hidden places in southern england?

[nearlytoolate]

I don't know the south very well and fancy doing a bit of a tour next year - maybe taking in a couple of festivals, camping or hostelling.
Where would you consider the best of the south? I want to find quiet, beautiful, rural places - not commuter villages or typical holiday destinations.

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Stow on the Wold youth hostel supposed to be great, though I suppose is a touristy place.

Mudeford Spit - dreadful name, fantastic beach!

This was a few decades years back but I cycled south from Sevenoaks to Black Boys youth hostel in Sussex, then to Alfriston YH, then down to Cuckmere Haven and along the Seven Sisters to Eastbourne. All beautiful, especially Alfriston and Cuckmere (though latter very stony).

Knole Park in Sevenoaks is wonderful. I'd say a National Trust-based tour in the South will take you to some amazing places; i was thinking yesterday that Waddesdon Manor is probably my conception of what heaven should be like.

The Meon Valley in Hampshire is beautiful, and fairly quiet, lots of lovely villages, nice pubs, beautiful countryside. It's not a touristy area as such, so maybe not too many campsites/hostels, but I think quite a lot of pubs with camping fields or doing B&B. There are a few smallish local festivals in the area (not sure what times of year) eg Wickham, Bentworth, Butserfest. If you want to google, try villages of Wickham, Bishop's Waltham, Droxford, East and West Meon, Corhampton, Exton. Also, you are not far from Winchester, which is lovely, and NT property of Hinton Ampner is great.

Are you going with dc or looking for a more grown up holiday?

We just got back from a week in Winchelsea Beach (caravans). We visited Rye which is a beautiful little village, well worth a visit if you're in the area.
www.ryesussex.co.uk/

If you have younger children the sandy beach at Camber Sands was brilliant, only a little bit touristy with cafe, deckchair hire, trampolines etc BUT none of the really ott touristy stuff you get at seaside resorts.
camber.east-sussex.co.uk/

Hastings was another lovely town, much more touristy though with mini train, crazy golf, amusements, and some fair ground type rides on the beach, which you may want to avoid. But also lots of interesting shops and if you have older children (7-14 ish) definitely take them to the smugglers caves.

thanks for the ideas!