The southern English county of Hampshire is only two hours from London by car or by frequent rail services. The county has much to offer regardless whether you seek fast moving cities, rural open countryside, or beaches and boat trips.

On the coast you will find the bustling fierce rival city ports of Portsmouth, (fighting ships), and Southampton, (merchant and cruise liners). In Portsmouth you must visit the historic dockyard. Go on board Horatio Nelsons flagship Victory, check out the Warrior and Henry the eighths Mary Rose which is still undergoing restoration after being raised from the seabed. Take an hours cruise to the Isle of Wight and see Britains biggest yachting extravaganza at Cowes week. Southampton is the traditional homes of the Cunarder Queen liners. It still is, and fabulous views can be had of the spectacular liners coming and going up Southampton water from Calshot beach in the south of the county.

To the west of Southampton lies the tranquillity of the New Forest. The New Forest was established in the eleventh century by William the first as his personal hunting grounds. Thousands of wild ponies, deer, cattle, donkeys, and at certain times of the year pigs can be seen all over the forest running free. Drive with care at all times! Good months to visit are early May to take in and photograph the foaling season, and September, to see the roundup, known locally as the drift, when all the ponies are rounded up and branded and checked for health problems.

If you go walking in the forest, and you can go just about anywhere and it costs nothing, ensure you wear stout shoes as the Forest is the stronghold of Britains only poisonous snake, the adder. All the towns stock antidote these days and deaths are unheard of, but an adder bite can still inflict nasty pain. Bites are very rare, adders are small snakes that rush off into the undergrowth, but just in case you should stand on one, good shoes are a must.

Check out Lyndhurst in the centre of the forest, Burley for the witches, I kid you not, Brockenhurst for the ponies, restaurants, hotels, and main line quick rail links, and lastly Lymington for sailing and interesting shops and antiques. To the north east of the county you will find Winchester, Hampshires third city and the county town. This is a smaller ancient city boasting an impressive Cathedral, burial place of Jane Austen, as well as the monument to King Alfred, he of the burning of the cakes fame, Wessexs own ancient king.

There are ample opportunities for golf, sailing, and riding, and fly fishing too on the three majestic rivers, Itchen, Test and Avon. They can provide fishing on rivers as beautiful as you will find anywhere. If sea fishing is your thing check out Lymington where boat trips are to be had all year round. Hampshire is unquestionably one of Englands most beautiful counties and a week would never be enough to take in all it has to offer. Why not stay for two? There is a wide variety of accommodation available from small inexpensive boarding houses to international standard hotels, cottages to riverside marina apartments. You can see thousands of cottages, villas and apartments worldwide on my web site now at www.pebblebeachmedia.co.uk.

Have a good holiday! And take care.