The New Forest is a mixture of forest and heathland covering an area of around 150 square miles in Southern England. In contrast to many of the UK's other National Parks, the New Forest is relatively low-lying with the highest point being only 129m above sea level. The park covers much of southeast Wiltshire and southwest Hampshire. It is the only forest to be described in detail in the Doomsday Book and was proclaimed as a royal forest by William the Conqueror. Most of the forest is owned by the Crown Estate and has been managed by the Forestry Commission since the 1920s.

The New Forest has a rich history going back to the time of William the Conquerer. In more recent times Canadian and Portuguese foresters lived in the area during the first World War; evidence of this can be found near Millyford where the remains of a Portuguese fireplace can be found, a poignant memorial to the efforts of the woodsmen who supplied wood from the forest during the conflict.

The village of Lyndhurst is often busy, particularly in the holiday season, but if you can find somewhere to park, head for the churchyard of St Michael and All Angels when you can visit the grave of Alice Liddell. There is much speculation about Alice's life, including rumours of a relationship with Queen Victoria's youngest son, Prince Leopold. We know that she was married at Westminster Abbey to Reginald Hargreaves, who played cricket for both Hampshire and England. But she is also the inspiration for the character Alice in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

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Top New Forest National Park Attractions

Much of the National Park is common pasture and commoners have the right to graze ponies, horses and cattle throughout the year along with pigs from September to November. The date of the annual 'Pannage' or turning out of the pigs depends on the weather and when acorns begin to fall from the trees. The date is set by the Verderers, a group of unpaid volunteers who represent the commoners' rights and who hold many of the same powers as those held by a magistrate. The pannage, or 'common of mast' as it is sometimes known locally, is important for the woodland's ecology and animal welfare. The pigs eat vast amounts of acorns which could cause stomach problems for the other livestock.

The forest has several larger villages, including Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst, Ashurst, Beaulieu and Lymington; all become busy in the high season. Many of the region's main tourist attractions are centred around the villages, with the British National Motor Museum, along with Buckler's Hard being amongst the attractions of Beaulieu.  Lymington is popular with the sailing fraternity and hosts a number of regattas throughout the year.

Amongst the more unusual attractions in the park is the Rufus Stone. Wiliam Rufus was the third son of William the Conquerer and became King of England in 1087. In 1100 he died in a "hunting accident" when French nobleman Walter Tyrell is said to have fired an arrow that missed its mark, bounced off a tree and fatally wounded the King. This was unusual as Walter was usually a particularly good bowman. Williams's younger brother, Henry wasted no time in crowning himself as King Henry I and the inevitable rumours began to swirl. The stone was erected sometime in the 18th century but is nowhere near where historians agree that the incident took place, nor is it a stone any longer having been encapsulated in iron in the 1840s.

Top 20 New Forest National Park Campsites