Relaxing in the New Forest

What a treat for us - Helen had invited us to stay with her and Marc in the New Forest. Luckily for me, Helen noticed from my emails last week that I had got the date wrong and planned to turn up a week early! After feeling like I'd lost mind, I enjoyed the fact that the weather forecast was better for this weekend, so no harm done!

A late night arrival on friday just gave us time to sort our beds out, and for Marc and Liam to assemble their fishing gear. By 5.30, Saturday morning, they were on their way for a day by the lake. Marc caught 3 carp, Liam, *cough* didn't!

So that left the girls and the boy to explore the New Forest for the day.

I have known Helen for 15 years now, so I packed for all evenualites - including wellies, and loads of spare clothes for all. When Helen saw how much stuff we'd brought, she had the cheek to say "How long are you staying for?" Is she in denial about how you always in up in a bog, just for example,when you spend time with her?????

Anyway, first job was to take Lucy for a walk. Helen said she'd show us her village - see that trick there? We got our shoes on - Leah put her wellies on 'cause its what she found first, but Megan and Sam stuck with their everyday shoes - its only a walk to see the village after all!

We literally walked across the road and into the actual forest of the New Forest. Lucy found a fledgling who'd not fledged very far! The blackbird looked huge to me, but was obviously straight out of the nest because even though Lucy ran around it in circles, it didn't move a muscle. Even a little kiss didn't encourage it to fly away OR its parents screeching in the tree above - I'm sure they were gearing up to dive bomb us. Luckily Lucy was very gentle with it and after a few minutes of us letting her harrass the chick (sicko's!), we dragged ourselves away!
What a lovely place to walk your dog every day - rolling hills and wildlife galore right on Helen's doorstep.


Beautiful scenery , but characteristically, we still had to jump through bogs and I was kicking myself for not putting the kids in their wellies! Will I never learn??? I'm sure all the other dog walkers didn't have to wade through mud (okay we weren't exactly wading, but even so - IT WAS A BOG!) - she's a bog-magnet!

Next we headed for the beach. Helen took us to Mudeford Sandbank and it was the perfect choice. Not only are dogs allowed there (of course we're pleased to see Helen and Marc, but they're an added extra - Lucy is the main reason for our visit!), but it is actually a sandbank and you have to take a ferry to the beach. We stocked up on fishing nets, buckets, spades and icecreams, then jumped on the ferry.
Within minutes of picking our spot, clothes were flung off and cossies were on...the children, not Helen and I. It was warm, but not that warm.

What a great feeling to be on a beach in the sunshine again! Make's you feel on top of the world!

It doesn't take Megan long to jump into the sea - the deeper the better. She's not keen on seaweed, but she'll find a route through if it means she can have a swim. And she's not the only one who likes a swim...

...and then a rest!

When Helen lived near us in Sheffield, she was always very hands-on with the kids, and its nice that she still is. Megan, Sam and Leah really do appreciate having people spend time with them - Helen turned out to be a great sandcastle-builder...

...and merman maker!

He started out being buried alive, then became a merman, then became a weird angel merman with wings!? Gotta love an imagination!

I didn't think Sam would be able to stay still long enough to be buried, but he did...for a while!

Leah's DEFINITELY not into splashing in the sea yet.

She prefers a little (and I mean LITTLE) paddle, then she generally huddles under a towel, preferably with a bag of crisps!

It was the perfect day for our little family, not too hot, not too cold, good company and a beach. What more could you want? ...except one of those fantastic beach huts!! They've got fitted kitchens and beds and EVERYTHING! One day!!