New Forest 'offers a vibrant natural scene'

For the very best the British countryside has to offer, lovers of the great outdoors could already be planning a summer holiday in one of the country's rural highlights.

One such spot under consideration among many is likely to be the New Forest, where picturesque scenery and vibrant wildlife is mixed with a relatively flat landscape that is easy to explore.

The national park could be even more tempting to those who read the word of Graham Long, author of a review for the Guardian, who visited Millyford Bridge.

He noted that spring and summer is a beautiful time in the region, with ample shades of colour emerging in new flowers.

Trees dominate much of the scene, with new rowans and beeches popping up in a number of places.

And perhaps greatest of all, the Highland Water project is returning streams and ponds to the forest, from which it has been missing for many years, Mr Long explained.

The New Forest is one of the country's newest national parks, having gained the status in 2005

Posted by Paul Edwards