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| The Cloud Hotel, Meerut Road, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, SO42 7TD |
T:(01590) 622165 F:(01590) 622818 |
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The New Forest was created in 1079 by William the Conqueror as a hunting area, principally of deer. It is a unique area of historical, ecological and agricultural significance, and retains many of the rural practices conceded by the Crown in medieval times to local people. Principal of these is the pasturing of ponies, cattle, pigs and donkeys in the open Forest by local inhabitants known as Commoners. The New Forest has also been an important source of timber for the Crown. It is an outstanding recreational area for walking and riding. (extract taken from the New Forest website, found at Hantsweb) The Cloud Hotel is located on the edges of the village of Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest. The New Forest gained National Park status in early 2005 and it is easy to see why! With its acres of ancient woodland and moors, the New Forest is full of animals and natural beauty hard to find elsewhere in the world. Amongst the many areas of interest in the New Forest, Historical events and places are numerous. Further details of these can be found at the New Forest Museum. |
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Within the New Forest, you will find many different species of animal. The more commonly seen consist of ponies,cattle, donkeys and pigs. This is due to the Commoners Law which allows certain residents of the New Forest to let their animals graze on the Forest land. Commoning dates back to the creation of the Forest when it was recognised that the restrictive Forest laws set out by William the Conqueror and his son, Rufus, were too harsh. A system of rights was established to enable Forest people to survive. These rights remain today although.only about half of the commoners exercise their rights. More unusual animals to be found here include wild deer, badgers and an assortment of birds (Adobe Acrobat PDF, article extracted from the Forestry Commission website.) |
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There are many designated cycling routes throughout the New Forest marked out for the convinience of the general public by the Forestry Commission. Cycling in most areas of open forest is not allowed or encouraged. Hantsweb supply a downloadable map (Adobe PDF file) with all of the cycle routes detailed. To obtain this map please follow this link to Hantsweb. Within Brockenhurst itself there is a bike hire shop which supplies many different styles including tandems and modified bikes of all types. For more information please visit the Cycle Experience website. |
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Just some of the local attractions in the New Forest. Beaulieu Abbey and Motor Museum
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