I went with my mum and dad for a little holiday in Hampshire this week, to stay in a cottage in the countryside. The English Summer is the best time of the year, and the world is suddenly bursting with greenery and the days are long and bright.
We booked the Keeper’s Cottage, which sat on a totally quiet and peaceful hill corner of a large estate. We couldn’t see or hear anyone else anywhere nearby! The silence was incredible - just birds and bees and far away some cows and horses.
We visited several National Trust properties during the mornings - the first was Hinton Ampner - a beautiful old manor house with incredible manicured lawns, and topiary…
I absolutely loved wandering in the gardens: so many secret paths and hidden vistas. I could’ve stayed for days.
The countryside in and around Hampshire was delightful - although the hedges were often high along the country roads! The sunny/rainy/grey days meant incredible clouds and shadows everywhere…
We also visited Uppark House, which was even more perfect of a building - like a dollhouse! The Regency house and interiors were like a Jane Austen fantasy. The gardens were smaller than Hinton, but the views across the South Downs were even more expansive. I love that meadow gardens are making a comeback.
Every afternoon we went home to our little cottage and sat on the lawn and had a nap. The sun set behind the trees and cast a glorious light over everything. It’s so close to London, and yet feels like a different world.
