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Discover & Dine in the New Forest

12 April 2021

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With lockdown restrictions easing and allowing for travel further away from our homes, New Forest locals and homeowners at our Holmwood community in Brockenhurst can venture further into the National Park and make the most of all that it has to offer.

Take a look at our top picks:

Rosie Lea House

Rosie Lea House is the sister restaurant to ever-popular Rosie Lea Bakery in Brockenhurst. Located in Lymington, Rosie Lea House serves dishes from breakfast through to dinner using fresh, locally-sourced produce. Diners can complement their meal with a craft ale, cider or lager, all brewed in the Hampshire region. Rosie Lea House’s new patio dining area will welcome visitors from 30 April.

Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary

The New Forest is home to five different species of deer which can be found in various locations across the Park. Fallows, roe and red deer are the most common types to spot, with Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary being the best place in the Forest to see fallow deer. The area has a purpose-built viewing platform for visitors to have a great view of the deer whilst being at a safe distance. Between April and September, the fallow deer are fed by a Forest Commission Ranger, so head to the viewing platform in the early afternoon to see the feeding take place.

Hartnett Holder & Co

Regarded as one of the best restaurants in the New Forest, Hartnett Holder & Co is welcoming visitors for al fresco dining from 12 April. Situated at the Lime Wood Hotel in Lyndhurst, the restaurant serves a seasonal Italian menu, with dishes this spring including Wooley Park guinea fowl and Cornish fish stew. If the temperature drops, Hartnett Holder & Co have heaters, fire pits and blankets to keep diners nice and cosy.

Hatchet Pond

East of Brockenhurst is Hatchet Pond, the largest area of fresh water in the New Forest. The Pond is recognised as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area for Conservation due to it having some of the rarest wetland plants and freshwater animals in the UK. There are a number of easy walking trails around the Pond, providing opportunities for visitors to spot unique flora and fauna. Beaulieu Heath is also nearby, where sighting the famous New Forest ponies is almost guaranteed.

The Old Station Tea Rooms

Indulge in a quintessentially English cream tea at The Old Station Tea Rooms in Burley. Located within a Victorian station house, The Old Station has been operating as a tea rooms since the early 1970s and serves decadent finger sandwiches, homemade scones with Dorset clotted cream, and plenty of different teas! Afterwards, ramblers can wander along the old railway line which ran from Brockenhurst to Ringwood in the late 1800s.

The Pig

The Pig in Brockenhurst is extremely popular and well renowned, the first of The Pig chain of hotels and restaurants, it prides itself on a 25 mile menu and its own kitchen garden. All ingredients are either sourced from their kitchen garden or from producers within a 25 mile radius of the kitchen, this means the menu features tasty seasonal dishes and is regularly updated to reflect the best in season. The restaurant is currently open for outdoor spring dining in the beautiful terrace and gardens. They’ll be welcoming back diners indoors from the 17th May.

What’s more there’s plenty of beautiful spaces to take in the beauty of the New Forest nearby, perfect for an after lunch or dinner stroll.

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There’s just one home remaining at Holmwood; a beautiful, two-bedroom cottage offering an idyllic, countryside lifestyle. For more information, contact the team on [email protected] or 01590 615288.