Friendly bike hire in the New Forest

Our Bank Holiday weekend guests at Bartley Barn reported their experiences regarding local bike hire:

Beaulieu Bike hire (aka New Forest Activities) were very helpful and their prices seemed reasonable; they rented out bikes for half or full days, and also had other activities such as archery and kayaking. We didn't use them in the end, however, as we had seen quite a lot of the Beaulieu area and decided we wanted to cycle elsewhere.

Forest Leisure Cycling in Burley were excellent. They had a good selection of bikes, available at short notice, and were very friendly and helpful, they also supplied maps and different route suggestions for the surrounding area. I would highly recommend them!

East Boldre: autumn colours, congenial evenings at the Turfcutters - by Bartley Barn guests

We have to share this great advertisement for autumn breaks in the New Forest in East Boldre, one of the New Forest's best kept secrets! Last week's Bartley Barn guests wrote: "What a lovely place to stay, whilst we explored the glorious New Forest in all its autumn glory. The colours were truly breathtaking and we took lots of photos to try and catch the autumnal colours of the forest. Evenings were spent at the Turfcutters enjoying their hearty food at very reasonable prices. No room for desserts or starters as mains are substantial. They made our two spaniels Willow & Jasmin very very welcome which is unusual these days in pubs where food is served so we really appreciated it. Local shop sells lovely bread and is very welcoming and has anything you may need. All in all a fantastic much needed break from the "Rat Race" of the south east of England. Many thanks to our welcoming hosts Jane & Bill." www.bartleybarn.info - email us too if you'd like more information too about our fabulous local pub the Turfcutters Arms, and our very own East Boldre Post Office & Stores.

Availability weekend or full week from 24 September

If you're looking for a weekend or full week break next week starting Fri 24th September, we have a cancellation at Bartley Barn! Early autumn is a fabulous time to visit the New Forest National Park and Bartley Barn close to Hatchet Pond in East Boldre is in an ideal base from to explore both Forest and Solent Shore. We can accommodate 2 to 6 people, plus up to 2 dogs. Included in our prices are of course hot water and heating, bedlinen and plenty of towels, plus basic consumables eg everything from toilet paper to tea bags. You can buy fresh eggs from our own free ranging hens. The village shop which supplies everything else is just 5 minutes walk so all you have to do is pack your clothes and the dog, and come! www.bartleybarn.info or just call 01590 612902.

The New Forest National Park is a wonderful area to explore whatever the time of year but Autumn is perhaps the most spectacular season as the colours of the trees begin to turn, the light is clear and the air fresh, and the ponies start to grow their long furry coats for winter. Forest and sea meet at the Solent shore close to East Boldre within easy reach of Bartley Barn self catering holiday cottage. Come and take an Autumn weekend or weekday break - contact us for special short break prices during October and November.

The New Forest is more than a day trip - it is the perfect destination for a a week's holiday or a weekend break. In Autumn there is so much to see and do, the attractions are open - Exbury gardens is a blaze of colour, Beaulieu National Motor Museum, has a host of undercover attractions, New Forest Cider has it's apple presses working and of course there is lots of forest paths and coastal walks to explore.

Autumn has arrived in the New Forest! The blackberries are plentiful and superb this year and in our garden at Bartley Barn we have apples, raspberries, beans and beetroot plus more to share with our guests not to mention fresh laid eggs from our happy free range brood. Visit www.bartleybarn.info for more information - weekend and mid week autumn breaks available now in October and November.

Visit Furzey Gardens whilst at Bartley Barn

Last week's guests had previously stayed at Bartley Barn last July (Bartley Barn enjoys an increasing number of repeat visitors) and wanted to come in May this year in order to see Exbury Gardens with the rhododendrons and azaleas in full bloom. They spent two happy days at Exbury and also made a point of telling me about their trip to Furzey Gardens near Minstead, which I have never visited. They were enthusiastic about the beautiful colours of the shrubs, the serenity of the place and the warm welcome of the owners and staff at Furzey Gardens. They also enjoyed the lovely drive from Bartley Barn at Hatchet Pond, across the forest via Beaulieu Road station and Lyndhurst (one of my favourite forest routes), to Furzey Gardens. Visit www.bartleybarn.info for more information about Bartley Barn and our availability calendar. I need to update the calendar in fact - we have a booking for next May already!

Freshly laid free range eggs at Bartley Barn!

There's an extra incentive for coming to stay in our New Forest self catering accommodation at Bartley Barn this summer - our relatively recently acquired hens are now all laying, and even when our whole family eat scrambled eggs for breakfast we have eggs to spare!

We still have some availability at Bartley Barn in June and July - when the days are at their longest and the sunsets over Hatchet Pond at their most spectacular. Visit our website www.bartleybarn.info and check our availability calendar. Julia, Buddy, Biscuit and the rest of the hens look forward to meeting you!