New Forest is a local government district in Hampshire, encompassing the New Forest National Park, the coastal towns of Lymington and New Milton, and numerous villages within one of southern England's most treasured landscapes. This spectacular district features ancient woodland, heathland, and coastline, with the unique commoning system and free-roaming ponies that define the New Forest's character. The climate is mild and maritime with moderate rainfall, influenced by the forest and coastal location, with the New Forest providing shelter and creating local microclimates. Culturally, the New Forest holds exceptional national significance as one of England's most important ancient landscapes, designated as a National Park in 2005, with its unique commoning tradition (where commoners have rights to graze ponies, cattle, and pigs) still active today. The area preserves important heritage including Beaulieu (with its abbey ruins and National Motor Museum), Exbury Gardens (world-famous rhododendron gardens), Buckler's Hard (18th-century shipbuilding village where Nelson's ships were built), and the New Forest Museum. The forest offers spectacular walking, cycling, and horse-riding through ancient woodlands, heaths, and bogs with its famous pony herds and deer. The coastal towns of Lymington (with its yacht harbour, ferries to the Isle of Wight, and Georgian architecture) and New Milton (with its Victorian character) provide seaside amenities. The district's villages feature traditional New Forest character with thatched cottages, village greens, and country pubs while the Solway coastline offers spectacular views. Boundary GIS data for New Forest District Council is available for download in GeoJSON and KML formats, essential for managing this nationally important landscape, preserving the unique commoning system and New Forest traditions, supporting sustainable tourism, and protecting the New Forest National Park.

📍 Administrative boundary of new forest local authority district

← Back to All Districts