Like many housesitters and petsitters I took a little break from travelling by housesitting during the recent travel restrictions. With travel returning to normal in my own country and abroad I decided to take the plunge and get back to it. Here is a short article about my short holiday housesitting in Lymington Hampshire.

Holiday housesitting in Lymington, Hampshire

There have been times in my life, when I have been addicted to travel. There was nothing I liked more than discovering new countries, new cities and indeed unusual rural scenes.  After two plus years of travel restrictions due to Covid I have a new thirst to discover all kinds of places. And holiday housesitting is an excellent way to do this.

Discovering a new location as a dogsitter

One of my trips last year was for an assignment housesitting in Lymington, Hampshire.

I have friends near this particular housesit but have not spent much time discovering the delights of the area.

So it seemed like an ideal way to combine a visit with dear friends, without being a burden on them and indulging my love of pets by caring for my new friend Milly.

My friends had been raving about this lovely part of the Southern UK coast ever since their move from the East End of London some years ago. And Lymington was one of the towns they highlighted as absolutely one they adored.

Lymington in Hampshire – Charming coastal market town

Lymington is a charming coastal market town with connections to the Isle of Wight, Henry VIII and fantastic wildlife and beaches.

On arrival at the housesit, I met the charming Milly. I love dogs, and cats, but can have neither at home because of the allergies sustained by family members.

However, I can and do housesit and petsitting especially on a regular basis.

It’s one way to get my fix. And Milly was definitely a good dose of puppy love.

Adorable in nature, and well trained Milly proved a delightful assignment.

The homeowners were out but they had left some detailed instructions for Milly’s routines, her food, her favourite walks and things I might enjoy while I was along for the ride.

Walking the Salt Marshes

One of the walks that was recommended to me was along the Salt Marshes from Lymington to Keyhaven.  It was an excellent way to discover the local coastal geography.

Along the way  we came across an enormous flock of geese. They were resting perhaps before their annual migration South.

It was a large group of what I think were Brent geese. Research later revealed that they migrate in family groups, flying in wavering lines or flocking in loose groups.

“The groups stay together from one breeding season to the next. Each day, they search for marshland, coastal grassland or farmland to rest and feed on, before pushing on at dusk. In places where the grazing is good they may linger for a week at a time.” RSPB – Brent Geese migration

They were certainly there the next day when we passed again out of curiosity.

I walked all the way until I nearly reached Hurst Castle, which had been built by Henry VIII as a fort. It has quite a magnificent position and it is easy to understand the vantage point to spot enemy invaders from miles around.

Market town with a holiday atmosphere

On Saturday after walking Millie first thing I met my friend in Lymington town centre. It was a bright sunny day and the town was festooned with bunting and colourful market stalls.

Dogsitting for care and companionship

There is a vibrant holiday atmosphere in the town. And the market was very entertaining. Stall holders were selling all kinds of crafts goods, clothing, artisanal foods and produce. What’s more the town boasts a remarkable selection of cafes and restaurants and boutiques. Three hours flew past and then it was time to return to feed Milly and be her companion for the night.

As a pet, Milly was pretty undemanding and rather good company.  She enjoyed TV almost as much as I do.

And when it came time for me to do a few hours work she wanted to take part in that too. Quite the helpful companion. In fact she was keen to displace my laptop.

Lymington near the new Forest

As we were so close to the New Forest, I simply had to visit. So I took Milly in the car and we went for a woodland wander.  Despite the name the New Forest is far from new. In fact it is recorded as far back as the times of William the Conqueror and was proclaimed a Royal Forest in the Domesday Book in 1085 AD.

It is one of the largest remaining areas of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest between Hampshire and Wiltshire.  And it has some stunning woodland walks which I have enjoyed on previous housesits in the area.

Finding New Forest fungi

While walking in the New Forest in the Autumn it is amazing just how many different collections of fungi and mushrooms you can see growing. I love spotting them in the forest undergrowth, and on the trees living and dead.

Here are just a few that I spotted while walking Milly that day.

Final thoughts on my housesitting in Lymington

Though my visit was only a short week, it allowed me to visit a few of the great attractions of this delightful area. The charming town had so much more to offer. If I can return for a longer visit I will make a list before to ensure I plan more fascinating visits to these amazing places. My housesitting in Lymington was an absolute treat. There is so much to please the country walker, those interested in historical monuments, the discovery of nature along the coast and of course the delightful town.

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