Travel the Solent Way

Local artist John Bird’s water-colours and pastels have been on sale here for almost 30 years – that’s a whopping three decades of finding inspiration in this one (aesthetically pleasing) area.

Once you start exploring, you’ll soon see why he keeps reaching for his brushes. Pick up some tasty local treats at the market, and head out along the Solent Way, from Lymington to Milford-on-Sea. This section of the path is nine miles long and takes about 3-4 hours. Lymington is a favourite yachting destination, too, so you could always stop off and check out the boats, before heading on to the marshes at Keyhaven. It’s a wildlife haven here.

Just before Milford-on-Sea you’ll come across Henry VIII’s coastal fort, Hurst Castle – which is worth a diversion up the shingle spit. Keep an eye out, too, for the famous Needles rearing up out of the sea before heading into pretty Milton.