NEW FOREST BED and BREAKFAST

Emery Down (Lyndhurst)

Emery Down, near Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hampshire.

For some Lyndhurst is just a thoroughfare for the journey to Southampton, but if those people driving through stopped in the village they would discover just how much it has to offer.

Lyndhurst has been the "Capital" of the Forest area since William the Conqueror established the area as a royal hunting ground in 1079, and has been visited by Kings and Queens throughout the centuries who came to stay at the Royal Manor.

A must for any visitor to Lyndhurst is the New Forest Museum, an unique guide into the Forest's history and heritage. The museum details the development of the Forest since its creation by William the Conqueror, and provides a first-hand exhibition of life and work in the Forest and demonstrates the best the Forest has to offer.

Lyndhurst offers the visitor a wide range of shops, both high street names and those exclusive to the village, popular with those seeking that special souvenir of their visit to the Forest. And naturally there is a wide range of tea rooms pubs cafes and restaurants to discover.

Key attractions: Wild life watching - Deer, Badgers, Foxes, New Forest Ponies. Watch the Deer being fed daily between Easter-September near Bolderwood in the New Forest.

There are several walks including the Deer Watch Trail (0.5 mile), the Jubilee Grove Trail (1 mile), the Tall Trees Trail (1.5 miles) and the Radnor Trail (2 miles). There is also a Reptile Trail (1.5 miles) and a longer woodland walk called the Wilverley Wander (2.5 miles).

Essential kit: Binoculars, walking shoes and a trail map. Plaster of Paris for making animal footprint imprints. Get hold of a wildlife map from the visitors' centre. Nature watching: Dusk is a good time to watch deer in the forest. The best times to see badgers are April and May. There are special hides for spotting the deer - but avoid the middle of the day If you want to go on an organised butterfly safari - trips run every Saturday.

Access: There are three access friendly trails for wheelchairs and pushchairs - Boldwater, Black Water and Whitefield Moor - obtain guide at visitor centres. The New Forest can be very boggy in Winter so keep to gravel tracks.

Getting there: Three main routes in from the M27 junction 1 (busy in Summer), the A35 from Southampton, and the A31 from Bournemouth.

Trains stop at Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst and Sway within the forest - ring 08457 484950 for times.