England: Hampshire
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Hampshire is popular county in the south of England which shares its borders with the counties of Berkshire, Dorset, Surrey, West Sussex and Wiltshire. The county is a well known UK vacation destination, in the main this is due to the numerous seaside resorts and its maritime traditions, especially those of Portsmouth. While it is certainly true that the hugely accessible coastline is a major plus point for Hampshire there are many more aspects which make this county such an interesting vacation destination.
As you can see, from the photographs on this page, Hampshire has some amazing countryside and many consider it to have some of the finest walking country in Britain. The choice of things to see and do in Hampshire is condiderable (see below). As well as the popular country walks there are also a couple of interesting town trails to take (as well as the usual array of guided walks/tours), but top of anyone's list should be one of the many fantstic walks in the Forest of Dean or one of the many choices in the Severn Vale. For the more adventerous the Cotswold escarpment offers a superb selection of breathtaking views and varied challenges.
Increasingly popular are boating holidays on the Basingstoke canal (pictured above left). Canal holidays are both extremely relaxing (once you have gained an understanding of how to use the barge) and great fun. Of course floating along a canal in a barge is not the only way in which to enjoy the waterways of Hampshire, sports such as fishing are extremely popular, however, one of the most incredible ways in which to enhoy the Rvier Wey is by taking a boat trip using the old fashioned method of the boat being horse drawn!
If you enjoy visiting old historic buildings, castles and stately homes you are really spoilt for choice. Our lists below include many places of interest to visit but there are far too many to list them all here. Virtually every church in the county has at least one point of interest and a great many are Grade I Listed Buildings. As well as the numerous churches there are also cathedrals and other interesting buildings such as water mills (such as Bere Mill pictured below).
Hampshire offers a range of vacation options, sufficiently varied for it to be an incredibly versatile UK vacation destination well worth consideration if you are planning to visit England or you are looking for somewhere different for a domestic vacation. Please take a look at our lists of places to visit and things to see below and visit us again soon as we are continually adding more information.
Hampshire Hotels & Accommodation
Places To Visit In Hampshire, England
Settlements In The County Of Hampshire
Hampshire has three cities; Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. Towns within the county include; Andover, Aldershot, Basingstoke, Eastleigh, Farnborough, Gosport, Greywell, Lymington and Romsey. Villages include; Baughurst, Bishopstoke, Botley, Emsworth, Fair Oak, Horton Heath and Hythe.
Museums & Art Galleries
The Allen Gallery and Museum, Army Medical Services Museum, The Bear Museum, Curtis Museum, Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum in Portsmouth, D-Day Museum, Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, Fort Nelson, Jane Austen's House Museum, Milestones Museum, Museum of Army Flying, National Motor Museum, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Royal Naval Museum, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860, Mary Rose), Royal Green Jackets Museum, Royal Marines Museum, Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum and the Southsea Museum.
Heritage Railways
Mid Hampshire Railway ("The Watercress Line"), East Hayling Light Railway and Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway (& Country Park).
Parks & Gardens, Places Of Natural Beauty
Farley Mount Country Park, Manor Farm, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Royal Victoria Country Park (includes a miniature railway), Staunton, Titchfield Haven and Visitor Centre and Yateley.
Historic Religious Buildings
Sandham Memorial Chapel, Mottisfont Abbey and Titchfield Abbey. The Church of St Michael in Basingstoke, the Church of St Swithin in Nately Scures (Newnham), the Church of St Lawrence in Alton, St. Mary's Church in South Stoneham, the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Winchester and many, many more, too many to list individually here.
Historic Houses & Stately Homes
Abbess Grange, Alresford House, Amport House, Avington Park, Barclay House, Basing House, Beaulieu Palace House, Bramshill House, Breamore House, Cranbury Park, irthorne Manor Headley Grange, Heckfield Place, Hinton Ampner, Jane Austen's House, Northington Grange, Roke Manor, Rotherfield Park, hwick House, Stanbridge Earls, targroves, Stratfield Saye House, The Vyne and The Wakes.
Castles
Ashley Castle (Earthworks), Calshot Castle, Highclere Castle, Hurst Castle, Odiham Castle (Privately Owned), Portchester Castle, Southsea Castle, Winchester Castle and Wolvesey Castle.
Other Places In Hampshire To Visit
Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music on the High Street in Northleach. Changing Leopards in Cheltenham (an arts & crafts workshop and studio).
Other Interesting Buildings To Visit In Hampshire
Broadlands country house, The Old Mill (including a mill museum and a shop) in Lower Slaughter (near Bourton-on-the-Water) and Bere Mill pictured above right.
Hotels In Hampshire
To find Hampshire hotels simply click on the vacation destinations below:
| Portsmouth | Southampton | Winchester | |
| Andover | Bishopstoke | Fair Oak | Horton Heath |
| Aldershot | Botley | Farnborough | Hythe |
| Basingstoke | Eastleigh | Gosport | Lymington |
| Baughurst | Emsworth | Greywell | Romsey |
Check Availability Of Hotels In Hampshire >
Check Availability Of Hampshire Hotels
Useful Hampshire Links
Hampshire County Council
The official site for the local county council
Hampshire Bed & Breakfast
Listings of guest houses and B&B in Cornwall.
Hampshire Hotels
Listings of hotels in towns & villages in Hampshire.
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