New Forest NPA and Forestry England improve trail to Knightwood Oak and make it more accessible

A NEW trail is now open at the site of the Knightwood Oak, one of the New Forest’s oldest trees.

At more than 500 years old and 7.4 meters wide, the oak has been dubbed the ‘Queen of the Forest’ and has been featured on maps since the Victorian era.

A New Forest National Park Authority spokesperson said the beauty spot has been “upgraded with accessibility in mind”.

A Forestry England team has resurfaced the nearby car park and previous trail to ensure a “flat and even” surface suitable for mobility vehicles and pushchairs.

Two fully accessible parking spaces are now available in the car park and new picnic benches have been placed on the trail.

The team has also been working around the boundary of the tree to remove overgrown and encroaching vegetation and to add new signage explaining the history of this mighty tree.

The work was funded by the NPA through a £50,000 grant from Defra’s Access for All fund.

FE recreation manager Richard Burke said: “The Knightwood Oak is one the New Forest’s most famous and much-loved trees. This additional funding has allowed us to ensure that everyone can access this special place and learn more about the history of the Forest. We are grateful to the NPA for its financial support and commitment on this project.”

NPA access and volunteering officer Adam Vasey added: “It's been fantastic to work in partnership with Forestry England to deliver huge accessibility improvements along this much used and much-loved trail. The DEFRA Access For All funds made our plans a reality and we look forward to working with more landowners and achieving more great improvements for public access.”