ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER BLUEBELL AND OTHER WINCHESTER WANDERINGS

Another day, another bluebell hunt… That’s what spring is all about right now! Well, bluebells and brunch, walks and wine, catchups and coffee… When they ask what I did in maternity leave, I can say a lot of all of the above! We live near Winchester, in a beautiful place, and so I was always going to make the most of the outdoors with my baby with a year away from the office… And strolling and coffee is valuable self-care for me in amongst bubble machines, flashing lights, play dates, sensory classes and routine! Thankfully baby is spellbound by trees, leaves, birds, bees and butterflies!

The best bluebells

For a couple of weeks in April, baby and I went bluebell hunting daily. Many of the days with other Mummy and Baby friends – I’m not the only one obsessed with pictures of baby amongst the blooms! There’s a European varietal that almost gave me out with a false start, they come earlier! Bless the baby and all his baby friends for being so obliging so many times! Sitting cutely for countless photos… Every day for a week!! Mr P even got involved too!

I enjoy these places all year round, but in bluebell season they come alive with scent and colour and it’s heaven to have such choice on our doorstep.

Micheldever woods are very near to us and the bloom is excellent. Last July these woods were actually the first place I nursed Baby P away from home! They get very busy with bluebell hunters, it’s where the world arrives on bluebell weekend because it’s well known and there’s plenty of parking. It pays to be early in the morning (easy with a baby) or visit regularly so you are there when the flowering days start, before the masses.

The woods around Farley Mount are stunning, with bluebells stretching for miles between fields of oilseed and the mount itself. Park by the gorgeous Farley church and it’s a short stroll along the lane in the sunshine to the woodland. The view from the Mount is rather stunning too.

Nearer to Winchester, Crab Wood nature reserve, and Heath’s Copse off Ham Green are very different woodlands (not beech) and there are lovely patches of bluebells in amongst the trees. We parked and lunched at the farm shop for one walk and on the edge of Sparsholt on another occasion.

I conducted extensive research near home this year. Because, obviously, I had the time! Last year the bloom was later in May and so my baby bump restricted my adventures… But this year, I am pleased to say that I found incredible untrampled spots of pure perfumed beauty away from any the car parks. I’m keeping the locations secret, but please enjoy the photos!

A deep hollow of bluebells in the first instance…

And a hidden wonderland that we found by first getting lost a week earlier, before they flowered…

And a late entrant just round the corner from home…

Other walks

I walk all year, rain or shine. Baby is happy in the carrier and it’s great exercise for me too. If he needs a sleep he faces in, if he doesn’t he faces out and swings his legs to walk with me!

A favourite is the Winchester water meadow walk from Five Bridges Road right into Winchester. To make it a bit tougher there’s a quick climb up the steep steps of St Catherine’s Hill! Or add a spritzer stop at The Queen Inn!

Blackwood Forest has a little coffee shop which is a good meeting place for a stroll along the made up tracks in the forest. It’s good for buggies so it’s perfect if I need to be out of the house when the cleaners are visiting as baby can have his afternoon nap too.

Cheesefoot Head has long been a favourite from pre-baby cycling days. Nearby Old Winchester Hill is another climb with a spectacular view at the top.

A stroll along the Itchen between Alresford and Easton is always pleasant. It’s beautiful along the river but following the more land locked path is also pretty.

Over near to the Waitrose Estate in Leckford there are some gorgeous walks. There’s a mix of wide waterway with countless birds to watch as well as rolling hills.

Around where we live there are countless footpaths so that’s where I spend most of my time, by myself with the baby or with Mr P or other mummies. Sometimes just a circular stroll through the fields for a bit of cow spotting. Or perhaps a walk with a wine stop along the way. These days we go to the playground for the swings too. I never fail to be amazed at how quickly the seasons change the scenery, it really is different each day.

Coffee shops

A key part of maternity leave involves research on coffee, for obvious reasons… The Costa drive through in the early days when baby was snoozing in the car was a good start but there’s so much better!

Honesty in Overton is a favourite, especially on days when they have their orange cake in stock. Better still it’s located in wine shop Caviste so I can pick up a bottle of something special for the weekend. There’s also a cute little coffeeshop bus outside the Bombay Sapphire distillery and if you are headed that way then Kudos Coffee in Whitchurch is worth a visit.

I love all things Coffee Lab in Winchester – the original, the Square and now DT out at Winnall. Their selection of vegan cakes has always been second to none as well. The one in Stockbridge has cannily joined up with a pizza restaurant!

I don’t find pub lunching that relaxing with a little one, although it’s far easier now he’s enjoying his food! Favourites are: The Peat Spade (Leckford), The Bush Inn (Ovington), Watership Down (Fullflood), The Woolpack (Totford), Pi Pizza (Winchester), Josie’s (Bishops Waltham) and Thyme and Tides (Stockbridge). The easiest place we have found to eat with baby in tow is The Stable in Winchester – good quality fast food and the volume of high chairs assures you it’s family friendly!

For a quick drink, and a crawl about for baby, then The Wonston Arms and The Chestnut Horse are favourites. These are friendly places come summer or winter.

If you want a night off from baby then I would highly recommend booking yourself a spot with Club Epicure!

The coffee shop at the golf driving range near Headbourne Worthy became a favourite for our NCT group. They have excellent cakes and sausage rolls. Similarly Brambridge Garden Centre is a good spot as long as you’re early for lunch, there’s even goats to visit! In Alresford I would recommend Long Barn and also Caracoli, as well as clearing the diary for a spot of retail therapy and a walk along the river.

Farm shops are always a hit – The Good Life, Newlyns (Hook, J5 of the M3) and Beechcroft on Sarum Road.

The new kid on the block is The Winchester Orangery. There’s a lot of steps, so the staff will need to help you with a buggy, but it’s worth it. It is a stunning place, probably the most Instagramable spot in town. The food and coffee is excellent too!

Days out

I absolutely adore taking a stroll around a few of the National Trust gardens near me. Mottisfont, Hinton Ampner and The Vyne are all gorgeous and perfect for a sunny afternoon’s outing. Being a member was one of the first things I did at the start of maternity leave and I can just pop to one or other for a little while which is the perfect diversion if I have no other plans.

Heritage Open days comes to Winchester once a year and it’s a fantastic way to visit and see places not normally open to the public. We had a wonderful tour of Winchester College last year and I’m already looking forward to seeing what will be on offer this year (from 13th Sept).

Through the summer there are a myriad of different festivals and fetes. Personal favourites are the Alresford Watercress Festival when the whole town comes alive, and also Apple Day at Bere Mill near Whitchurch.

Hotels

Living in Hampshire we don’t really have need for a hotel… But should we then there’s only one for us… The Chewton Glen. We are very lucky to have friends there and so have stayed a number of times using an agent rate. It has the most beautiful grounds, charming staff and the piéce de resistance… The luxurious treehouses where we had the first of our babymoons!

What did I miss that I need to investigate before maternity leave comes to an end?

As ever, I’m linking this up as part of the travel linkup. This month we are talking about staycations and local gems. Just pop your post up over the first week of the month (the 1st – 7th May 2019), add it to the link up widget found on Silverspoon London, Adventures of a London Kiwi, Binny’s Food and Travel Diaries or Summers Holiday. There are no rules – but check out some of the other cool bloggers that are involved in that months travel link up; make a few comments here and there and tweet a few of the posts out to your followers that you think they will love. It’s a great way to meet some new travel bloggers and share some blogging joy!