It’s that time of the year again when some New Forest Commoners, those with a property that has ‘common of mast’, can release their pigs onto the open forest to eat the acorns.
It’s a really lovely experience being there among them. They appear quite fearless and will try to eat the acorns under my feet if I don’t get out of the way. They do not worry at all about my dog - who is actually more frightened of them.
The pigs wander all over the New Forest, along the roads from wood to wood, giving strangers to the area quite a shock when they come across a family of pigs marching down the road. They cover quite a distance. Last year, within the period of two weeks I saw one pair of pigs in three different locations many miles apart. As there is no shortage of acorns I am puzzled as to why they roam so far. They have a prodigious appetite, they never appear to stop eating. Not sure how the commoners locate them at the end of pannage.
This is just one of the joys of having access to the New Forest. I consider myself so fortunate to be able to take my dog walking every day in such a wonderful environment. Most of the time it’s so quiet and peaceful. Frequently we go out for a long walk for a couple of hours and don’t meet a soul. Its like having a private estate. Sometimes there are a few people around the car parks, but most don’t seem to venture very far. Although we generally avoid the main gravel tracks, the paths we follow are quite well worn, giving the impression they are well used but we rarely meet anyone - strange really.
Having said that about not meeting other walkers, we are never really alone, we never know what we will meet round the next corner …
That’s a rather fearsome looking English Longhorn cow - just as surprised as me when we met at the corner of the track.
Except when the ground is just too wet and muddy we avoid the gravel tracks because they are so noisy. I referred earlier to how quiet and peaceful it can be walking in the forest - but not when walking on the gravel. It’s not always evident until I stop, then suddenly the forest sounds appear; the birds singing, the wind in the trees making them rustle and creak, the ponies neighing, cows mooing, dear barking and small animals scurrying around in the undergrowth.