1. Do you have children who are wanting to explore, run wild, create their own adventures and challenges? Seriously – this is the house for you.
2. Do you like food? The Pig Hotel is 10 mins walk up the road. That makes it possible to eat every meal there and retreat to the cottage for privacy and space.
3. Right outside the front door, across an unfenced lane, is the National Park in all it’s green, foresty, wildness. There is a stand of ancient oaks right opposite the cottage. All the windows to the front of the cottage face this area, so parents can watch their children from a distance.
This area is perfect for tree climbing, making dens, tracking and watching the wild ponies or magnificent red deer stags who like to gather here at sunset. Just 20 seconds from the cottage you’ll find acres and acres of open grassland, manicured by pony lawn-mowers and perfect for kicking balls about on. Night-time games of hide and seek with torches will appeal to many. Forage for wood and bring it home for marshmallow cooking in the garden.
When the children are tired and hungry you’ll just have to whistle them up and they’ll be back in seconds.
The cottage itself is a bolt-hole of perfection for 2 families. There are 3 downstairs bedrooms and a big kitchen table for meals together. For those who don’t want to cook the best food is a 10 minute walk away at The Pig, Brockenhurst. The hotel/restaurant group now has 4 others across the south of England and have a huge reputation for local, excellent food. It’s so close you can even wander there for pudding.
Cycling from here is superb in all directions. There are 4 adult mountain bikes, and 4 children’s mountain bikes here for guests to use.
The Brockenhurst Riding Stables is a few doors away and their ponies graze the field behind the house, so pony and horse lovers can feed their equine friends whilst still in pyjamas.
When the kids are tired and hungry you’ll just have to whistle them up and they’ll be back in seconds.
The house itself is a bolt-hole of perfection for 2 families. There are 3 downstairs bedrooms and a big kitchen table for meals together. For those who don’t want to cook the best food is a 10 minute walk at The Pig, Brockenhurst. The hotel/restaurant group now has 4 others across the south of England and have a huge reputation for local, excellent food. It’s so close you can even wander there for pudding.
Cycling from here is superb in all directions. There are 4 adult mountain bikes, and 4 kids bikes here for guests to use.
The Brockenhurst Riding Stables is a few doors down and their ponies graze the field behind the house, so pony and horse lovers can feed their equine friends whilst still in pyjamas.
The feel of the house is modern, bright and smart. It’s been very well set up as a family escape. Christophe and Clare the owners are a well travelled pair. He makes prosthetic legs for British Paralympians and she plays viola for the Academy of Ancient Music. The sitting room hosts a favourite piano (well tuned) for guests to use. Their style is relaxed, family functional and outdoorsy.
Between them and their children (10-13) the house has been tried and tested. There is a new deck in the back garden that runs the length of the house. The house is south facing, and gets sun all day, the sunsets on this area make is super hot in summer. The garden isn’t over looked either so it’s good for sunbathing and relaxing. Clare says that in the evenings, if guests are quiet, they will see red deer stags gathering in the paddock behind the house before going to feed in the early evening.
The kitchen spans the depth of the house and is roomy enough to cook for everyone easily. The table seats 8-10. There are 4 bedrooms in the cottage which sleeps 9. We feel this could be tight if it were all adults, so we suggest it best fits 4-6 adults and the rest children. In addition to the single and double bedrooms downstairs, there is an ensuite room which has a single bed/sofa on the ground floor and a tall ladder to a snug rooftop double in the eves. Usefully, it also has a tiny ‘kitchen’ area with a microwave, kettle, toaster and fridge. It is not suitable to cook in, but is fine for warming meals, bottles and tea making.
Days out with kids
We haven’t written an Insiders Guide for this area yet, so here’s our top 4 things to do locally:
- Play in the forest. Or escape to read books. Picnic. Play hide and seek. Watch the wildlife. Foals are born in May – June and they’ll be everyone by summer.
- Bike from here. The trails are superb. Bikes come with the house. Or hire extras from the excellent providers in Brockenhurst town centre. Our guests get 10% off.
- Visit The Pig hotel for something to eat. Even if it’s pudding. Take the 10 minute walk over there and make sure you tour the walled gardens. They grow much of their own food on site. Massages are fabulous there.
- Go horse riding. It’s a 5 min walk and on the way to The Pig. Warren Farm stables has a good reputation and the riding from here is lovely.
Accessibility
There are 5 metres from the nearest car park to the kitchen door. There is a small step here and the downstairs is all on one level with toilet easily accessible. The downstairs ensuite room, is adjacent to the house, (1 metre away, but a 10 metre walk around). This is all on one level. There is a small step into the room. The shower has a small step into it. There is a single bed on the ground floor and a ladder (see gallery) up to the double bed with a king-sized mattress.
