Brockenhurst

Forest ponies wander freely down the high street here, stopping traffic with the casual confidence of locals who've owned this place for centuries. Brockenhurst sits right in the heart of the New Forest, where ancient woodland rights mean these hardy animals roam wherever they please - including through the town centre on market days.

The famous Knightwood Oak stands as one of the forest's most celebrated residents, a gnarled giant that's been drawing visitors for generations. Less well known but equally impressive is the 'Goliath' Giant Sequoia, towering above the native trees like a Californian gate-crasher. Both are proper walks through the forest, not roadside attractions.

Golf enthusiasts rate Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club highly, though you'll share the course with the occasional pony - they have right of way, naturally. The surrounding landscape rolls through Apsey Shade and Fishpond Plantation, dense woodland that opens onto heathland where gorse blazes yellow in spring.

From nearby peaks like Brock Hill and Five Thorns Hill, you can see across the entire forest canopy to the Solent beyond. These aren't mountains - more like gentle swells in an ocean of green - but the views stretch for miles on clear days.

Lymington lies eight miles south for coastal diversions, while Winchester offers proper shopping and history a half-hour drive north. The direct train line to London Waterloo makes this surprisingly accessible for a forest hideaway.

Staying at one of the forest campsites puts you right among the action. Wake to ponies grazing outside your tent at Hollands Wood or Setthorns, both Forestry Commission sites that book up fast in summer. The forest tracks lead directly from your pitch.