So Near, So Far(ley Hangar)
My goodness, it had been a while.
A ‘mini break’. They were a ‘thing’, weren’t they? Back in the day. We thought we might try one. Get back on the horse - so to speak; quite literally NO horses formed part of our 3-day stay at The Farley Hangar (except some sightings of ponies in the New Forest … more of that later). Right, back on the proverbial. A place to stay; things to do; what to eat; any treats; books to read.
Let’s get this mini-break started.
Stay: The Farley Hangar
Our Air BnB review probably said everything we needed to say … but the stylish pod Amy and Alex have commissioned and created is absolutely perfect for that ‘escape to the country’ you promised yourself. You can park up and just explore the local area by foot or on bikes, or roam a little further afield. The village of Stockbridge is gorgeous, brimful of independent shops, restaurants and coffee shops. Beautiful.
The New Forest is less than half an hour’s drive away. We relished cycling on the well-marked pathways and byways. Ponies and cattle roamed the woods, lanes, and commons; nature at every turn. It’s a little hillier than we imagined it would be so take a picnic and rest up a while for the pedal back to the car park. There’s never a bad time for snacking.
Air BnB Review
Take a beautifully designed pod with a relaxed, stylish Scandi vibe and pair it with the beauty of nature’s wide open spaces. The perfect combination of well-thought out design and all the necessities. THE most comfortable bed ... the combination of fresh air - the setting lures you out; walks in bluebell woods and cycling in the New Forest just on the doorstep - and luxury mattress and bedding will guarantee you leave refreshed. Natural wood finishes blend with super stylish kitchen fittings, and all mod cons. The settee at the foot of the bed is a great spot to peer out at the daily nature documentary of hares and deer, played out to the soundtrack of skylarks serenading you. Amy and Alex are THE perfect hosts. Attentive and thoughtful but giving you the space to relish your downtime. Communications were swift and super personable. A heavenly haven in the beautiful countryside of Hampshire. We’ll be back for sure.
Escape into the Bluebell Woods
Parnholt Wood is quite literally on the doorstep. Out of your boutique accommodation, walk alongside the grass airfield (that makes sense of the word ‘hangar’ in the title), turn left on the farm track and through the gate about 250 yards away. May; glorious May … the perfect time to visit as the ‘red’ carpet rolled out for us was a carpet of vivid shades of lapis blue and violet. Bluebells as far as our eyes could see; a sea of bluebells, so beautiful that Mr Fables swapped his usual prose for poetry.
OK, so we know it sounds a little self-indulgent that we should decide to have a ‘break’. It’s not like we aren’t on a permanent ‘gap life’ already, huh? But, coming back to the UK took a fair amount of energy out of us - the wind out of our sails - and self-isolation soaked up a heap of our positivity. Getting back into a headspace that requires us to tune back into other folks’ rules has been draining.
A mini-break perhaps, to try and switch off. A change of scene, next-to-no social media; we ramped up the exercise, lost ourselves in nature, and gently emerged into modest gatherings with close friends.
It turns out that’s a recipe for recharging.
So, how did we do?
Scandi Cool hideaway @the_farley_hangar
Wildlife and Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s final resting place in the New Forest ... bluebell carpets and birdsong in Parnholt Wood ... Travis the Van getting a run-out ... hares, deer and partridges roaming nearby ... an actual pub lunch in an actual pub ... more chat ... binge-watching ‘Line of Duty’ ... sleeping late ... and waking early ...
Miles pedalled, walked and hiked.
Taking a break. It could catch on.
“Walks in bluebell woods and cycling in the New Forest just on the doorstep”
There is a special magic to the sounds of moving water; heightened further when sprinkled with the anticipation of dipping yourself in it. We recently had the opportunity to dip a toe in that water with Wild Pursuits. These are our watery reflections