You know you are entering the New Forest when you cross a cattle grid.
Nearly half of the 566km2 area designated as the New Forest National Park is managed by Forestry England on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This land is often referred to as Crown Land. When you are in the area managed by Forestry England, you will see their signs on the car parks.
Additionally, there are areas of common land where you also have the right to roam. Here there is a slightly different atmosphere as there are no forestry operations. The Northern Commons are managed by the National Trust and the Western Commons are managed by Hampshire County Council. West Wellow Common (including Canada Common) is managed by the officers of the Parish.
There are a few private estates within the park boundary, the best known of these is Beaulieu which is home to the National Motor Museum and owned by Lord Montague. You do not have the right to roam on these private estates, but there may be public paths across the land.
At the edges of the Beaulieu estate, you will see a sign denoting that you are now entering the estate, as well as the distinctive posts with the three red lozenges (diamonds to you and me) that are the emblem of the estate.
Throughout the Forest, you will come across hamlets – too small to be classed as villages, but rather a group of houses, which were probably workers cottages originally. These will often be near a farm.
Many of these farms will choose to depasture their cattle on the forest for at least part of the year (once they have paid their marking fees, of course).
Where ever you see hedges, it is likely that private land is enclosed.
It is estimated that the population living within the Park Boundary is around 38,000.
KnowNewForest 