10 Reasons to live in Hampshire - Site of the Week

[EdMumsnet]

Hampshire is up for our 'Site of the Week' feature series next week on the main Mumsnet site. We'll be asking the Local Editor some questions but we'd also like to canvas your opinions to add some wit and wisdom to the feature, so feel free to provide us with your input for the following things:

Best THING ABOUT THE AREA:

Best CHILD-FRIENDLY CAFÉ:

Best CHILD-FREE NIGHT OUT:

Best OUTSIDE SPACE:

Best HIDDEN GEM:

Best COMMUNITY VENUES:

Best FREE VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:

Best DAY OUT:

Best PLACES TO LIVE:

Best PLACES TO SHOP:

Do share your best anecdotes and hidden gems!

Best thing: all the lovely countryside not too far away from shops and lovely little towns and small city of Winchester.
Child friendly cafe- winchester- guildhall.
Child free night out- drinks- the black bottle winchester. Eating- the Chesil Rectory.
Outside Space- Water Meadows, the whole of the New Forest!
Best hidden Gem- Oh I can't tell you that, you'll all go!

Best Day out- lots of lovely National Trust places here
Best community venue- The Discovery Centre Winch
Free visitor attraction- hampshire food fare is brilliant lots and lots of fun events.
Places to shop- West Quay has most big names- big John Lewis, Ikea, M&S
Places to live- tough one, you can be really rural in the New Forest, living city life in Southampton, on the commuter belt in winchester or in all the lovely little villages inbetween

Best THING ABOUT THE AREA: the coast, there are so many options, huge beaches at the Witterings (ok that's Sussex, but it's not far), funfairs at Hayling Island and Southsea, smaller beaches at Lee-on-the -Solent and Hillhead. Portsmouth Harbour and it's many attractions, the Isle of Wight nearby.

Best CHILD-FRIENDLY CAFÉ: there's loads of them, none stand out particularly.

Best CHILD-FREE NIGHT OUT: lots of local pubs and restaurants all over the place.

Best OUTSIDE SPACE: Southsea Common, Mottisfont Abbey, New Forest.

Best HIDDEN GEM: Not very hidden, but the viewpoints on top of Portsdown Hill are fabulous (probably best avoided after dark). Oh and Hilsea Lines.

Best COMMUNITY VENUES: Alton Maltings Centre

Best FREE VISITOR ATTRACTIONS: Royal Armouries on Portsdown Hill

Best DAY OUT: Portsmouth Harbour / Historic Dockyard / Gunwharf Quays / Spinnaker Tower.

Best PLACES TO LIVE: Meon Valley, Alton, Alresford. I also loved living in Southsea many years ago.

Best PLACES TO SHOP: Basingstoke is surprisingly good if you want all the big chains in one place, will be even better if they get John Lewis. But I prefer Winchester, a great mix of smaller and more individual shops, cafes, etc plus all the historic buildings.

Fantastic stuff, copy is now with Towers and will be up next week!
Keep them coming though, really interesting, definitely some things there I didn't know about and will visit. Black Bottle looks great, wonder how difficult it would be to get home from Winchester of an evening..

Depends where you live?
Great bus links out towards Southampton through chandlers ford and Wessex Cars taxi company are brilliant especially if you pre book at get a set price :)

Sorry my answers were a bit brief sleep deprivation

Agree Basingstoke shopping is lovely.

I'm wondering if I know you happytobeinhampshire!

That would be strange! As you might guess, this is not my usual posting name.

I'm in Overton, there is a bus to Winchester, but I don't think it runs that late, I'll look at taxi costs.. Maybe a meet-up venue, we can find out if we really all know each other!

I don't actually know where Overton is, I'm in Alton. I've been to one or two MN meet-ups, but usually some distance from home (they've been main board ones and I don't like to cross over RL and MN). It's good being able to have a different name on here. Basingstoke or Winchester might be possible, but I'm very busy at the moment (study deadline coming up).

Ah I don't think I know you if you live in Alton.
I do know Overton but I'm more Winchester side.