Thursday 6 December 2007

The New Forest

The New Forest National Park was given its full status as recently as 2005/6. The area is vast and is bounded by the towns of Hythe, Totton and Holbury on Southampton water in the east, the South Coast towns of Lymington, Christchurch and Bournemouth to the South, Ringwood and the Wiltshire and Dorset borders to the West and almost to Downton and Romsey in the North.

The area has always been a great area of tourism and always famous for the 'New Forest Ponies'. The ponies roam the forest and to any areas not protected by suitable cattle grids.

Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Ringwood, Beaulieu, Lymington are major centres for New Forest visitors. Restaurants, Bed & Breakfast accommodation and 'pubs with character' abound both in the towns and surrounding areas. The New Forest National Park's own website provides a wealth of additional information and maps.

Beaulieu
- located in the heart of the New Forest - is a beautiful community with its own special; visitor attraction - the National Motor Museum and Abbey.

Lymington - always one of my favourites - is world famous for it's sailing activities. Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight is the destination of the local ferry. A historic town with its main street climbing from the harbour. The Saturday market has always been a favourite of my wife!

Bucklers Hard - another favourite - with it's unique 2 rows of cottages running down to the waters edge. The small community was 'the centre' for the building of the old wooden fighting ships. The location chosen for the oak timbers of the forest and proximity to the Solent accessed via the Beaulieu River. The museum gives a wonderful in-site to the area with some of the old cottages showing 'how live would have been'.

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