Hampshire Travel Wish List

While staycations are still proving popular in the UK as our ability to travel further afield continues to be uncertain, it’s a great time to take a look at all the amazing locations we have around us here in the UK we may not have considered before.  Continuing on my UK travel wish list series I’m turning my attention this time to Hampshire to see what this county has to offer:

Chawton

The pretty town of Chawton is a must when looking at Hampshire travel.  With the village’s old cottages, woods and open ground this village could be visited just for its stunning scenery and tranquil feel alone.  However, there’s so much more to the villages than just looks.  Jane Austin’s House is a famous part of the village as it’s the place she wrote her most famous novels.  The house has stunning features and gardens so it’s a hit with visitors.  Chawton House is also in the village and it once belonged to Jane Austin’s brother.  It is a stunning 18th-century house with a rose garden which is a joy to explore.  The house itself is now a centre for women’s writing.  Clinkers cottage used to be the village blacksmiths for 400 years and is totally charming.  There’s also the Casandra’s Cup tearoom to stop in for a spot of afternoon tea.

Image by Emma Reed

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is known primarily for its naval history, and this makes it a fascinating place for a visit.  The Plymouth Historic Dockyard is a must-visit on any trip as it contains so many of the cities most important sights.  The Mary Rose Museum, for instance, tells the history of one of Britains’s most famous warships and there is the HMS Victory which was the ship that Nelson was killed on in Trafalgar.  There are lots of other historic boats to explore nearby and even the National Museum of the Royal Navy and the D-Day Museum, so there’s plenty of ways to fill a weekend.  If your looking for something less naval based there is also the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum as well as the strikingly modern-looking Spinnaker Tower.  If you still want more to see and do there is also Portchester Castle to explore, which dates back to around 1100.  If you like history, Portsmouth is a great place to be when looking at Hampshire travel.

Picture by Emma Reed

Isle of Wight

I’ve never visited any of the UK’s smaller isles and it seems a real shame given their beauty and history.  The Isle of white is the home of Osborne House, which was a house of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s and is still furnished largely the same as when they lived there.  There is also the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Bembridge Windmill and the Shanklin Chine which is a narrow ravine leading to waterfalls, all of which are must-sees when visiting the Island.  Carisbrooke Castle is famous as being the place Charles I was imprisoned before his execution and there are plenty of historic churches and amazing landscapes to see.

Winchester

I have actually visited Winchester before but didn’t get much time to spend in the city itself so there is loads I’d love to go back and see and it’s a popular destination for Hampshire travel.  I walked around the outside of Winchester Cathedral but I never got to go inside so I’d love to explore more of this historical building.  Jane Austin’s grave is also in Winchester cathedral so that would be a good place to visit after Chawton mentioned above.  Winchester is full of history, the Great Hall with the famous round table, known for its supposed connection with King Arthur, dates back to 1230.  The Westgate Museum has great examples of the cities history and the ruins of Wolvesey Castle are a great place to explore.  The Hospital of St Cross is an almshouse dating back to the 1130s which is set in a stunning building, visitors can still claim a ‘Wayfarer’s Dole’, a cup ale and bread which has been given out here since medical times.

Image by Hayley of Strangeness and Charm

Romsey

Romsey is a market town centred around the beautiful Romsey Abbey which was built in 1130 on the remains of an even older Saxon church.  King John’s House is not only is it one of the oldest surviving houses in England but it has graffiti left by knights from 1306!  Broadlands on the outskirts of Romsey is a 1730s mansion complete with a garden by the famous Capability Brown.  If you want some thrills the nearby theme park Paulton’s Park has something for all the family, including the popular Peppa Pig World.

Beaulieu

The stunning Palace House is one of the most popular historic estates in the country, and for good reason.  The building itself look is like something straight out of out of Downton Abbey, it has parts that were built as far back as the 13th century, and it even has an Alice in Wonderland topiary area.  Beaulieu is also a great place for a walk down the river and theres a popular motor museum in the village.

That’s not all there is to see in Hampshire of course, there’s the popular and truly stunning New Forest, which I wrote a post on complete with my own comprehensive guide and map.  Where is your favourite place to go when you visit Hampshire?