Commoners have held the legal right to let their livestock graze on the open forest for nearly a thousand years.
Pigs are released into the forest during the autumn period known as 'pannage' to eat fallen acorns, which are poisonous to ponies.
The forest contains the Rufus Stone, marking the site where King William II was killed by an arrow while hunting in 1100.
The park was designated a National Park in 2005, making it one of the youngest in the United Kingdom.
No fences enclose the majority of the forest, allowing animals to walk onto residential streets and public roads.
The forest houses rare habitats including valley mires, which support unique carnivorous plants like the sundew.
Local laws require that dogs must be kept under close control near livestock to prevent the disturbance of ponies.
The New Forest was used extensively by the Royal Navy during the 17th and 18th centuries to source 'compass timber' for shipbuilding.
The park's soil is largely acidic, leading to the development of widespread heathland rather than dense forest in many central areas.
The New Forest National Park covers 219 square miles of ancient woodland, heathland, and coastline in southern England. The landscape is defined by its unique system of commoning, where ponies, cattle, donkeys, and pigs roam freely across unfenced roads and open commons. Established as a royal hunting ground by William the Conqueror in 1079, it retains historical rights for local commoners to graze livestock. The park contains one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture and heath in Europe. It is home to all five species of British deer, including the rare sika and fallow deer. The forest floor is characterized by ancient pollarded beech and oak trees, some of which are over 400 years old. Visitors have access to over 140 miles of walking and cycling tracks. The park is a significant biodiversity hotspot protected under multiple international conservation designations. It includes a 26-mile coastline stretching from the Solent to the mouth of the Beaulieu River.
The Knightwood Oak, the largest and oldest oak tree in the forest.
Carry a map or GPS device, as the dense forest cover and lack of signposts can make navigation difficult for inexperienced walkers.
Respect the animals by keeping a significant distance and never feeding the ponies or donkeys.
Check local weather forecasts before visiting, as the forest paths become extremely muddy and waterlogged following heavy rainfall.
Feeding the ponies, which causes them to congregate near roads and increases the risk of traffic accidents.
Wear waterproof hiking boots, keep dogs on leads near wildlife, and do not touch or feed the free-roaming ponies.
