This weekend: a drive to The New Forest

We went for a nice long drive on Saturday. We looked at the map and chose a direction we haven't been in yet which was west. I spotted a town called Cheddar which sounded interesting so we headed that way. Our first stop along the way was still close to home at this church above which we've passed before. It is very old. There was a sign saying that this community was recorded in the Domesday Book 1086.

We didn't make it all the way to Cheddar because we stopped for brunch in a pretty town called Bradford on Avon and then decided to change our route and instead head to the New Forest area.

It's really pretty there and there are lots of wild ponies just walking around in the forest area. This was really a bit odd to me, seeing them just doing their own thing, not belonging to anybody. And they weren't actually that wild, they were quite tame as you can see from the photos. Most of the ponies are the Native New Forest breed, but there are also some Shetland Ponies (the little ones).

"Cattle, ponies and donkeys roam throughout the open heath and much of the woodland, and it is largely their grazing that maintains the open character of the Forest. They are also frequently seen in the Forest villages where home and shop owners must maintain constant vigilance to keep them out of gardens and shops." -wikipedia

Wild ponies.

If you live here and you're late for work you can use the
excuse that there was a pony in the road.

Just strolling along the road.

This little one liked having his picture taken.

Aren't they just the cutest little mini-horses.

"Get a picture with the wind in my hair!"

 This one above came right to the car and would have probably stuck his head inside if I wasn't blocking his way!

There were also some cows. I don't know if they were wild. They were just there next to the road eating their lunch. I convinced Andre to turn around and go take some photos of them. I loved their curly fur.

Cadbury's top deck: white and milk chocolate in one.

You can read more about The New Forest here on wikipedia. Some interesting facts there. It's really not a "new" forest, but was new a long time ago when it was created:

"The New Forest was created as a royal forest by William I in about 1079 for the private hunting of (mainly) deer.^[6] It was created at the expense of more than 20 small settlements/farms; hence it was 'new' in his time as a single compact area.^{[7]" -wikipedia}