Peaceful New Forest National Park retreat!
Introduction
My husband Andrew and myself have recently retired from working in the National Health Service and would now like to travel in Europe and further afield. We love learning about new places and exploring the real essence of where we visit.
Show more...Home & location
We live in the New Forest National Park close to all the beautiful villages that make up the heart of the Forest. Our house is a detached property with neighbours close by next door and with open access to forest walks from the front and back gate. We back onto the Forest course of Bramshaw Golf Club which enables us to walk for miles from the door and, if you are a golfer, to walk to the first tee! There are two eating places within walking distance - The Green Dragon Pub and The Bell Inn which also encompasses the golf club house. The village shop in Bramshaw is a 15 minute walk and stocks everyday supplies and newspapers. We are 1 1/2 miles from the M27 with easy access into Romsey (15 minutes) Southampton (20 minutes) and Winchester (30 minutes). In the opposite direction you can be in the beautiful city of Salisbury in 30 minutes. The coast with sandy beaches around Bournemouth is also a 30 minute drive. Our house itself dates back to 1820 but also has more recent additions! We have 4 bedrooms, a spacious lounge and large kitchen and orangery with a dining area. The main guest bedroom has an ensuite bathroom. We have a lovely garden back and front of about 1/2 acre with sitting areas. The house has all mod cons! Unfortunately there is no public transport nearby.
Show more...Responsibilities
Dizzy is an affectionate family dog and loves nothing more than to snuggle up next to you. She is also protective and a very good guard dog. Dizzy usually has one walk a day of about an hour although she will happily do more. There is not a set time that we take her out, so she is flexible. Being part Labrador, food is a big part of her life and she will do anything for a treat! She has her main food twice a day although I do use some of her daily allowance to take out on walks in case she needs focussing. She can be reactive to other dogs and movement triggers her (eg cyclists, runners) so I usually walk her on a long line or a flexilead while continuing to train her. Apart from the usual tidying and superficial clearing up, there would not be many things that needed to be done. However if you like gardening there is always something to prune or weed! In hot dry spells it would be great to water key plants.
Show more...Meet the pets
Dizzy
8 years
Marmite
1 years
Sitter Reviews (3)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
None
If your dream is to hang out with the most loving cuddle bug dog and divine entertaining little cat then this is the sit for you. Add the incredible generous hospitality of hosts Catherine and Andrew, a beautiful home and an incredible forest in the backyard and you are in utopia. Caring for the gorgeous Dizzy and Miss Marmite in Catherine and Andrew’s fabulous home was pure delight. Catherine and Andrew are fabulous hosts who made me feel so very welcome into their cosy, charming and comfortable home. Catherine kindly picked me up from the Lyndhurst bus stop and treated me to a delicious evening meal on my arrival. Communication with Catherine was fantastic and her Welcome Guide left no questions unanswered. Andrew put me onto a great trail map app with numerous walking trail suggestions which allowed me to venture out with Dizzy Dog without fear of getting lost in the forest. The house has a gorgeous backyard that opens out onto a forest golf course fringed by beautiful conifer and old growth forests carpeted with moss. Complete with babbling brooks, incredible bird life and the fabulous wild donkeys and ponies it was a heavenly place to immerse oneself in nature. My room with a fabulous ensuite and super comfortable bed was beautiful and the living spaces filled with warm morning sunshine everyday….a great spot to read or simply have a coffee and gaze out into the backyard. The kitchen is a foodies dream with every gadget you could ask for and a fantastic oven and air fryer. The main attraction is of course Dizzy the loveable Labradoodle who stole my heart from day one. She is quiet, gentle and loving, the perfect couch buddy who was happy to watch BBC crime dramas and nature documentaries with me. She is a dream on and off lead with fabulous recall and up for any adventure. She truly is a glorious dog and I will miss her very much. Miss Marmite is a young, adventurous and inquisitive cat and was a great source of entertainment with the loudest purr I have ever heard. She is affectionate on her own terms and does love a brush and a bit of a fuss when she is in the mood. A special thank you to Catherine and Andrew for inviting me to their home to care for their fur babies. Cannot recommend this sit highly enough and would love to come back for some more cuddles and kisses from the delightful duo Dizzy and Marmite.
Show more...None
All I can say is that we really enjoyed this house-sit. Catherine and Andrew are a lovely couple with a beautiful house in a fantastic location, which has access to the Forest from the bottom of their garden. Dizzy the dog was really affectionate and loved her walks, while Marmite the cat really brought a smile to my face with her antics. I particularly enjoyed the 'roly polys' she did in her excitement to see me in the mornings! The two of them seemed to get on pretty well too and were a pleasure to look after. Communication from Catherine and Andrew was great and the instructions left for us were very clear. I'd happily do another sit for them, if the timings were right - when hopefully the weather would be a lot drier, as it seemed to rain every day. Still, at least I got good use out of my wellies, and it didn't bother Dizzy one bit, who was always really excited to go out. For me this sit gets a 10 out of 10!
Show more...None
Such a beautiful spot in the New Forrest, with the most content little Dizzy, who is completely adorable! I would return here in a heart beat! This was Catherine and Andrews first experience with a Trusted Housesitter and I am certain that they found this surprisingly easy. They are the most thoughtful and kind Host Family and they went out of their way to make my stay as comfortable and easy as they possibly could. Dizzy, is the most incredible fur baby, an 8 year old black Labradoodle bitch, who just wants to please everyone. She is a fast learner and is ever so adaptable. I took her everywhere with me. She is a fantastic guard dog, but not a yappy dog. Well, what is there to say about their wonderful home and rural location - magnificent does not do it justice! Their home is situated right on the forest and you step out of their rear gate and onto the unspoilt wilderness. Local village store is less than 1 mile away and large supermarkets are about three miles away, but very easy to get to by car.
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Catherine
