New Forest

Project 366 2020 Week 35

Project 366 2020 Week 35 Day 236 – 242   Another week of getting used to the new normal, we should have been in Spain visiting my parents, we aren’t. We went to Dorset for a few days instead.

Sunday 23rd August – Day 236

Project 366 2020 Week 35

We should have been up at silly o’clock this morning to catch a flight to Spain to see my parents.  I’d changed the flights to 2021 before the government changed their decision on flights to the country.  It doesn’t make it any less gutting that we aren’t going.  But here we are, this is the reality for so many of us who have family overseas, it’s really not the same as losing a holiday.  But anyway, it was lovely to be with my bestie today.

We went out for a walk in the morning as the forecast for later in the day didn’t look good.  Back for a late lunch and as I went to pack the car, the heavens opened.

Monday 24th August – Day 237

Evenley Wood Garden

A long overdue catch up with good friends as we headed to Evenley Wood Gardens for the day.  We all had a lovely, relaxed time.  The weather held out for us, the boys had fun building their den and my friend and I got to have a really good, uninterrupted catch up which was so nice.

The post arrived just after we got home and I received a really nice surprise.  The cheque for the inheritance I’d been left by my ex’s uncle arrived and it was quite a lot more than I had imagined.  I was really shocked, and to have something really nice happen for a change took me aback.  It means that I have the means to sort a new car out, something that has been really stressing me out lately.  It also means that I no longer need to worry about paying for the mini-break I’ve booked for this week!

Tuesday 25th August – Day 238

Project 366 2020 Week 35

Gales and rain, glad we had planned to be at home getting things sorted before our trip.  We popped into town to pay the cheque in at the bank and then went to Sports Direct again to look at walking boots for my son.  He wore a pair of mine yesterday but he didn’t find them comfy.  He saw something that would work for him and we grabbed a real bargain.

I wanted to get a couple more masks for us both so we can wash, wear and have a spare so we got those too.

Then it was home to finish packing and I taught my son how to play Uno.  It’s a game I always play with my parents in Spain and we’re going to take it with us tomorrow to play in the hotel.

Wednesday 26th August – Day 239

Kingston Lacy

I made a ‘fu** it’ decision last week and booked a few days away for my son and I.  Not only has he missed out on seeing his grandparents for another year, he’s had lockdown with a working mum and really hasn’t had the attention he deserves.  So we’re away for a few days having a holiday of sorts.  Spending time together.

We drove down to Dorset and headed to Kingston Lacey for the day, before checking into our room in Ringwood. Kingston Lacy did not disappoint, although my son couldn’t be persuaded to look round the house itself. The weather was lovely and we made the most of our day.

I was a little apprehensive about what a hotel stay would entail during the ‘new normal’ but opted for a Premier Inn so we would have a rough idea of how things should be.  I’d booked one with a restaurant attached for ease so was a little fed up that their evening meal option was takeaway only.  But we were tired after a long day so just made the best of it.  We had a massive room and the staff were lovely.

Thursday 27th August – Day 240

Exbury Gardens

After breakfast, we drove down to Lepe Country Park for a walk on the shore.  We had the place to ourselves for an hour and it was a really chilled out way to start the day.  We then drove on to Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway where we met up with my oldest friend for the day.  The weather gods let us down in the afternoon and I think we were pretty much the only people still there in the late afternoon.

The drive back to Ringwood was not fun.  Thunder, lightning, torrential rain, flooded roads and fallen branches.  It was rather scary and we were both more than a little relieved when we finally pulled into the hotel car park.

Friday 28th August – Day 241

Bovington Tank Museum

After breakfast, we drove over to the Bovington Tank Museum, they are running pre-booked untimed day tickets, but we decided we’d get there when it opened so we knew we wouldn’t have to wait to get in. My son has wanted to visit for ages, but it’s too far for a day trip from home, so we made the most of being a lot closer.  I went when I was a child, but I don’t remember it at all.  It’s definitely worth a visit, they have a one-way system in place and my son was in his element.

When we’d finished looking around we were rather surprised that it wasn’t raining.  In fact, the sun was out.  We decided to drive down to Lulworth Cove and see how busy it was.  I think the forecast had kept the crowds away as the car park was nowhere near as busy as I’d thought it would be.  So we grabbed some sandwiches and bought some emergency suncream (I’d left mine at the hotel as the forecast was dire) and sat on the grass looking down at the cove.  Bliss.  We then decided to tackle the cliff walk to Durdle Door, again nowhere near as many people as I’d expected.  But when we got to the top of the cliff it was clear that the rain was on its way, and coming in fast.  We just made it back to the car as it started to rain.  A lot.

We headed back to the hotel on a scenic route and had some chill out time in our room before heading into Ringwood for dinner at Prezzo – our end of holiday treat.  All very well organised and lovely food.

Saturday 29th August – Day 242

New Forest

Time to check out and come home from our staycation. I’d promised my son that we would drive through the New Forest and park up somewhere so we could go for a walk in search of New Forest ponies. We drove all over the place and parked in a few different forest car parks and headed off for our adventures.  He was over the moon when we found horses, again and again, and even cows at one point.  The perfect end to our trip.  We stopped at Brockenhurst for lunch before heading in the general direction of home.  The rest of the world appeared to be heading for the coast were in total gridlock for miles.

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32 thoughts on “Project 366 2020 Week 35

  1. So glad you had good news about the inheritance and have been able to get away for a few days. Difficult to not see your parents though this year. We had a similar, but different experience when my sister was living in Australia for 5 years and not having the cash/time to get out there.

  2. Glad you had a good break, shame about the hotel restaurant, but at least you got fed. Will you stop having day trips out, it always rains when you do lol

  3. So sorry you couldn’t go and see your parents.
    That den looks brilliant. It sounds like you had a great time in the woods.
    Good on you for booking a mini break. It sounds like you have earned it and had a lovely time.x

  4. Sounds like a lovely break. I wish we’d done the same although N doesn’t really care. I’m feeling that the time I was on leave, we didn’t spend decent time together, it was just in the house together, or he was out on the farm. Not like the experiences we’d usually share and chat about together.

  5. So sorry the trip to see your family got cancelled. Glad you managed to get a bit of a staycation though….looks like you had a good time!

    Great news about the cheque.

  6. I’m sorry that you weren’t able to visit your parents but glad you could have a few days away although the drive to Ringwood sounds like it was a bit hairy. What a lovely surprise with the inheritance though and nice to be able to sort out a new car. Love the den that your son and his friend built and how lovely to see some New Forest ponies. #project366

  7. Ohhh, I know exactly what you mean about not being able to visit your parents. We’re the same – we haven’t seen them since February and, if the second wave hits, it certainly won’t be in October or probably even at Christmas. It’s just as well we have online access and video chats now ! Great to hear you got a bonus inheritance and your trip away sounds perfect, even with the rain !

  8. Sorry you aren’t jetting off to Spain, but sounds like you made the most of your time away in Dorset. How fantastic that you had some good news with the inheritance. I am so pleased you don’t have to worry about sorting out a car now.

  9. Looks like you had a great adventure! We haven’t been to Dorset to stay yet – it might well make the list over the next year as have no plans to travel aboard just yet. I love the New Forest and the ponies there we recently went there too!

  10. Despite a few problems, it looks like you had a lovely staycation. I wouldn’t have fancied driving in bad weather or being stuck in traffic. I hope you get the chance to go to Spain soon… #project366

  11. It’s a shame you couldn’t go to Spain but great that you enjoyed spending time with your bestie. Woah, look at all the wood! The garden sounds like fun. Great that you got enough money from the inheritance. I love playing UNO! Good that your trip to Kingston Lacey was fun. The tank museum sounds like fun. Aww pretty horse. It’s great that you travelled a lot this week, apart from weather disturbances

  12. Sorry you did not make it to Spain. It sounds like a great break though and you got up to so much. I would really like to go to see Kingston Lacey and have just been watching a programme on TV about it. Love to see the ponies too so glad you found so many.

  13. I’m in the same boat! Two holidays to my parents were cancelled and we haven’t see them in person since last year, don’t even think Christmas will go ahead either. As a single parent it has been hard on Liv, having to home school whilst I’m working to keep us afloat but we’ve cracked on and she is resilient. Kudos to all the kids for doing us proud! Glad you got to enjoy a few days away though and that mail sounded like it landed at the right time, we’ve had enough stress this year as is, so glad it came at the right time! Hope you are having a lovely week! Sim x

  14. We love Kingston Lacy, its just 10 mins from us where we live. How lovely your get to sort a new car and a short break……just serviced and MOT’d mine and its needs so much money spent on it……wish we didn’t have to rely on two cars

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