Things to do locally
You could stay at Croft Cottage all day if you so desire and we have things to keep everyone occupied. But here’s a few local and slightly further away places that are well worth visiting.
Sport and Leisure
Downton Leisure Centre
2 indoor and 3 outdoor tennis courts - gym - sports hall - badminton - 10 minutes drive from the Croft Cottage and The Lodge.
Golf - 18 hole course at Moors Valley www.moors-valley.co.uk and two 18 hole courses at Bramshaw Golf Club, Brook, www.bramshawgolfclub.co.uk
Water Sports - Waterskiing, banana boat rides, inflatable tyre rides, wake board and fishing www.newforestwaterpark.co.uk
Fishing - www.rockbournetroutfisher.co.uk also www.sandy-balls.co.uk for fishing on the River Avon and www.newforestwaterpark.co.uk for fishing on their island.
Horse Riding - Arnis Stable is within walking distance with riding directly onto the open forest. Contact them on 01425 654114.
Cycling - There are many cycle routes through the forest and a cycle hire centre at Sandy Balls Holiday Centre which is a 5 minute walk from the lodge. Follow this link where you can download cycle routes http://www.sandyballscyclecentre.co.uk/index_files/page0013.htm
Longdown Activity Farm
Visitors of all ages enjoy this friendly farm. Join in with daily activities such as bottle feeding the kid goats and calves, cuddling baby rabbits and chicks, and feeding the ducks and pigs.
The indoor play areas are great fun and are brilliant for wet weather days. The children can let off steam in the Farmer's Straw Den, dive into the ball pool in the soft play area or bounce on the trampolines - all under cover. For quiet indoor play, there is the indoor sand pit and infant playroom. Outside are go-karts, motorised vehicles (coin operated), table tennis, and a large outdoor play area with climbing frame and swings. Enjoy a ride on the trailer pulled by a tractor (weather permitting).
Pub Walks
The Fighting Cocks is child friendly, serves good food and is within a 5 minute walk of The Lodge. It also has a small adventure playground.
For a longer walk of perhaps 30 - 40 minutes across the open heathland will take you to the Foresters Arms at Frogham.
Also The Royal Oak at North Gorley, about 1 hour in the same direction -
Further afield through heath and forest (about one and a half hours walk) will take you to another Royal Oak, at Fritham, where you can enjoy homecooked food in front of the open log fires during colder months.
There are many more lovely pub walks in the area including The Bat and Ball at Breamore and The Horse and Groom at Woodgreen.
The High Corner Inn at Linford is about one and a half hours walk.
Moors Valley Country Park
There are many miles of paths and tracks through Moors Valley Country Park and Forest. You are welcome to walk on any of these paths.
For a short walk in the forest - discover the play trail with its unique pieces of wooden play equipment situated on a three quarters of a mile walk. Half way along the Play Trail there is the option to divert onto the Tree Top Trail, a wooden walkway that gives you a birds eye view of the forest.
Also at Moors Valley - Go Ape and 18 hole golf course
Theme Parks
Paultons
www.paultonspark.co.uk is the theme park for families. There are over 50 fantastic rides and attractions waiting for your family to discover set in over 140 acres of beautiful landscaped parkland. There really is something for all age groups from the splashing fun of Water Kingdom and the adventure Trekking Tractors for young guests to the high octane excitement of Edge and the exhilaration of the Cobra rollercoaster for older children and adults who crave something a little more thrilling! And now you can also enjoy Peppa Pig World!
There's also an amazing collection of exotic birds, meerkats, giant tortoises and wallabies to see as well as seasonal live shows and enchanting walk-through attractions like Wind in the Willows, The Magic Forest and Land of the Dinosaurs!
Paultons is a 20 minute drive from the Croft Cottage and The Lodge - exit at junction 2 of the M27 - take the first exit at the roundabout - take the first exit at the following roundabout. Paultons is about half a mile on the right. It’s well sign-posted
Adventure Wonderland - Bournemouth
Adventure Wonderland is a triple award winning, family run theme park aimed primarily towards families with young children. They have 30 rides and attractions all included in the entry price. During the weekends and school holidays they run an entertainment schedule with their resident Wonderland Rangers, who will keep you amused and entertained with meet and greets, dance parties and live puppet shows and more!
Whatever the weather
If the weather does turn they try and keep all the rides going but for those of you who want a bit of warmth and dry, you can go in to their main building and let the kids go wild in the Wild Thing! Aztec indoor play centre with slides, air cannons to fire foam balls in the Thunderdome, and 3 levels of climbing around, while you sit and relax in the Cafe or Mezzanine floor and keep an eye on your children in comfort. The play centre boasts three tube slides plus our ever popular, very fast Piranah Slide. At the centre of the Play equipment stands Montyzoomers Thunderdome complete with air blasters and ball volcano! For the toddlers there is a seperate area with their very own climbing frame and slide.
The Wild Thing! building also houses the Wild Thing Cafe offering a vast array of hot and cold meals, drinks and snacks. Plus the Wild Thing! gift shop.
For more up to date details of Adventure Wonderland visit their website www.adventurewonderland.co.uk
Beaches
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a great resort if you have children. The sandy beach stretches miles with its paved promenade, eating places, entertainment, pier, and all the facilities necessary when you have young children. (Photos taken in January)
Hengistbury Head
Quieter than Bournemouth, Hengistbury Head has a lot to offer with its nature reserve, land train and Beach House Cafe. You can walk East along the beach (the beach has been built up with pebbles to stop the sea eroding the cliffs). After a 30 minute amble along the beach you will reach the sought after beach huts. Refreshments can be found in the Beach House Cafe. You can then visit Mudeford by ferry, or walk back over the cliffs and nature reserve or along the estuary. Too tired to walk back, then take the land train!
Highcliffe Castle
(If the Castle car park is full, turn right out of the entrance and drive through Highcliffe you will be directed to another larger car park)
Highcliffe Castle has regular exhibitions and has an adjoining cafe. The cafe serves superb homemade lunches and cakes. You can take the steps from the Castle car park directly down to the beach, or take a stroll along the nature reserve in a westerly direction.
There is an alternative route down to the beach via a staggered path which would be suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. If you follow this route you can walk along a promenade, where the beach is divided into small bays by large stones. The beach is naturally sandy, but you need to walk over the stones and down a slope to reach the sand and sea. Continue along the promenade and you will eventually reach the main car park in Highcliffe where there is a restaurant on the cliff top with wonderful views out across to the Isle of Wight.
Towns
Bournemouth
As well as miles of sandy beaches listed above, with their piers, rides and arcades, Bournemouth has a large shopping centre.
Salisbury
Described as the City in the Countryside, Salisbury in the south of the UK's Wiltshire retains much of its historic past with timbered buildings, an Early English Gothic Cathedral, a thriving market, a buzzing arts scene, museums and some of England’s finest historic houses waiting to be explored.
Within Salisbury's Cathedral Close there is a lot to be explored including Mompesson House, The Rifles Military Museum and the award-winning Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum with its Stonehenge Gallery.
Southampton
Southampton has the largest shopping centre in the area and
Southampton’s Old Town has more hidden treasures than many other cities can boast. A place, with some unique features, that has played its part in the country's history and that, for diverse reasons, attracted the interest of William The Conqueror, Henry V, William Shakespeare, the Pilgrim Fathers, Isaac Watts and Jane Austen.
The 800 year old Bargate stands as a prestigious entrance to the Old Town. Here, you will find the third longest stretch of unbroken Medieval defensive walling in England. The Old Town and its hidden treasures provide visitors with a truly memorable ‘step back’ into Southampton’s historical past. Tour the medieval vaults and enjoy a tankard of ale at the charming Duke of Wellington public house which also dates back to the twelfth century. The newly restored Tudor House and Garden is once again welcoming visitors. Enjoy exciting new audio-visual displays, guiding you around the house, plus a mini-beasts tour of the pretty knot garden.
Within a stone’s throw of Southampton’s OldTown is the waterfront, also steeped in history. Ocean Village and Town Quay offer peaceful spots for watching cruise ships and container vessels come and go, and may be an opportune moment to reflect on the port’s key role in the D-Day landings, as well as the launch of the fateful RMS Titanic in 1912.
Solent Sky Museum is also located nearby, exhibiting an impressive array of aircraft which documents the history of aviation in the Solent and Hampshire area. The museum displays many of the planes that helped make Southampton a famous hub of innovation, notably the legendary Spitfire.