New Forest

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Jean and I were up early to get packed for our 8:30am departure with Christine. We drove for a few hours until we got to the New Forest, a national park where wild horses roam around. We saw several standing in the middle of the road holding up traffic and standing on the front nature strips of people living in the villages around the New Forest.

Our first stop was Buckler’s Hard, a historic maritime village west of Southampton. Hard was used to identify a hard surface on the shore, perfect for pulling boats up on. This was where several of Admiral Nelson’s ships were built and repaired at the end of the 1700s/early 1800s. We also went on a 40 minute cruise around the Beaulieu River estuary, which is privately owned and a breeding ground for a lot of wild birds and other wildlife.

After lunch at the historic pub there, we drove on to the town of Burley, which has a lot of new age shops selling an assortment of local products.

Our destination for the night was The Crown Manor House Hotel New Forest. We dropped our bags in our room and then Jo and I headed down to the old fashioned lounge for a couple of cocktails (it was Happy Hour after all). Christine and Jean joined us halfway and then we transferred into the dining room for our dinner.



https://www.crownhotel-lyndhurst.co.uk/rooms/

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Comments

[Modris Vilnis]

Viewing photos
Like the bright green countryside and the clear blue water. Better without the sunglasses thank you. Eyes are the mirror of your soul.

[Suzalice]

New Forest
As a child I read"Children of the New Forest" and it has remained with me, so I could hardly wait to get there. Unfortunately it is much diminished in size than it was in the time the book was set. How did you find it? xxx

[JulieAnn B]

We mainly drove through the forest parts, and no it doesn't seem too big anymore. The moorland areas are interesting and the way the ponies just walk around. One was standing in the middle of the road licking the bonnet of the car that it had brought to a standstill. The driver was just sitting there knowing there was nothing he could do to shift it until it decided to walk on.

[Modris Vilnis]

Viewing photos
In a word. Magical.