The New Forest
Best for pannage pork and woodland walks
Mellow yellow autumn arrives in the New Forest with crops of sun-ripe squash, russet apples golden carpets of acorns, beech mast and chestnuts. The latter makes for supremely pretty if inconveniently poisonous windfall, at least for the forest’s free-roaming ponies. The solution, since 1079 when William the Conqueror founded the forest as a royal hunting ground, has been to put local pigs out to pannage – to forage for this autumnal fodder which will fatten them up to produce a tender, sweet meat that equates to prized Ibérico pork.
Common practice across the country for centuries, it’s now unique to the New Forest, and hikers in this preserved part of rural Hampshire get a kick out of finding piggies rootling around the National Park’s 140 miles of tracks and footpaths. Hike out to Hockey’s Farm (hockeys-farm.co.uk), to sample the best of the season’s rare breed pannage fare – from chops to bacon – either in the flower-decked farm café (cooked breakfast/mains £4-7), or from the well-stocked shop. Here you’ll find a serious showcase of produce displaying The New Forest Marque (newforestmarque.co.uk), a stamp of approval for local goods. Load up with sweet-smoky garlic and flavourful cherry tomatoes from nearby Isle of Wight, delicate pink Chalk Stream trout, Riverside lemon lavender marmalade and Tracklements chutneys and pickles, perfect with wheels of tangy local Lyburn cheese and sourdough from Bakehouse 24 (bakehouse24.com). Or pop into the bakery itself, just down the road in Ringwood. If you’re feeling really piggy, book ahead to get Hockey’s butcher to teach you how to make sausages and cut chops from the almost apple-sweet pannage meat. On the outskirts of nearby Brockenhurst village, Careys Manor
(careysmanor.com) is a quirky 18th-century New Forest manor house, complete with a turreted roof, amidst which sits the UK’S flagship Senspa. Come here for Thai-focused treatments (signature massage £80 for 1 hour) or just enjoy the swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms. All senses are engaged at the hotel’s Cambium restaurant (one of three on-site including a well-respected Thai). The pickled white crab, brown custard, avocado, and pink grapefruit granita (£12), popped with citrus and contrasting velvety crustacean, while the beef sirloin, oxtail raviolo, celeriac, rainbow chard and nasturtium was pretty as a picture but had a serious umami punch. Ask the brilliantly knowledgeable sommelier for wine pairings – including medalled Hampshire labels. Marlings Vineyard’s sparkling rose (marlingsvineyard.co.uk) was memorably rich and crisp. You can sample some of the county’s increasingly award-winning wines once a month with Vineyards of Hampshire
Cellar Door Experiences (Fridays and Saturdays until end September; vineyardsofhampshire.co.uk), and look out for special harvest events. There’s ample opportunity to walk off any heavy heads the day after: Carey’s concierge can ply you with maps showing trails through woodland, moorland and the largest remaining expanses of lowland heath in western Europe. Or hop into the car to take the scenic Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, it’s Tall Trees Trail offers a short looped walk through lofty vegetation. Just keep your eyes peeled for any piggies crossing.