Rural idyll bordering New Forest

This is a peaceful and cosey home with a stunning private 4 acre garden with boating lake set in the heart of the Hampshire countryside. Located on the borders of the New Forest and with other world class attractions such as Stone Henge and the historic market towns of Winchester and Salisbury nearby, makes this an ideal base from which to explore or simply to enjoy as a rural retreat for peaceful family time. Dog friendly. The house is a charming barn conversion, with pine flooring and bright white walls through out. The house's layout is contemporary, with an open plan farmhouse kitchen and eating area. I encourage you to feel at home. In the kitchen there are teas, instant coffee and coffee beans , a good selection of condiments with herbs and spices. There is a microwave and electric stove. There are two bathrooms, one with a shower and one with a bath. There is also washing machine and drying line in the yard. The living room has a wood burning stove at it's centre. There are well stocked book shelves and old school board games to enjoy. The house is decorated with a quirky collection of original art works. It is a colourful, airy and relaxed home in a very peaceful setting. The bedrooms all have fresh 100% cotton bed linen and towels provided. The largest bedroom is in the attic. It is a lovely room, bright and spacious. The staircase leading to it is a paddle or alternating step staircase. If you are not used to one, it can feel a bit steep when descending it, so please look at the pictures to see it first. The other bedrooms are two doubles, both on the ground floor. There are two bathrooms. One with a shower and one with a bath, both with W.C.s. The garden is wonderful. It was a labour of love designed and tended to by my mother. She was a prize winning florist in her time, and when she retired, the garden became her life's work which I am gradually restoring it to its former glory. Please feel free to explore the 4.5 acre garden, full of places to sit, picnic, or snooze in the hammocks. It consists of a mature formal garden, beyond which is an open lawn leading to a private lake with a little rowing boat. The lake is frequented by kingfishers, nesting ducks, herons and egrets. In the summer time an occasional glow worm comes to visit which always feels like an honour. The lake is a great spot to sit around at dawn or dusk for birdsong. The terrace at the end of the house has a spacious outside eating area with tables and benches surrounded by decorative evening lanterns and colourful garden lights for evening meals. There is parking space for four cars as you enter the property. Guests will generally let themselves into the property with keys left in a key safe. A welcome note along with the house instructions will be left in the house. If you have any queries or problems I am only a phone call away and will endeavour to help in any way I can. Sherfield English is a little village with a pub, post office and garage. It is 4 miles from the picturesque market town of Romsey. Famous local inhabitants have included Florence Nightingale. She is buried locally at St Margaret of Antioch, which is a pleasant walk away via the public footpath that runs diectly past the property. Local Amenities: The local pub 'The Hatchet' less than a 5 minute walk away, and has an excellent reputation for good food. It is a popular family pub with locals, and has a secure garden with a children's play area. For breakfasts, teas and cake, there is Gilbert's Nursery less than 5 minutes walk in the other direction. It is particularly popular on the weekends. Lots of cyclist groups use it as a regular pit stop on their weekend rides. Breakfast (and fishing) is also available at Dandy's Ford Fishing and Tea Rooms (0.7 miles). Kimbridge (4 mils) is the local speciality farm shop with amazing treats; and a restaurant and cafe. Sherfield English village shop (0.8 miles) is good for last minute things, or the post office. There is finally, the fabulous Shootash Car Boot Sale (2 miles) every Saturday morning, if that's your tipple. Surrounding us, you've got Romsey, Salibury, and Winchester, The New Forest, Broadlands, Mottisfont Abbey, Wilton House, and a host of Neolithic sites to visit. There are quintessentially English villages such as Stockbridge, and wonderful churches and footpaths to explore. Romsey (4 miles) is our local market town. The food markets run on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. The farmers Market. 1st Sunday of the month. There is a huge country show held at Broadlands on the edge of the town. It's once a year, on the 12th of September. There is also a host of small cafes, restaurants and shops; and an Art Deco theatre which hosts local productions. New Forest. (3 miles) The New Forest with its famous and ancient woodland with its knotted trees, huge mossy oaks and marshy expanses populated by wild horses which roam free across it. You can explore it by hiring a horse; cycling, or walking. The area is littered with historic villages. Lymington is the site of Buckland Rings Iron Age hill fort. The Rufus Stone near Minstead marks the spot King William II fell in 1100AD. The New Forest Folk Festival is a wonderful annual event; and there is the New Forest Country Show in July. And lets not forget Peppa Pig World and Go Ape, both very popular. Salisbury (9 miles). Salisbury is my favourite local town. The astonishing cathedral with its magestic spire and the stunning chapter house holding arguably the best copy of the Magna Carta; listen to the choral singing; or get tours of the various points of interest. The town itself is charming, and bustling. There is a farmers and artisan market, a plethora of shops, cafes, an art centre, theatre and National Trust houses to visit. The 1950's cafe upstairs in the antique centre is great for tea and cake; and The Boston is good for generous sized food. Winchester (15 miles). Winchester is another historic town, once King Alfred seat of power. The town is filled with treasures and ancient buildings, such as King Arthurs Round table, the cathedral and butter cross. It has weekly antiques and bric-a brac markets, as well as a street food markets. You can visit Winchester Cathedral, the Gurkha Museum, Wolvesey Castle, or Marwell Wildlife Centre. Winchester is a cultural hub, with its Art College and schools. There are plenty of festivals hosted there, including the Chamber Music Festival, Hampshire Food Festival; and Winchester hat fair amongst others. Nearby Ancient Monuments. Danebury Fort, and Old Sarum Iron Age Fort are about 14 miles away. Danebury Fort is especially atmospheric. Its high up position allows you to see seven other hill fort settlements surrounding it. For a good day trip, Stone Henge is only 20 miles away. Avebury Stone Circle, Silbury hill and the Rideway are all about 40 miles away. The best way, is to explore the area is by car. We are just off the Salisbury Rd (A27), 4 miles from Romsey and absolutely surrounded by places of interest. We are right in between Salisbury and Winchester, so equally easy to access from either town. Country buses being what they are, I recommend that if you are coming by public transport, it is worth planning carefully around it. Bike riding is also really popular in the area. There are plenty of weekend cycling groups locally. There is a public footpath that runs along the side of the house which takes you deep into the countryside and you can walk directly to the New Forest without going on any main roads. Public transport: The direct train from London to Winchester take under an hour, or to Salisbury it takes 1 hr 20 min. Indirect trains via Southampton go to Romsey, which is 3 miles away. Taxis from there cost under £10. This is a list of reputable taxi firms, and car hire companies in the area. Taxis: Romsey. Abbey Cars, or Samtax Salisbury. City Cabs, or AA Taxis Winchester. Wintax Cars, or Wessex Cars Southampton. Radio Taxis, or Aero Taxis Car Hire. Romsey. U-Drive Salisbury. Europcar Winchester. Enterprise Rent-a-Car Southampton. Europcar Please note that when you look us up on the sat nav it will direct you to the petrol station. My driveway is actually on the opposite side to the petrol station.