New Forest Northern Commons

New Forest ponies drink at Dockens Water in the New Forest, Hampshire

Important notice -

Our car parks (apart from Foxbury) are now open. If the car park is full please come back another time. Help protect the New Forest by not parking on the verges. High fire risks - fires of any kind, including BBQs, are not allowed.

A colourful mosaic of blooming heather and gorse, braided wetlands and ancient woodland pasture

More about this place

Family walking dogs

Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit 

We’ve opened more than 100 gardens and parks in England and Northern Ireland through advanced booking. From Monday 6 July, we’re gradually opening gardens and parklands in Wales. Tickets are released on Friday for the following week. More than 200 coast and countryside car parks are open across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. All National Trust houses remain closed for now. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.

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New Forest Northern Commons

Things to see and do

Path cutting through heathland in the New Forest

Summer walks in the New Forest 

Discover a wealth of wildlife and picture-perfect views with a summer walk in our New Forest Commons. We've got three very different downloadable trails for you to try, drawing you into some of the Forest's fascinating history, and magnificent ancient landscapes. We encourage everyone to observe social distancing measures while they visit, and follow the Countryside Code to help protect this precious landscape.

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New Forest Northern Commons

Wildlife

A pair of nightjars at the New Forest Northern Commons

Summer wildlife in the New Forest 

Head to the open heaths of our New Forest commons on a summer evening for a wildlife fiesta. You'll find flittering bats, delicate moths and a magnificent dusk chorus. Listen out for the churring of the rare nightjar.

Belted Galloway cattle grazing at Foxbury in the New Forest, Hampshire

Lowland heathland in the New Forest 

Lowland heathland is an internationally rare habitat, for which the New Forest is one of the main strongholds in Britain. This varied landscape provides habitat for a vast array of rare and diverse wildlife, including an array of birds, reptiles, insects and plants.

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New Forest Northern Commons

Our work

Horses grazing on the heathland in the New Forest

Why we cut down some trees in the New Forest 

The cutting of trees by the team at this time of the year can appear very destructive, but these extremely important management practices are undertaken to protect the rare heathland for years to come.

A ranger carrying out vital conservation work in the New Forest, Hampshire

See what we've been getting up to 

Learn about the all important but often unnoticed day to day work we do throughout the year that maintains this land for everyone to enjoy.

Ranger walking in the forest, Hampshire

Who's who  

Our team have an important role caring for our varied New Forest habitats.

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New Forest Northern Commons

History

Horses galloping across Foxbury in the New Forest, Hampshire

The history of the New Forest 

The New Forest has a history stretching back over a thousand years, and has traditions which are still going strong to this day.

Gorse and cattle in Foxbury in the New Forest, Hampshire

The tradition of commoning in the New Forest 

Find out about the tradition of commoning in the New Forest

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New Forest Northern Commons

Join or give

Family on a walk at Furzley Common, New Forest, Hampshire

Dedicate a donation to the New Forest Northern Commons 

You can continue to support the New Forest Northern Commons by dedicating a donation to someone special and adding your precious memories to our interactive map. A perfect way to celebrate a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, your donation will help us continue to care for the New Forest.

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