New Forest Northern Commons
A colourful mosaic of blooming heather and gorse, braided wetlands and ancient woodland pasture
New Forest Northern Commons
Facilities and access
New Forest Northern Commons
Overview
A colourful mosaic of blooming heather and gorse, braided wetlands and ancient woodland pasture
A wide open, boundary-less landscape containing exposed plateaus, leading gently through a mauve haze of heather and woodland to miniature valleys, swollen with bouncy bogs and gravel streams. A place for ground-nesting birds, rare reptiles, a myriad of insects and diverse plant life.
Cross the cattle grid to a diverse landscape, shaped and sustained by traditional commoning practices since time immemorial, a tamed wilderness. Deeply ingrained and continued, the use of the New Forest by local people is a way of life, rather than a leisure pursuit. The commoners’ ponies, donkeys, cattle, pigs and sheep are the architects of the forest, exploiting rights that are centuries old. To this day the Verderers' Court, an ancient thirteenth century assembly, meet to ensure forest law is upheld.
- Telephone
- +441425650035
- info.newforest@nationaltrust.org.uk
New Forest Northern Commons
How to get here
- Address
- New Forest, Hampshire
- By cycle
- Comprehensive network of waymarked cycle routes: download the New Forest National Park map
- On foot
- Comprehensive network of rights of way
- By train
- Brockenhurst station, 10 to 15 miles
- By road
-
Rockford car park: Off Ellingham Drove/Highwood Lane, Rockford, Hampshire 10 miles west of Lyndhurst, access from A337. 3 miles north-east from Ringwood and 5 miles south from Fordingbridge on A338. (Grid ref: SU163083. Latitude 50.873998 Longitude: -1.7693679)
Hale car park: Lady Mile, off High Street, Hale, Hampshire, 5 miles north-east of Fordingbridge, access from A338. 12 miles north-west of Lyndhurst via A337/B3078. (Grid ref: SU188176. Latitude: 50.957524, -1.7337023)
Hightown car park: Hightown Hill, near Ringwood, Hampshire, 10 miles south-west of Lyndhurst, access from A31. 3 miles east of Ringwood and 9 miles from Fordingbridge, travelling south on A338. (Grid ref: SU180055. Latitude: 50.8487058 Longitude: -1.7460536)
- Parking: Free car-parking facilities at Bramshaw, Rockford and Hightown Commons
- By bus
- National Express coaches stop at Lyndhurst, Lymington and Ringwood. See National Express or call 08705 808080 for details.
Public bus network details available from: Bluestar - Southampton 023 8061 8233; Wilts & Dorset - Salisbury 01722 336855; Poole 01202 673555 and Transdev Yellow Buses - Bournemouth 01202 636060.
New Forest Northern Commons
Prices
Admission free
What is Gift Aid?
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points. Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
- Gift Aid Admission or
- Standard admission
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you the Gift Aid Admission prices. But it's entirely up to you which ticket you choose. If you want the Standard Admission instead, just let us know when you come to pay.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid* — an extra 25 per cent — potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below: Payment of the additional percentage donation is entirely voluntary, so if you prefer to pay the standard admission please advise our reception staff at the till point.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid donations must be supported by a valid Gift Aid declaration and a Gift Aid declaration can only cover donations made by an individual for him/herself or for him/herself and members of his/her family.
New Forest Northern Commons
Opening times
Please note...
For your safety we recommend you leave the New Forest between dusk and dawn.
Wednesday 18 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Thursday 19 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Friday 20 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Saturday 21 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Sunday 22 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Monday 23 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk
Tuesday 24 October
- Countryside Dawn to dusk