Planning a Short Break in Hampshire - The Test Valley or South Downs National Park?

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay 

I absolutely love going away for the weekend, or any other time to be truthful; a short break is my idea of heaven. I don't even mind who I'm away with - my husband, mum, daughter or a friend. As long as there is great food to eat, new places to explore and a cheeky Baileys in the bar before bed I'm a happy girl.

When I go away for the weekend I like to head somewhere new but to be honest, I don't particularly like travelling too far, so anywhere within about a 150-mile radius works for me. For some reason, I have been conditioned to believe that you either go to the coast or to a big city like London or Bath for your short break, but in recent times I've been questioning this.

I think the last year and the lockdowns particularly, have taught us all there is so much beauty and unexplored places on our doorsteps and as such, I am keen to explore some new places closer to my home, rather than spending lots of time in a car or on a train. Hampshire isn't a county I have explored much before and having lived in Surrey all my childhood/ teen years and now Sussex for the last seven years I'm not sure why, as it is pretty close-by.

I'm trying not to dwell too much on how much we have missed out on in the last year or so, but instead, focusing on the future and the excitement of new trips away. Last April I was chatting to a PR Manager acting on behalf of two areas of Hampshire - The Test Valley and the Hampshire area of the South Downs National Park and we were planning that I'd take a couple of short breaks to try out what these areas have to offer.

Of course, the trips didn't happen, but I am feeling much more positive that short breaks will be back on the agenda later on this year. As such I've been having a virtual search to see which area might suit me best to go and visit. My Mum and I will have our annual London trip this year and therefore this trip will be for my husband and me.

Review: Romantic Break for Two at Giraffe Lodge, Port Lympne Reserve, Kent

Recently it was my husbands 44th birthday and it happened to fall on his busiest work weekend of the year, so needless to say he slaved away and the day passed by pretty much unnoticed. I knew this would be the case so I was intent on finding a local night away for us that would be memorable. I needed it to be pretty close to where we live as we had limited time with a babysitter and at first I booked a night at the 5* Grand Hotel in Eastbourne for a spa stay over.

We then had our family day visiting Port Lympne Reserve in early August and as we travelled past Giraffe Lodge in the safari truck I knew this was where we were supposed to be staying. This really would be a special night away for the two of us, truly memorable and very different to anything we have ever done before. Thankfully when I spoke to Port Lympne they were very happy to host us and allow us to stay for the purpose of a full and honest review.

View from the Laapa restaurant, across the Romney Marshes and English Channel

Time as a couple #R2BC (Week 42, year 3)

It has been yet another good week, I am so lucky to have a Mum and Dad who will come and look after our kids so that dh and I can go away and have some time together. My children adore their grandparents and they had a ball and did not miss us one bit - McDonalds, walks on the beach, playing with the dog and snuggles with grandparents means they had a super time.

Happy with their Grandparents in the summer

I think it is so important to make sure you have some quality time with your other half every so often. Dh and I have not been away together as a couple for at least 2 years and we needed this break. We are lucky to get some nights out and have even stayed local to my parents for an evening out but actually getting away and having 72 hours is a real treat.

So we set off Friday lunchtime and we got up to loads over the next three days - we went to the cinema in the afternoon, had a pub lunch, swam in a beautiful spa pool, snuggled on the bed, walked Richmond Park for hours, got charged at by a stag (I kid you not!), had a cream tea to calm ourselves, went out for three gorgeous dinners, ate three decadent English breakfasts, stayed at three different places, went to Church twice and we chatted and chatted and chatted until we had no more to chat about.

I loved it and I love you Adam. xx

What has made you cheerful or grateful this week?

It could be something massive or it might just be the everyday simple things that happen. If you are new to Reasons to be Cheerful then take a look at the background to this linky and my rational for starting it 3 years ago. 

Write a post and link it up, no rules, just as long as you have written about something which is adding a smile to your face or rocking your world then I’m happy. Then link up the post, add in the blog hop code to your post if you fancy and then people can go from post to post nice and easily. 

Wishing you a fabulous week ahead, Mich x




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