Shorefield Country Park

If you can entice little piggies away from the Shorefield kids’ club and pool, Peppa Pig World is in the nearby New Forest for a porky-themed trip; for bigger piglets, there’s squeaking at the thrill rides and other attractions in the main Paultons Park or taking Tarzan-like to the trees at one of the three Go Ape! centres in Hampshire, near Ringwood, Southampton and Farnham.

The New Forest lies just north of Shorefield: take your pick from gardens, museums, farm parks and wildlife centres to visit, or hack/hike along the many horse-riding and walking trails. There are heathland and woodland cycle routes to spot some of the New Forest’s 3000 ponies – bring your own bike or hire one there. If you’re more of a four-wheeler, the Beaulieu National Motor Museum is in the heart of the New Forest; entrance to the museum includes admission to the sixteenth century Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey.

Going west, there’s the coastal cluster of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for historic harbours, bright lights and sandy beaches, and the seaside towns of Swanage and Weymouth; sally forth in the other direction to Southampton for the longest medieval wall in England and Southampton Maritime Museum.

The seaside resort of Lymington is on the southern edge of the New Forest for more maritime adventure at its two marinas and open-air sea bath built in the nineteenth century, while Portsmouth is a must to go adrift at the Historic Dockyard and the giant walk-through tunnel of the Blue Reef Aquarium.

For more nature, ornithologists of all ages can look hawk-eyed at the birds of prey (and reptiles) at Ringwood’s Liberty’s Owl and Raptor Centre or potter along the walk-through exhibit Penguin Beach at Fanham’s Birdworld with its colony of African penguins, aquarium and farm.