48 hours of New Forest favourites
48 hours of New Forest favourites
Day one – stretch your legs
Did you know you can get to the bustling, ancient city of Winchester by train in less than an hour from our country house? Packed with historical charm, award-winning pubs, incredible architecture (and a real foodie haven), here are the haunts we love to visit before heading home to the peace and quiet of the countryside…
Have a glass of fizz in The General Store
Just a stone’s throw from Winchester Cathedral is the perfect place to watch the world go by – The General Store is a firm favourite of ours. There’s often live music in the afternoons and it’s a great place to while away the hours, so swing by for a perfectly crisp glass of Black Chalk English Fizz.
Visit the Cathedral
The magnificent medieval cathedral is nestled in the heart of Winchester Square – it’s over 1,000 years old and is the resting place of beloved English literature author, Jane Austen. There’s always something new to see which makes every visit a little different and all the more special – from amazing installations to daily tours of the outdoor tower, it’s a must-visit for our team time and time again.
Walk the South Downs way
A pretty hidden secret is that you can easily reach The South Downs Way from Winchester city – a 100-mile-long walking route within the South Downs National Park, along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the South Downs with cracking views that are hard to beat.
Take the 11-mile ramble from the city to Beacon Hill National Nature Reserve or keep it simple with a quick trip round Beacon Hill to Old Winchester Hill. It’s the perfect way to explore as much as you can during your stay.
Stop for a sarnie
You always need a good recommendation for somewhere to refuel, and an absolute go-to for our team is a sandwich from Two Hands on Southgate Street (just off the main high street). As the name suggests, you need two hands to tackle a really, really good sandwich! Make the trip and thank us later.
The Great Hall (Legendary King Arthur’s Table)
Immerse yourself in some history and step inside the legendary Great Hall in the heart of Winchester city centre, built by William the Conqueror.
Linked to the legendary King Arthur’s Round Table you can marvel at the hall’s soaring arches, see the iconic Round Table for yourself and walk through the formidable Westgate.
Day two – hang closer to home
Goodall’s Strawberry Farm
Just over 5 miles away from our house (a quick 15-minute drive), you’ll find our perfect summer hangout: Goodall’s Strawberry Farm! Based in Lymington, Goodall’s grow their own berries, beans, spuds and asparagus on their soil. You can swing by to pick your own punnet of seasonal fruit and veg and buy some local goodies in the Farm Shop.
Beaulieu River
A visit to our local watering hole is an absolute must when you come to stay with us. Starting near Lyndhurst, in the centre of the New Forest, Beaulieu River is just over a 10-minute drive away. It’s rich in wildlife (a cracking place for bird spotting) and you’ll often find wild animals walking through the water too – such as donkeys, horses, cows… and of course, the occasional pig!
Follow one of our walking routes
There are so many great trails to explore the forest from our house – and we’ve saved a few of our favourite loops to create our free walking maps that you can pick up from reception or download on your phone ahead of your visit.
From a brisk hour in Brockenhurst to an all-afternoon walk to Beaulieu and back, we’ve got a whole range of trails to choose from. Take a peek of our 3½ hour loop to Hatchet Pond for a taste of where you could be stretching your legs this summer.
Cycleexperience
If you’re staying with the gang or are sleeping over with the family, we have a great relationship with these local legends who can provide a wide range of bikes to hire – perfect for exploring the forest.
They’re based just a stone’s throw down the road from us in the heart of Brockenhurst… but if you don’t fancy the short trip to their bike shop, you can still hire a set of wheels, and they’ll deliver your bikes to our door at THE PIG.
Milford-on-Sea
It’s not often that people visit the New Forest and realise just how close the coastline is. Milford-on-Sea is a local scenic gem that’s quite undiscovered – this pebble beach has spectacular views of The Needles and the Isle of Wight, as well as Hurst Castle. You can even reach the protected wildlife reserve, Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve, which is brilliant for bird spotting and is packed with diverse wildlife.
These are just a handful of our top picks from our patch – but there are heaps more to discover on the doorstep of our original PIG! Come and discover it for yourself this spring summer with a getaway round at our house. We can’t wait to welcome you in!
