Discover: The New Forest Coast

The New Forest National Park is a unique place, especially with the traditions of Commoners and the right to release their conservation grazing animals out onto the open Forest. It is thought that the commoners have released their livestock onto the open Forest since before the creation of the New Forest by King William I in 1079. Throughout the year you can find wild New Forest ponies, donkeys, cattle, sheep and pigs, which all have different beneficial ways of grazing.  

I feel so lucky that I get to work in such a beautiful part of the world. The New Forest National Park is special in so many ways, from its basking heather grasslands, to its sheltered pockets of woodland. The National Park is also home to a variety of important habitats such as wetlands, bogs and beaches; which is where my special discovery takes place.

I am from a town on the south coast of the UK and have lived by the sea my whole life, so I get very happy when I find a new spot along the shoreline. My discovery is a beach at the bottom of the New Forest, close to our offices in Lymington. It’s quiet, with very little roadside parking, meaning it is often likely you are one of only a few people to be there. It was shown to me in my first month of my internship at the National Park, by Seasonal Rangers Lizzie and Naomi who I was working with that morning. It was a lovely sunny day so we decided to go to the beach for lunch, as we were working nearby collecting water samples for Freshwater Habitats Trust, to examine the usage of fungi as water purifiers. You can see the Isle of Wight very clearly from here! 

My favourite memory from this beach is what you can see pictured. I decided to book the morning off work one sunny day in April, only to find myself as the only person at the beach besides 20(ish) donkeys who were walking leisurely along the shore. It was such a special moment for me as I have a strong passion for and connection to all animals, and this felt like such a surreal moment. I hadn’t seen wild animals on this beach before so it was a welcome surprise.  

You get those moments when you think, ‘is this real?’ and ‘is this happening for a reason?’. When you think the universe is sending you a sign, and I believe it was. I suffer with anxiety and depression, something that has often tried to hold me back over the years. Nature is an important tool for healing, and I have always found water to be calming and somewhere I turn to help clear my mind from any anxiety or troubles I might be having.  

This moment, the sun shining on my face, the sea breeze rushing across my skin, and hearing the relaxing sound of the waves, was defiantly a time for me to relax and release my worries. Enjoying the sun in this peaceful time (with the donkeys), I had the opportunity to have a meaningful moment in a place I loved. 

I’ve kept this moment with me since, and often go back to this beach to enjoy a moment of peace and sunshine. 

Discover more of the New Forest National Park