Ahoy there

I have been getting excited all week about the prospect of sailing with Escape Yachting a charter company who operate out of Lymington and offer various solutions designed to meet your sailing requirements, from day sailing out of Lymington to Caribbean cruising. Unlike many other charter companies operating, Escape offer packages for individuals and small groups meaning you don’t have to cover the expense of taking out an entire boat on your own. I arrived at Lymington Yacht Haven for a 09:00 rendezvous which is a five minute drive from Shorefield Country Park.

The group all arrived and promptly boarded the Jeanneau yacht and met with David our skipper and Tim the chef; we had a safety briefing and discussed our plans for the day. As we motored out of the marina and into the Solent, Tim offered everyone a glass of Champagne or orange juice. The sails were hoisted and although the wind was light some good sailing was enjoyed and anyone who wanted to try their hand at the wheel was invited to do so, it’s not every day that I’m encouraged to take the helm a quarter of a million pounds worth of yacht and it was a breath taking experience.

We dropped anchor at Newtown Harbour for lunch which is a tranquil spot across the water from Lymington on the Isle of Wight, lunch was delicious and very well received as yachting is surprisingly hungry work. The food  as mentioned was great and the surroundings exceptional, should you want to drink with your meal you are welcome to bring your own alcohol or this can be arranged to be ready on board for you.

After lunch the wind picked up to about 15 knots and we were able to put the boat through its paces a bit more, this really was a lot of fun as the thing really could shift. Everyone who wanted to was invited to have a go at each element of the sailing, alternatively there is always the option to chill out and let the crew take care of everything whilst you relax. We were back in the marina by 15:00 and everyone on board had a great day. I absolutely recommend this as a fantastic day out and I will certainly be booking myself on another sail with them in the future. BL

Something for the Weekend

We have once again come to the end of the week so its time for us to write about what the team are up to this weekend and perhaps inspire our readers to get out and about in the local area.

I am going to be sailing in the Lymington Summer Regatta you should be able to see some of the racing from Hurst spit either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. Whilst I'm writing on a nautical theme I will be posting a review of Escape Yachting next week which is a great way to get sailing on the Solent, more to follow. BL 

For the first time this Saturday the New Forest Tour open top bus will be picking up New Forest sightseers at Shorefield Country Park.

The New Forest Tour is the perfect way to explore the beautiful New Forest without a car and a fantastic way to see some of the highlights that England’s newest National Park has to offer. On the route there are a wealth of attractions including Beaulieu National Motor Museum, New Forest Cider, ExburyGardens and of course some of the towns that are situated in the New Forest.

We’ll be taking a ride this weekend to celebrate Shorefield Country Park being added to the brand new blue route and taking a look at some of the key attractions on the route. WI