Kingley Vale is very dear to my heart. It is the place that gave me a sense of freedom and peace through my teenage years. Just recently, I have felt the pull to go back and visit, so I did just that. Although it now has tidy paths and information boards, and you can no longer ride amongst the ancient yew trees as I did 30 years ago. The trees still hold the sense of freedom and peace. Along my walk, I saw two roe deer chasing and creating roe rings. I had a close encounter w

The sickly sweet scent of hawthorn travelled on the breeze and as I passed, the gentle hum of pollinators were serenading the flowers. A red kite swooped above the heath and cuckoos called from the woodlands edge. Ponies grazed between the daisies and cuckoo flowers and bracken is loosening its tight coils. Waymarker trees stand not as guides, but guardians. Ancient beeches arch into living portals, their shadowed thresholds bending the path towards Puckpits Inclosure, where

Jen is a highly skilled therapist with twenty-five years experience; she works with her clients outdoors in nature . Jen’s clients all present with varied experiences of trauma. Some clients present with acute experiences of trauma: discreet, traumatic events. Other clients present with chronic trauma: a lifetime of fundamental needs which have not been met. Certain clients present with a combination of both acute and chronic trauma. No matter what the source of the trauma, J

My name is Oliver. I live in the New Forest with my mum and my aunties. I spend my days playing with my friends and snoozing in the sun. My legs are still too long and my neck too short to graze properly, so my mum feeds me while I grow strong. I’m learning about the world - wide-eyed, curious, and full of wonder, but I also have to be careful. My family tells me stories about parts of the forest where ponies lose their way. They become used to human food, encouraged to eat f

During April, we visited Ibsley common and looked at the wartime history taken back by nature, and we will enjoy the bluebells on Thursday evening at one of mine - and the wildlife favourite places in the forest. During May, we will be enjoying another of my favourite walks at Breamore, with its wild hedges and verges, ancient landscape and magical mizmaze and yew grove. We will also be visiting Puckpits inclosure. Named because it is believed fairies are seen amongst the tr

Beltane is a fire festival of the Wheel of the Year, often associated with May Day (1st May). It marks the height of spring, sitting between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Beltane is a celebration of life, fertility, and the awakening of the land. At its heart is the crowning of the May Queen, whose love, joy, and maiden energy stir the earth into full bloom. The Green Man, long waiting in the shadows, emerges adorned with ivy, twigs, and moss. He is greeted by t

Most people in and around the New Forest don't take the ponies for granted. They wander across roads, graze on open verges, and appear out of the mist like something unchanged by time. But their presence isn’t simply tradition - it’s the result of centuries of pressure, conflict, and determination by the people who still turn them out today. At the heart of it all is commoning: the ancient right of local people to graze animals on the open forest. Without it, there would be n

Join me for a day of pause with meditation, gentle creativity, and an introduction to the history, folklore, intentions and wild plants of spring, as we connect with the birthing and renewal of Beltane. I will welcome you with a freshly, foraged drink and an introduction to the meaning and folklore of Beltane. Followed by meditation for grounding ourselves for a beautiful day of intention setting. We will then head outside to learn more about some spring wild plants. Then ta

Thank you for the response to offering an animal healing workshop. I’m so happy to share that I’ll be offering the Workshop on **27th June** 🐾✨ Come and meet the beautiful souls in the photo (and their friends!) for what promises to be a truly special day. https://www.newforestnatureandnurture.com/event-details/animal-healing-workshop-3 This week has been full of meaningful connections. I’ve met two incredibly generous and like-minded women who share a deep love for animals

Some trees become landmarks through ancient wisdom, unusual form, or ties to history. The Elephant Oak holds all of these qualities. He is classed as ancient, although in truth he is only middle-aged for an oak. Oaks are not natural woodland trees, they prefer open pasture, or pasture woodland, where they can spread their great canopies wide. When crowded by other trees, they are forced upward, a constraint that shortens their lifespan. But the Elephant Oak has chosen well. H

Early in spring, before many other trees have stirred, blackthorn - often known as the Mother wood bursts into bloom. Its branches are smothered in clouds of snow-white flowers, filling the air with a delicate scent that deepens in the warmth of the sun. Later in the year, these blossoms give way to dark, dusky fruits - the sloes, best known for flavouring one of winter’s most delicious comforts: sloe gin. Blackthorn is not only beautiful but vital. Its early flowers provide

Spring is a season of renewal, replenishment, and purification. I encourage you to step outside and lose yourself in nature for a while. Signs of change are all around us; sometimes we just need to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the rhythm of the natural world. Wildflowers are beginning to emerge along forest paths, road verges, and hedgerows - from delicate dog violets to bright celandines. The woodland air, though still damp, carries a freshness distinctly different fro

During March, we walked at Minstead and visited Arthur Conan Doyle's grave to enjoy the country lanes and wildflower footpaths. We also walked at Milkham and enjoyed some warmer weather while listening to the birds and spotting signs of spring as the trees are budding and the first flowers are blooming. During April, I will be offering walks at Ibsley Common. This walk is steeped in history and folktales, with wartime evidence being consumed by nature. It offers vast views ac

Ostara - The spring equinox, is all about balance as the day and night are of equal lengths. We are starting to awaken our energy as nature pushes her shoots through the soil, and leaf buds are preparing to burst into life. We feel the desire to start new projects and clear out the stagnant energy of winter. Enjoy the 40 minute meditation below to help you pause in a moment of balance and to clear away the old energies for focus and a new momentum.

With Mothering Sunday approaching, it truly is a beautiful moment to pause and honour our Mothers — however that looks for you. That may be your birth mother, a cherished mother-figure, or even Gaia — our Mother Earth herself. It feels no coincidence that Mothering Sunday falls in spring, when the earth is awakening. Just as seeds begin to stir beneath the soil, Gaia nurtures new life from her protective, patient womb. The season mirrors motherhood in its quiet strength, endu

There is something very unique about this short time between the seasons - walking the liminal timeline between winter and spring. New life stretches into the lengthening days, yet heavy cloud and biting wind remind us that winter has not quite released its grip. Verges are embellished with colour: white and red dead nettle, yellow celandine and delicate blue ground ivy, while blackthorn hedges have burst into bloom. Catkins gently jangle on birch and hazel, and willow has er

It was great to see the ponies back on the heaths warming their backs today rather than hunkered down in the woods sheltering from the rain. In the New Forest, the line between ecology and folklore has always felt thin. The tale of the Colt Pixy — the pixy that shapeshifts into a raggedy white pony leading the unwary into bogs and mires fits so naturally into a place where mist hangs low and the ground itself can shift from firm to treacherous in a single stride. In early s

Some folk like walking the dog in nature. Some folk like bird spotting or looking for rare plant species. Some folk like foraging or learning about the species of trees. Then there are the folk who embody it. They walk into the woods and become the trees, the plants, the birds, and even the dogs that are trotting through — as they are embodying it too. The “embodiers” are the folk who slow down as they enter the woods. They embrace the uneven, muddy ground. They don’t see sti

February has certainly been a month for wellies and waterproofs, but some of you refuse to let the weather ruin a good walk! Thank you for joining me at Fritham (and risking your car in the terrible car park) and for an invigorating and exfoliating walk at Highcliffe. In March, I look forward to a shift in the weather. Meanwhile, as the ground dries, we'll take a walk in Minstead to experience the quintessential New Forest village. We'll seek out folklore fairies, visit Arthu

The first warm breeze and sunshine for what feels like a long time. The body loves thresholds, and I sat and absorbed it in Minstead churchyard today. Back against the wall and drenched in sunlight, with the warm breeze on my face. I closed my eyes and listened to the calling goshawk in the distance, but the small and mighty wren out-sang the mighty raptor as he sat on a gravestone and sang with all his might. This added to my delightful moment of being in the "now", as the w