I am not lost. It is simply that I do not recognise this road or the direction that I’m headed. I have travelled through the New Forest for many years, yet it is only when I turn north off the A31 that I feel I am on an adventure - exploring the lesser-known northern reaches of the Forest.
Picturesque villages and hamlets are found in unexpected places and don’t attract the crowds – such as Breamore, Hyde and Woodgreen. There are farm shops filled with local produce, among them Hockey’s Farm Shop in South Gorley and The Farmers Butcher in Bramshaw.
Stroll through stunning countryside off the usual beaten path. Follow up with a coffee or a pint at a country café or pub. The Royal Oak at Fritham, a classic New Forest country inn, is well known, but The Horse & Groom at Woodgreen is a little-known gem. Others include The Royal Oak at North Gorley, The High Corner Inn, Linwood, a traditional inn that’s dog-friendly, and The Red Shoot, another dog-friendly pub in Linwood, this one with a microbrewery. For cafes and restaurants try The Potting Shed at Hyde, Les Mirabelles in Nomansland, a well-established classic French restaurant, and The Three Lions, a restaurant with rooms in Stuckton.
Take your time. This is a wild environment where animals roam free. Drive slowly, not only to avoid donkeys, ponies and pigs, but to enjoy the experience. Park up; perhaps book yourself onto a walk with Wild New Forest Guided Tours, and discover a landscape teeming with wildlife.
Meanwhile I am at my journey’s end, welcomed into the farmhouse kitchen at Storm’s Farm (aka The Commoners Larder), home to Andrew and Sarah Parry-Norton, to chat about a New Forest hidden in plain sight – the commoning practices which shape the Forest’s landscape.
Andrew is a farmer, a commoner and a protector of this traditional way of life. He says: ‘The Forest is a farm and a manmade landscape, and my family have been farming here for generations.’
He is also an engaging storyteller; I am enthralled by his tales of sunken paths, Saxon battles, and suspected royal assassinations in the Forest. Yet the past is integral to his present. He and Sarah run a traditional livestock farm, including chickens, cows, goats, pigs and sheep, in an area called the Northern Commons. Sarah also breeds New Forest ponies – to keep the breed going as it is now on the endangered list.
As Andrew explains, the Northern Commons is an area of the Forest that was owned by lords of the manor before William the Conqueror turned up and established the New Forest as a royal hunting ground; hence the Northern Commons have different commoning rights.
‘We can turn sheep out and put pigs out all year round on the Northern Commons, although we don’t, but you do often see pigs by Bramshaw Brook. Acorn season: that’s when ours are off. They are mostly bucket-trained and will follow you back, but we’ve had pigs roam to Ringwood. We caught them in someone’s vegetable garden!’
Andrew continues: ‘We produce a product that’s completely free range with a flavour that’s second to none.’
He has found that people want to know the story behind the produce they’re buying, and pannage pork is in such demand that orders start coming through in May.
However, commoning is under threat from decreasing subsidies and increasing land and property prices. Andrew, as Chair of the Commoners Defence Association, is approaching DEFRA to find a viable management scheme that will protect commoning for the next generation. That includes his son, Will, who at just 13 years of age has addressed the New Forest’s Verderers Court about securing a future for young commoners.
The Commoners Defence Association was originally set up in 1909 to safeguard commoners’ rights, following the coming of the railways and extension of the road networks, by slowing down development and fighting encroachment brought about by people moving to the Forest from urban areas, attracted by its romance and natural beauty.
‘Just as it is now really,’ comments Andrew. They are actually fighting to protect the Forest landscape.
‘You can understand people selling when property and land prices are so high, but people coming into the Forest are not putting animals on it, and if the commoning community shrinks the Forest landscape will be affected. The New Forest won’t look like this if people give up commoning. The reason people come to the Forest, the landscape and the animals, could be lost.’
However, Andrew brightens: ‘Commoners adapt quite quickly to situations. It’ll come right again.
It’s a fantastic lifestyle!’
Commoners Larder produce is available at the Considerate Carnivore in Lock’s Heath and The Farmers Butcher in Bramshaw.
The northern part of the Forest is also Marcus Ward’s favourite, despite being born and brought up in Lymington.
Marcus runs Wild New Forest Guided Tours, part of Wild New Forest, which started out in 2016 as a group for like-minded naturalists, becoming a Community Interest Company five years ago.
Marcus explains: ‘We are passionate about the wildlife and heritage of the New Forest, and as a not-for-profit company we put funds generated from our tours back into research and monitoring of some of our rarest and most sensitive wildlife.
‘Not many areas can boast such a diverse mix of habitats that support a wealth of nationally and internationally important wildlife from birds and mammals to fungi, flora and dung beetles! What we have here is a living ecosystem where everything from the megafauna (ponies and cattle) plays a vitally important role that supports life all the way down to the small and bizarre species of slime mould that roam around hoovering micro detritus from the Forest floor.
‘Currently we are leading the research looking into understanding the distribution and genetic diversity of pine marten, and researching the ecology of some of our specialist woodland birds.
‘We are keen to celebrate and share this amazing wealth of wildlife. Stealing a quote from one of my heroes, Sir David Attenborough, ‘people won’t care about what they don’t know’.
As part of this approach, we run a wildlife club (Wildlife Explorers) for our next generation of wildlife enthusiasts. In addition, we run wildlife camps, working with the Cameron Bespolka Trust [which connects young people with nature], taking teenagers out for a weekend of wildlife fun.’
Wild New Forest Guided Tours are open to all, from those with no experience to experts, and include general discovery tours as well as more specialist walks, focusing on birdsong or fungi.
Terry Lister liked working for The Potting Shed, a café in picturesque Hyde, so much that when the opportunity arose, in February last year, she bought into the business alongside friend and partner Lydia Daniels. Husband Mark provides support behind the scenes.
The couple had only settled in the area two years earlier, with Terry taking on a part-time role at The Potting Shed and appreciating its community feel.
Mark explains: ‘The Potting Shed is more a local get-together as we are not on the traditional tourist route.’
Neither is this a typical local café. There’s a focus on locally sourced food with well put together seasonal menus and chefs in the kitchen. Pop-up supper nights are so popular booking is advised. In summer these feature tapas, in winter curry.
Mark adds: ‘In Christmas we do Christmas! Our main dish is a Christmas pie and it’s pretty wonderful!’
He continues: ‘We open seven days a week as not much is open in the Forest on Monday and many people are looking for somewhere to go. However, you may have to negotiate a dozen donkeys, cows or ponies – they’re very relaxed as this is such a quiet corner of the Forest!’
From his farm at Landford, Mike Smales from Lyburn Farmhouse Cheeses produces internationally recognised cheeses – this year collecting a coveted three stars in the Great Taste awards for both Stoney Cross and Lightly Oak Smoked.
DOUBLE DECADE
This year the New Forest’s local produce scheme, New Forest Marque, celebrated a landmark 20th anniversary at the New Forest Show, and also launched a new ‘Inspired Marque’ to highlight local artists and craftspeople.
