Inside: A review of the Watercress Lodges & Campsite, Alresford. Press stay.
We love exploring new places around the country as a family and Hampshire is somewhere we have never been. So when we were given the opportunity to visit during the October half term holiday, we jumped at the chance. We stayed at the Watercress Lodges & Campsite in Alresford and it made for the perfect base for our holiday.
The Watercress Lodges offer a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, tucked away in the picturesque countryside of Hampshire. Sitting alongside the Watercress Line Railway, the lodges are designed to blend in with the railway and its heritage, with cream exteriors and bottle green detailing.
In this post I will share our experience and what else we got up to on our mini-break away.
Where are the Watercress Lodges?
The Watercress Lodges are located at Dean Farm, Bighton Hill, Alresford, in a tranquil corner of the Hampshire countryside. With rolling hills surrounding you, it is like going back in time to a place where life goes at a slower pace and all of the trappings of the modern world are forgotten.
The site takes its name from the historic Watercress Line, a heritage railway line that runs between Alresford and Alton.
The railway used to be part of the mainline and was so named because it transported all of the locally grown watercress up and down the country. With the advent of electric trains, the line was eventually closed down, to be re-opened again in 1977 as a heritage railway station for everyone to enjoy the steam trains once again.
Accommodation
The Watercress Lodges offer a range of accommodation options, including a bell tent, safari tents, a wide-open camping area, and the lodges. While the lodges have their own facilities, the camping options make use of the toilet and shower block close by.
Self-catering lodges
We stayed in one of the lodges on site and had an enjoyable stay, using it as a base while we explored the area. There are 6 lodges in total, each sleeping up to 6 guests – with the Winchester and Alton lodges allowing pets too which is great.
Each lodge is kitted out with everything you could need for a short stay, including a washing machine and tumble drier in a separate utility room and then a dishwasher, fridge freezer and microwave in the kitchen – although I wasn’t able to get our microwave to work unfortunately. The fully equipped kitchen has various pots and pans, mixing bowls, dishes and utensils, making it a home from home. We chose to buy groceries and cook our meals rather than eat out and so found everything very useful.
The living room has plenty of space with a sofa, coffee table and tv stand in one section and a dining area in the other half. The dining table extends to seat 6 and we enjoyed eating our meals together each evening.
Each lodge has free wi-fi although with the signal being quite weak you need to learn to switch off and try out some of the board games provided instead. It is the countryside after all!
The bedrooms are spacious and have plenty of storage for your clothes to make you feel at home. The spacious master bedroom has a standard double bed (although it states king size on the website) and the second bedroom has two twin beds.
The room is so large it could probably fit a sofa bed for larger families such as ours but the final bed is downstairs instead so our eldest was downstairs while our younger two took the twin beds.
The lodges have a downstairs toilet as well as a bathroom with a large shower upstairs. We couldn’t quite get the hang of the shower though as it kept going from boiling hot to freezing cold.
Local attractions
Hampshire has something for everyone, with picturesque walks and hikes in the South Downs National Park or if you prefer, you can rent a bike and explore rural Hampshire on wheels instead.
Of course, you can’t stay at the Watercress Lodges without visiting the Watercress Line too. The lodges are a short walk from Ropley Station, one of the 4 stations along the line, so no need to go far at all for a great day out.
We were lucky enough to visit during one of their special event weeks – Wizard Week. We were able to visit a Harry Potter themed carriage, walk along the famous bridge from the Harry Potter films, stuff our faces with Halloween themed sweets, explore each train station along the line and of course have the most magical train ride on the steam trains themselves.
If you have young children then I would definitely recommend it – keep an eye on the Watercress Line website for special events such as Thomas the Tank Engine days and other fun.
The lodges are just a 10 minute drive from New Alresford, a lovely town with quaint shops and cafes to enjoy an afternoon tea. You can also head in the opposite direction towards Alton, where you can visit Jane Austen’s house and discover more about her life and writing.
Head further north towards Basingstoke and you’ll discover the Milestone Museum – a great find for families! Walk along the cobbled Victorian streets, get your sweet rations from the sweet shop and spend some old pennies on the pier. A brilliant day out!
The city of Winchester isn’t too far away and there you’ll find the Science Centre – a fun day out where you can explore science through hands-on activities and interactive displays. You can also take a journey through the solar system in their planetarium – we loved it!
Review summary
We love exploring and the Watercress Lodges are in a great location for all of the local attractions. It is a lovely site, peaceful and set in the most idyllic surroundings, which really make you want to move to Hampshire to enjoy a slower pace of life.
Our stay was comfortable and besides a few niggles we had a great time away. If you are looking for a base, whether that be a lodge or a safari tent, while you enjoy the delights that Hampshire has to offer, then head over to the Watercress Lodges site to find out more.