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During the current nationwide lockdown, exercising outdoors should take place as local as possible to where you live, reducing the number of journeys we make. Please maintain social distancing to avoid overcrowding in our forest car parks. Stay at home if you are displaying coronavirus symptoms or are self-isolating.
Please also ensure you stick to the marked trails, with our health and emergency services under such intense pressure please only cycle on routes you know well and that are well within your ability level. It's particularly important that cyclists only use the waymarked and designated cycle trails, which is a highly protected landscape. There are over 100 miles of off-road waymarked cycle routes in the New Forest and we encourage cyclists to stay on these all year round.
We want people to be safe when exercising in the Forest. You can help by:
• Bringing your own face covering and hand sanitiser.
• Parking legally and responsibly, not on grass verges. Keep highways and gateways clear and leave plenty of room for others to pass safely.
• Following social distancing guidelines, keeping a safe distance of two metres or more between yourself and others.
• Putting your litter in a bin or taking it home with you, so the forest remains litter free for wildlife and gazing animals.
• Taking it easy. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
• Being kind and patient – any changes are here to help keep you and others safe.
And always follow the New Forest Code - details of which is listed below.
The New Forest is a great place to visit for walking, dog walking, cycling and horse riding for everyone. When you’re out in the forest and are enjoying the beautiful surroundings and the rich wildlife, please help us to care for this very special place.
Ponies, donkeys, cattle, pigs & sheep: For their safety and your own please keep your distance from grazing animals, especially mothers and their young. Although owned and cared for by local people called commoners, they are unpredictable and best treated as wild. Please don’t feed or touch them; there is plenty of natural food and it’s best that they don’t come to rely on people’s attention. They may look friendly but they can bite and kick, especially ponies with foals.
Dogs: To minimise disturbance to wildlife, livestock and other people, please keep your dogs under close control - if necessary use a lead. Do not let dogs approach or chase any animals. Pick up after your dog, especially around car parks, on paths and where people play or picnic, and take bagged waste home if there is no litter bin.
Birds: To help ground-nesting birds rear their young safely, keep yourself, dogs and horses on the main tracks from the beginning of March to the end of July.
Litter: Your food and litter could harm our animals. Please take your litter home if bins are full. 
Driving: The ponies and other animals have no road sense and frequently stand or walk on the unfenced roads, so give them (and walkers, cyclists and horse-riders) a wide berth and be especially careful when driving at night.
Parking: To avoid damage and obstruction, please park only in designated car parks, not on a verge or in gateways. Lock your car, taking any valuables with you and leave Forestry England car parks by dusk.
Barbeques & fires: To reduce the risk of damaging wildfires, no fires or barbeques are allowed in the New Forest.
Fungi: Please leave fungi for other people to enjoy. Fungi are essential to the New Forest’s internationally protected ecosystem. Foray leaders must apply for permission for educational excursions from the Forestry England in advance. If you suspect or see commercial picking please call the Forestry England on 0300 067 4600 or the National Trust on 01425 650035.
Cycling: Cycling is allowed only on the waymarked tracks and other designated routes. When approaching people and animals, call out a warning to make yourself noticed and pass slowly and wide. Try to leave gaps for overtaking vehicles and never ride more than two abreast. Keep to a safe speed, wear bright colours to be visible and always use lights in the dark.
Horse riding: Horse riders have open access to the New Forest, but to reduce damage to the ground please use tracks when it’s wet.
Camping in the New Forest: Please note that camping in the wild and overnight parking is not allowed. There are lots of campsites in the New Forest.
Ticks: Check your dog and yourself for ticks when you get back home – they can lead to Lyme Disease. Ticks tend to live in places with damp vegetation and lots of small animals and birds (that they can feed on). Just be smart and aware when you are out and about in the forest, keep your arms and legs covered when walking in woodland and similar places, check for ticks regularly when you are out and afterwards and you can even use insect repellents containing chemicals called DEET or Picaridine. If you find a tick attached, remove it quickly and in the proper way (with a tick remover - do not try to pull it out with your fingers, burn it, scrape it off, or cut it out - you need to ensure that you remove the whole tick).
Forest management: Stay safe by taking note of warning signs and keeping away from work sites and vehicles.
Unidentified objects: Areas of the New Forest were used to test bombs in World War I and II. Please keep away from objects that might be dangerous and notify the police immediately on 999.
Buy Local: If you like fresh, locally distinctive free range and organic produce then look out for Local Produce, especially the New Forest Marque! You will be helping to support small and unique forest businesses, reducing food miles and be enjoying the best locally produced food and drink around. Visit New Forest Producers Markets for food, drink and crafts and take home a flavour of the New Forest.
Give your car a break: 100 miles of off-road cycle tracks, great walks, and good public transport services, means you don't need to bring your car at all. Numerous New Forest businesses are also offering discounts and incentives for leaving your car at home, so get out there! Have fun, get fit and give your car a break. Please keep to the tracks when cycling on the open forest.
New Forest Animal Emergency Hotlines: If you find yourself in an unforeseen circumstance where you need to report an accident/injured animal please use the contacts below:
© Go New Forest 2021. All Rights Reserved
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