Enchanted!

Film-maker James Ross on a documentary series that reveals the secrets of the New Forest…

- Elaine Reilly

Forests have been enchanting us for centuries. Mythical home to fairies, nymphs, wicked witches and wolves, they’re the essence of our folklore. But how much do we really know about the inner workings of these magical places?

This week fascinating facts and surprising stories are unearthed in C4’s A Year in the New Forest, which features a wonderful array of flora and fauna, along with the human folk who maintain and protect this ancient woodland.

The four-part series explores each of the seasons in turn, starting with Autumn, and shows the forest to be a thrilling source of drama, hardship, beauty and survival…

‘The New Forest is a place that’s possibly unique,’ says James Ross, the producer and director for the Winter and Summer episodes, as he chats to TV Times. ‘It’s nearly 1,000 years old and, opposed to many other forests, is an ancient mix of woodland that has always had commoners – people who live and work in the forest – as well ponies and cattle living on it.'