The Forest of Bere lies north of Fareham. A mixture of woodland, open space, ponds, streams, heathland, farmland and downland it provides countryside access to the residents of South-East Hampshire having a number of paths and bridleways for walking and cycling. More recently 20th century conifer plantations have been planted.
The forest is one of the remaining parts of the Royal forest of Bere, this covered an area stretching from the River Test at King's Somborne in the west through Hursley, Eastleigh, Bishop's Waltham and Denmead to Rowland's Castle in the east. The forest was used a source of oak for the navy to use in ship building.
Famous quotes containing the words forest of and/or forest:
“It is as when a migrating army of mice girdles a forest of pines. The chopper fells trees from the same motive that the mouse gnaws them,—to get his living. You tell me that he has a more interesting family than the mouse. That is as it happens.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“What is most striking in the Maine wilderness is the continuousness of the forest, with fewer open intervals or glades than you had imagined. Except the few burnt lands, the narrow intervals on the rivers, the bare tops of the high mountains, and the lakes and streams, the forest is uninterrupted.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)