it was milled direct from the field, reducing its journey to market.

The Eling Tide Mill Experience. There are few buildings as steeped in history as this, which not only gives the history of how the mill came to be, but also what it would have been like to work here 900 years ago. Eling Tide Mill has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries. For 900 years millers have ground corn and powered clapper bridges, hotels and flour mills. Forest Leisure Cycling.

Dogstival

Dogstival. Dogstival. THE coolest dog show in town is back on the 5th and 6th June 2021 at the glorious RAI Amsterdam. Over 50,000 visitors from all over the world will be enjoying the dog show with their beloved dogs. Meet up with other dog owners, enjoy this unique world of entertainment, innovation and education. Take a look at all that’s in store for you – and your best friend!. Dogstival. Dogstival.

. THE coolest dog show in town is back on the 5th and 6th June 2021 at the glorious NEC and there's sure to be something for everyone as dogs and people come together from across the country to compete in over 80 classes. From Corgi racing to Jack Russell agility, from Labradoodles to Whippets. Just a short video to remind you that there's a Dogstival on the 5th and 6th June 2021 at the glorious Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet.

New Forest and Hampshire County Show 2021

T he New Forest and Hampshire County Show is an event for all the family to enjoy. Not only can you see a host of fascinating animals, but also try your hand at games, indulge in everything from sweet treats to savouries – including Neeps and Tatties – in our fun food hall but get hands on with crafts, art classes and music. The New Forest and Hampshire County Show has something for everyone! Plus much more!.

The New Forest Show is a great family day out, the purpose of fundraising for our charity and, of course, a showcase for the best produce that the New Forest and Hampshire County have to offer. The New Forest and Hampshire County Show is a "must visit event" for everyone in the family. It's a wonderful, action packed show that will appeal to both young and old alike. New Forest Show 2021. Create a lifetime of memories at the New Forest Show.

The official tourism website for the region

We hope to welcome visitors from around the world back to the New Forest very soon, and want you to know that our new website is creating exciting opportunities for local people. As a small island we are home to a wide range of habitats, species and communities. We want our website to show you not only what we have but also how we all work together in partnership to care for it. You can find out more about how the Forestry Commission is helping us look after the land here.

At a time when people’s lives, livelihoods and homes are under threat because of flooding, we also wanted our website to tell you about the challenges the New Forest faces, including water management and tree health. Do you love the great outdoors? Are you looking for an adventure holiday that is blissfully free of fellow tourists? If so, then why not discover the New Forest National Park? Away from the hustle and bustle of more frequented pursuits, there’s a virtual smorgasbord of activities just waiting to be enjoyed.

From cycling in the forest under scenic canopies to foodie discoveries in quaint country towns; from super smooth sandy beaches to tangled marshes full of wildlife…plus much more besides. The New Forest region on the south coast of England is the UK’s largest protected area of natural beauty, spanning 7,360 hectares (18,590 acres) and covering much of Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. Our unspoilt landscape offers a unique way of life amid ancient trees, rare flora and fauna and chalk downland that offer glimpses into times gone by.

The New Forest National Park is one of England's most special places. It's a unique haven for wildlife, a place of great natural beauty and it's full of adventure waiting to be discovered by you. Find out more about the New Forest. The New Forest Show is. Close to the trails. Cycle routes for all ages and abilities. Open 7 days, All Year Round. This leads round farmland to the car park in the middle of Farlington Marshes.

Geography

New Forest National Park. The total area of the 'national park'in 2005 (inclusive of all areas previously designated as such under various designations) was 1007. 1km2 (392. 9sqmi). Of that area, 719. 8km2 (278. 0sqmi) is designated as 'New Forest National Park', including a small amount of private landholdings and other land not previously included in a national park designation. The national park includes about two-thirds of the SSSI, but does not include the remaining 133.

Wildlife

New Forest is a national nature reserve and is recognised as an internationally important habitat. It is composed of five main ecosystem types which are heathland, grassland, scrub, woodland (deciduous and pine) and wetland. The diversity and uneven distribution of habitat across the area (for example, the semi-natural broadleaved woodland in the north-east corner of the Forest) make it a good area for searching for unusual wildlife. With regards to the biome, two of the most important are valley bogs.

These lowland peat forming wetlands are a nationally prominent feature of the New Forest landscape. Where they occur in the New Forest, valley bogs are usually covered with heather or stunted trees and shrubs such as orpine, cross-leaved heath and bog myrtle. Where they are particularly wet, they have a small number of sphagnum mosses and ericaceous plants. The New Forest contains habitats which are important for several rare species. Scientific study of the Forest began in 1766, when John Bidder conducted a survey to determine the area of the Crown Estate.

This followed concerns about the impact of logging, and lasting effects of clearance for agriculture particularly during the Medieval period. 3km2 (51. 4sqmi) of the SSSI, which overlaps into the Christchurch Harbour Site of. The central part of the national park is formed of large forest wilderness areas, known as "bogs" or "hangers". The Lymington River flows northwards through the western part of the forest. Although the river provides a corridor through which to travel by road, most travellers take the New Forest bike paths running alongside.

Settlements

The name "New Forest" was introduced by the Norman conquerors of England, and it means "new wood". There are references to the Royal Forest of PPortland" in the Pipe Rolls of 1188. The New Forest was created as a hunting ground by William the Conqueror. It was used for his own pleasure, and he confined his knights and their followers in a "forest court" where they had to perform military service as the King's bowmen.

The name "New Forest" is relatively recent, and refers in fact to the forest created by the manorial division of William II. In earlier centuries it was known variously as Ytene, Gernemue (the Saxon form of "the place of the deer"), or Lyndewode – derived from a belief that Lyon (also a derivative of "leof", meaning "beloved") was buried there. The New Forest is an area of south western England covering 260 square miles (673 km²) of land between the cities of Bournemouth and Southampton.

It is known for its rich heritage and for its rare habitats such as the Great Spruce wood, heathland, valley mires, wetland meadows and lakes. The largest area of the New Forest is in Hampshire, and it lies just a few miles south of Southampton. The border with Dorset (to the west) and Wiltshire (to the southwest) follows approximately a line from Cranborne to Hythe. The New Forest is the newest of the British National Parks, founded in 1905.

New Forest National Park

Eventually, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, announced her decision to designate the proposed park as a National Park on 30 June 2006. The date of designation was put back to 31 August 2006 to allow for an assessment of its impact on businesses and other organisations in the area which might be affected by the changes. On 1 April 2002 the Countryside Recreation and Public Access Act 2001 was passed giving public bodies the power to assist in the preparation of management strategies and development proposals for national parks.

The Countryside Agency therefore set up a national park working group to look into how best it could assist in examining the case for a New Forest Park. In December 2002 the Secretary of State, Estelle Morris (on behalf of the relevant government minister, Charles Clarke), confirmed the order. In this process, the Centre for Defence Studies, at King's College London described the New Forest as 'an area where there is a demonstrable potential for a terrorist threat'.

Visitor attractions and places

The New Forest is a local government district that covers the New Forest National Park, and lies within the counties of Hampshire and Dorset in South West England. It roughly covers the same area as the historic county of Hampshire (of which it is named after), but only includes parts of the ceremonial county, namely all of the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset. It borders the non-metropolitan counties of Wiltshire and Somerset, and lies entirely within the South West region.

The town of New Milton is located in the western part of the civil parish, and is represented at Westminster by the Member of Parliament for the New Forest East constituency. Notable current and former residents include:. There is no "New Forest District Council", and no separate local government covering the whole area (although there was at one time - see "Parishes" below). The New Forest is divided into six civil parishes:. The New Forest capitalises on the public's interest in its history, both natural and man-made, popularising it as a place for visitors to enjoy.

Its 'attractions'include:. The New Forest is divided into 17 civil parishes which are grouped together in four District Councils:. The New Forest is governed by five local authorities:. A draft Order confirming the designation was produced in March 2002 but did not go out to public consultation because it was withdrawn by the Countryside Agency after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) raised concerns about some of the provisions. It covers 404 square miles (1,040 km2) of land - 10% of the total area of Hampshire, and almost 15% of the total area of Southern England.

Politics

The constituency of New Forest East is considered a safe Conservative seat, despite the mixed political allegiances of many of the residents of the area. There is some opposition to Government policy (this constituency was one of few where there was a swing to Labour taking at least part of the Conservative majority in 2005) but New Forest East is solidly Conservative and has not been represented by any other party since 1950.  Although New Forest West is more marginal, it has also seen strong support for the Conservatives and only had its first non-Conservative MP in 1997.

All areas are within the South West Hampshire local government district and have regularly voted Conservative in local elections. The New Forest is represented in Parliament as part of the New Forest Constituency. Despite this constituency being granted the status of a semi-constituency under the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, it is held by two MPs who regularly represent different parts of the area. Dr Julian Lewis has been the local MP for New Forest East since 1992, when he took over from Bill Penrose; however, he has now moved to represent the whole area as New Forest West is also included into a semi-constituency.

There are two constituencies that cover the New Forest. Most of the New Forest lies within New Forest East which elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system. The Forest is the stronger Conservative Party territory; in the 2017 election, the Conservatives won 57% of the vote — a joint low in recent history. Here is an ariel photograph of it looking at Beaulieu near to where many site owners and marketers are based:.

The New Forest is within the South West Region of England, which is a directly-elected European Parliament constituency. This region elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The New Forest is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the first-past-the-post system of election. The New Forest is not itself a constituency but part of the South East England European Parliament constituency which elects 7 MEPs.

Birds

The majority of the heath is made up of low-growing heather, often Calluna vulgaris mixed with moor grass, especially Deschampsia flexuosa. As well as heather, in patches these moors include crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and sphagnum moss. These areas are dominated by a peaty soil that produces a wet, acid peat when undisturbed. Soils here are acidic with a low pH, below 5. 0 in many places, and are nutrient poor due to the acidic and infertile nature of the chemicals released from the peat.

Deer

Gardens and open spaces are scattered about the Forest, with recreation grounds such as al fresco dining at restaurant, grassy slopes where one can sit on a blanket or lie in the sun, and large wooded areas for picnics. More formal gardens include the Japanese garden at the Mansion House, which dates back to 1932; Treverbyn tearooms, once owned by Betty's friend Treverbyn Smith; the Pagoda tea house in Bodinnick; St Columba's church beautiful gardens including a ruined dovecote and beehives; and Merthen Manor.

. The white-tail is the emblem animal of the Forest and you will often see their statues around in the city. The deer population is monitored and managed by the Conservators of Ashdown Forest, a representative body of landholders with the aim of safeguarding and enhancing the Forest for generations to come. ". There are over 300 deer living in the Forest, as you can see on the Wildlife page. The fallow and roe deer were brought from the Continent, while the red deer arrived naturally.

The fallow and roe are quite common throughout the Forest these days, but there is little sign of any red deer. There are numerous deer living in the forest; they are rather shy and tend to hide when people come around, but at night they become much bolder. There are fallow deers (Dama dama) which are common, followed by roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elephas). Deer stalking is a popular pursuit in the Forest (see below, "Selected walks").

Conservation measures

The New Forest was given its own Biodiversity Action Plan in March 2010. A biodiversity action plan is a conservation tool defined by the EU to identify threatened habitats and species, set conservation objectives and measure progress towards meeting these targets. This will be coordinated between the Forestry Commission, Natural England, local government, NGOs and those who live, work and recreate in the Forest. In December 2012 the government announced that it would not be renewing its funding for the Forestry Commissions's Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for England after 2013.

. The New Forest is one of the best examples of surviving medieval landscapes in Europe and has no modern development other than roads, paths, and a few scattered farmsteads or smallholdings. The West Soil Partnership Scheme was launched in 2004 to restore, protect and improve heathland and grassland habitats.  The scheme is led by Natural England with partners including the Forestry Commission (England), the RSPB, Hampshire County Council, and the Environment Agency. There are over 250 identified species of butterfly in the New Forest.

This includes 13 species of resident and breeding moth; the largest number in Southern England. In recent years the New Forest has acted as an important stopover or hibernation site for many migrating species of birds. The New Forest was included in the list of nearly 850 woodlands and forests throughout Britain recognised by the Forestry Commission as having a. The red deer is a protected species; thus, the use of dogs is illegal, except under special circumstances.