Lightfoot's Farm

Eves soaking in your private hot tub and days sailing from Milford on Sea or horse-riding in the New Forest? If that gets a ‘yes’ from you, you’ll be set with a stay at Lightfoot’s Farm on the southern border of the New Forest National Park. A 10-minute drive from Milford on Sea and a short drive from the ‘forest proper’, as the locals call it, the location is convenient for all sorts, like sailing, canoeing, paddleboarding, fishing, horse riding, hiking and archery.

The sea’s to the south and the forest’s to the north, but smack bang in front of your bell tent is a private woodfired hot tub, a shower and an eco toilet. Each tent has its own single gas hob, pans, cutlery, plates, bowls and a picnic table, making it easy to cook and eat at your pitch. There’s also access to a shared field kitchen, just in case you want something to snack on in-between submerging yourself in the bubbles.

Lightfoot's Farm is a three-acre smallholding with a bunch of bell tents set out in the hay meadow. The owners also grow a few fruit and nut trees in the meadow, along with vegetables for the owners and their friends. So, unplug, unwind and listen to the meadow’s soundtrack as the sun sets.

They grow micro herbs in a vertical farm too, which is sold off to nearby restaurants, markets and homes, but they also make sure there are a few in the field kitchen’s fridge for guests to help themselves to. If you’d like to have a little look around the farm, just ask. Those after more splendid eats can source good eateries within a short drive of the site too (just see the seafood selection in Milford on Sea).