Knightwood Oak

Known as the Queen of the Forest, the Knightwood Oak is reckoned one of the oldest and largest oaks in the New Forest, more than 500 years old. Its huge, low, twisting limbs are the mark of pollarding — the old practice of cutting a tree’s branches high up for timber and fuel, which stops it growing tall and thickens the trunk instead. A short, level path leads to it from a nearby car park, so it’s an easy stop rather than a hike. The Blackwater Arboretum, with its tall planted conifers and marked trail, and the deer-viewing platform at Bolderwood are both a short drive away.