THE first stage of the lockdown exit roadmap came into force on Monday and whilst the stay at home message is still in force, you can now leave home to meet a friend in a public place for a catch up.
The change means you are now able to meet up to sit and have a coffee or a picnic with a friend or a loved one from another house hold - although the two-metre still applies.
So we have rounded up some of the best picnic locations in Hampshire where you can enjoy some much needed catch-up time - socially-distanced of course.
The Knightwood Oak
At more than 500 years old, no wonder the Knightwood Oak is known as the ‘Queen of the Forest’.
There is an easy gravel track which is suitable for wheelchair and pushchair users which will lead to the largest oak tree (7.4m girth) in the New Forest and one of the oldest too. The area is well enclosed which makes it an ideal spot to keep out any curious ponies.
Beacon Hill
Located near Ashmansworth, Beacon Hill has some of the best views in all of North Hampshire. From the top of the 261-metre high summit, you can see for miles around, whether that be over to Highclere Castle or the stunning countryside that surrounds Andover and Whitchurch.
On the slopes of Beacon Hill, there is even an Iron Age Hill Fort to explore, and its located on a 80-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest.
It's also located just off the A34, making it an ideal place to get to.
Itchen Valley Country Park
Itchen Valley's 440 acres of beautiful water meadows, woodland and meadows been recognised by the award of a Green Flag for the past four years. There are a variety of self-led trails including the Ollie Owl Trail, brass-rubbing trail, orienteering course, Nature Detectives trail and our two mile Totem Trail.
St Catherine’s Hill, Winchester
A dramatic 220ft climb up St Catherine’s Hill’s wooden stairs reveals showstopping views of Winchester city, as well as the Itchen Valley floodplains and the downland it nestles in. At the summit are the earthworks of an Iron Age fort, buried ruins of the Norman chapel that gives the site its name, and a copse of beech trees.
Winnall Moors Nature Reserve, Winchester
A stone’s throw from Winchester city centre, Winnall Moors nature reserve is a picturesque patchwork of wildflower-rich meadow, pasture and woodland, with a beautiful, clear chalk stream running through its heart.
The Vyne
The Vyne is now run by the National Trust, and whilst the gardens have remained open during lockdown for those that have booked ahead, the 17th-century house has remained closed.
The grounds, located in Sherborne St John, are cloaked in ancient woodland, and have a wetland area where common redshanks and swans make their nests.
Southampton common
This 327-acre wide-open green space in the heart of Southampton is a designated "Site of Special Scientific Interest" and an excellent venue for picnicking, walking and watching wildlife.
If you think we've missed a great spot, let us know in the comments.
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