Hinton Ampner: I'll let you in to the secret of the Christmas gem hidden in the Hampshire countryside
Think of the festive season in Hampshire and the first image that comes to mind may be the Winchester Christmas Market - with stalls dotted round the cathedral in the picturesque city, it is indeed a treat, but to my mind possibly not one that is worth the huge crowds.
This year, coaches have been spotted from as far away as Leeds and Nottingham, and it makes for a elbow-bashingly crowded time.
As a local - not living in the city of Winchester but within 15 miles of it - I have somewhere else that gives the warm glow of Christmas, but without the wallet-lightening market experience, nor the thousands of tourists.
National Trust houses can usually be relied upon to give you Christmas thrill, and my favourite is just a few miles down the road from Winchester. Hinton Ampner is a lovely destination.
In the other direction, near Romsey, the house and grounds of Mottisfont are more well known and are also well worth a visit but at Christmas can also be absolutely jam-packed. It operates a self-regulating “if the car park is full then we are full” system, and if you are planning to go during December weekends or school holidays then it’s worth getting there early (or in the late afternoon) but Hinton Ampner runs a booking system in December and so is more manageable.
While it’s a grand house for those of us whose ancestors would have been “below stairs” rather than being the owner or their guests, it’s by no means huge. It’s in one of the more remote areas of central Hampshire, in the South Downs, and there are plenty of countryside walks to be had from the grounds. But the house is the main draw - this year it is decorated in a pantomime theme, and I am greatly looking forward to a Christmas Eve visit with my children.
Last year was an “Enchanted Christmas” theme. Call me stuffily middle-class, call me boringly traditional, call me what you want, but wandering around there on Christmas Eve, away from high streets and panicked-looking shoppers, away from noise and Mariah Carey, was a lovely way to start Christmas without pressure. I wouldn’t travel from Nottingham for it, but I can’t recommend it enough.
Hinton Ampner is off the A272 in Hampshire between Winchester and Petersfield. To find out more or to book click here.