Knightwood Oak

Visitor information

Opening hours

Weekdays

Monday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Tuesday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Wednesday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Thursday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Friday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Weekends

Saturday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

Sunday
Opening hours	Dawn to dusk

How to find us

Sat Nav Postcode:

SO43 7QB

Ornamental Drive, Lyndhurst

By Car

From Lyndhurst take the A35 towards Christchurch. After approximately 2 miles turn right into the Bolderwood Ornamental Drive. Knightwood Oak car park is the first car park on the left.

Get directions

Parking and prices

Charges for parking in all of our 129 car parks in the New Forest are currently planned to begin in late April 2026. Find out more

Please park only in designated car parks, not on a verge or in gateways.

Please lock your car, taking any valuables with you and leave by dusk.

Additional information

Number of accessible parking spaces: 2

Facilities and access

Pre-visit access information

Visit our access information page from the link below.

View access information

Assistance dogs welcome
Dogs allowed
Picnic area

Knightwood Oak

Peace, tranquility and a great spot for a picnic whilst exploring the 500 year old Knightwood Oak

Knightwood Oak is a great place to stop and enjoy a picnic, 'away from it all' and try to imagine what it would have been like over 500 years ago when the famous Knightwood Oak tree began to grow.

The Knightwood Oak is the largest oak in the New Forest, at 7.4m girth, and surely one of the oldest.

The Queen of the Forest

It is still going strong today and is a spectacular example of the ancient art of 'pollarding', the traditional way of harvesting wood without killing the tree. This living monument became a tree to find in Victorian times and acquired the title "Queen of the Forest". It has featured on maps since this time.

At a glance

Walking trail

Picnic areas

View the largest oak tree in the forest

Things to do

Knightwood Oak Trail

Take a short stroll from Knightwood car park, across the road to see the most famous tree in the New Forest. Believed to have been planted in 1600, this tree is still going strong...

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Picnics at Knightwood Oak

Enjoy a tasty treat in the forest, just bring along good food and company! We have some picnic tables on site, however visitors are welcome to bring blankets and pitch up.

To help...

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Nearby forests

Bolderwood

Situated on an old coaching route, Bolderwood contains some of the oldest Douglas fir trees in the New Forest with some dating back as far as 1860. South of Bolderwood car park...

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Boy counting tree rings on a very old tree that's been felled.

Blackwater

Blackwater arboretum is an idyllic setting with a stunning variety of beautiful trees from around the world. Inspired by the tree collection at this special place, a sensory...

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couple enjoying a picnic in a clearing within a forest

Anderwood

Nestled in the trees, Anderwood is the perfect place to park up and enjoy a picnic whilst listening to the sounds of woodland wildlife all around.

To help prevent wildfires fires...

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Three New Forest ponies standing on open grassland.

Whitefield Moor

Enjoy the stunning views of the heathland and trees beyond. This is an ideal spot for all the family with good waymarked walking trail that pass by the nearby Ober Water stream.

Find out more