A VILLAGE, labelled one of the UK’s most beautiful, is found near the south coast, with a perfect attraction for motor enthusiasts and quaint gentle scenery for visitors to enjoy.
Beaulieu in Hampshire sits on a river of the same name and is famous for its motor museum, its ponies and its spectacular nature.
Its surroundings earned it a place on a list of the most beautiful villages in the country, where it beat other picturesque destinations like Orford in Suffolk, Portree on the Isle of Skye and Northumberland’s Alnmouth.
That’s according to travel publication Conde Nast Traveller, who put it fifth in their list of the 20 most beautiful villages in the UK.
They praised its wildlife, scenery and attractions and said it was a place where life moved a slower pace.
They wrote: “Forget getting anywhere in a hurry in this Hampshire village at the head of the Beaulieu River, where New Forest ponies and donkeys amble down the high street on the hunt for open heathland.
“Petrolheads can get their fix at the National Motor Museum and the history of the Beaulieu estate can be found at Palace House, the home of the Montagu family since 1538.
“Set off on the two-mile riverside walk to neighbouring Buckler’s Hard, scanning for kingfishers along the way.”
The motor museum is arguably the village’s most famous attraction, with the attraction picking up a Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor last year.
The museum is home to more than 250 vehicles and tells the history of motoring, as well as having some famous cars in its collection, like Mr Bean’s Mini, Del Boy’s Reliant van and the flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Visitors to the museum can kill two birds with by also popping next door to pay a visit to the Beaulieu Palace House and Gardens, which was the home of the Montagu family since 1538,
The village’s website claims that the house is found “in an idyllic New Forest setting, overlooking the picturesque Beaulieu River millpond”.
They added: “Palace House was remodelled and extended during the 1800s and is now a fine example of a Victorian country house.
“Inside, its ecclesiastical heritage sets the grand gothic tone for a home bristling with character and adorned with family treasures, portraits, and memorabilia.”
Meanwhile, the village is also a favourite with sweet-toothed tourists, who come to visit the Beaulieu Chocolate Studio.
The studio was a founding member of the UK Artisan Guild of Chocolatiers, with chocolate making dating back decades in the village.
Its owner Trevor Smith now makes a range of more than 30 filled chocolates, with new flavours added all the time, and a wide range of original chocolate bars and gifts.
For those who like a day out at the beach as part of their holiday, the village is just a stone’s throw from Lepe Beach – a fascinating stretch of shoreline that was an an embarkation point for thousands of troops and vehicles involved in the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Now it’s a great place for families to relax on a summer‘s day and was named the UK’s best by The Beach Guide last summer.
They described it as “a stony beach that forms part of Lepe Country Park, situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.
They added: “It has views across to the Isle of Wight and excellent coastal walks featuring pine-fringed cliffs, D-day remains and wild flower meadows.”
