Blackwater Arboretum & Tall Trees Trail
As someone who plans to travel the States and Canada over the coming years, I scoured the internet for practically anywhere that looked a little less, well…English, than everything I had become so accustomed to seeing. I had heard wonderful things about the New Forest National Park and how it feels so starkly different from many areas of the southern UK that I have so far been familiar with.
A couple of semi-feral ponies grazing by our chosen lunch spot
With a fascinating background rooted in its conception by William I in 1079 for the purpose of royal hunts, ‘Nova Foresta’ (as it was first listed in the Domesday Book) truly takes your breath away, particularly this little pocket in Lyndhurst. Drive off the motorway, over a cattle grid and into something straight out of The Hobbit, with redwoods lining the roads and sharing the expansive forest with firs and a whole plethora of trees hailing from Norway, Japan and North America, to name but a few.
Stunning landscapes and natural wildlife aside, the New Forest really does feel like its own little planet: a planet boasting its own set of unique inhabitants! Horses, pigs and donkeys turned out into the forests by New Forest Commoners roam freely, and you certainly have to keep your wits about yourself when driving through the dainty local village roads as many donkeys decide the middle of the road is the optimal spot for a nap.
One of the largest Redwood trees in the UK
The Blackwater Arboretum has great importance for Forestry England as it is home to over 100 different species of tree, many of which are rare and protected. It was a great experience to be able to see such a variety in a small space; the main protected trees are in their own gated area to protect from human activity and wildlife. Much of the trail is designed to be ‘sensory’: signage around the park encourages visitors to touch the bark and branches, inspect the leaves and take in the sights and scents, so great for children and adults alike.
The New Forest is such a brilliant location for photography. After not using my camera for over a year and a half, I was mildly concerned that I would have lost all my skill, but I needn’t have feared-especially as the models were all so inquisitive!
One of the many inhabitants of the New Forest National Park
Unlike many of the walks back at home in Herts and Beds, we spent the vast majority of the trip alone, aside from the company of each other and the ponies, of course. Much of the New Forest is so isolated that you could easily go hours in the deeper woodland without seeing or hearing a soul, but it is far from a lonely experience.
It is definitely recommend find a secluded spot away from the beaten path to have lunch for a truly unforgettable experience, although the car park at the beginning of the Tall Trees trail has multiple picnic benches, toilets and even an ice-cream van, so there truly is something for all the family.
There is truly something so special about the landscape of the New Forest that is sure to touch the hearts of travellers and adventurers young and old, and there is something new to discover with every visit. With a breath-taking rolling landscape and changing scenery, this is not a location to hang on until summer to visit: there are a number of campsites that remain open all year round so that you don't have to put your plans on pause.
Respect the local flora and fauna, pay close attention to the speed limits and, as always, leave no trace, and you're set for an unforgettable trip that you will want to recreate year after year.
Our next trip into the New Forest is in the works; with so much open land and so many pockets of natural beauty throughout the area, it is certainly going to take multiple visits to feel as though you have fully absorbed everything it has to give, and the same can surely be said throughout the changing seasons, too.
Until next time,
