Weekly What's On Friday 10 July 2026
Oh We Do Like To Be...
..beside the seaside or better still in or on the sea - especially when the weather's so fabulous!
Tomorrow is the annual Round the Island Race and for those not participating (plenty from Lymington will be!) the best local vantage point has got to be the beach at Hurst Castle - achievable via the ferry from Keyhaven or a lovely walk along the spit.
I also have it on good authority from Escape Yachting, that there are places available on some of its skippered sailing cruises over the coming days, while the Solent still feels more like the Mediterranean. So if you fancy a stress-free getting-afloat experience with a delicious lunch or dinner served on board, it's a really fabulous option!
Of course you don't have to be a sailor to get afloat in your own boat - and even to fill the Solent with fellow boaters. Motor boating is a lot easier to learn, and less weather and tide dependent too. (Paddleboarding as below does prefer calm waters though!)
Originally a family business and founded in 1947, BHG Marine in Lymington has enjoyed a long-standing and leading presence in the boating industry and is recognised around the world for offering award-winning customer service, product range and service facilities. Now located within Lymington Marina it offers a broad range of boats especially well suited to the Solent. Its showroom is packed full of RIB's, sports boats, fishing boats, kayaks, and all associated equipment for anything water related! Whilst it supports the local shows and will be at the New Forest Show in a few weeks' time it also says: "With boat show prices every day, there's no need to travel further afield for your boating needs." So do go and have a look!
BOAT SHOW PRICES EVERY DAY AT BHG MARINE!
Summer Roundup, by Cricket Runners-Up!
What a perfect summer for cricket this one is turning out to be, on international, county and village pitches! Here in Lymington as runners-up in the annual Super Sixes tournament at Pylewell Park Cricket Club, the team from Scott Bailey Solicitors enthused about this brilliant community event and a wonderful day enjoyed by all involved.
And in this sunny summer Scott Bailey has been busy supporting clients, contributing to our local community and sharing practical legal guidance, on issues affecting individuals and businesses across the New Forest and beyond. This month's feature article is a roundup of some of the firm's latest news, including walking for Oakhaven and exhibiting at the recent New Forest Business Show. There's also pride and delight that Senior Partner Sarah Unsworth has been appointed Junior Vice President of the Bournemouth and District Law Society. Plus advice about protecting property from fraud, selling a business, and bidding for property at auction. Read here!
A Tradition Worth Saving - and Savouring
Especially in summer, there's something very special about afternoon tea. For me it needs to replace lunch or dinner, otherwise it's just too much food in a day. Ideally it includes the company of someone with whom a good catch up chat is due. Because from the moment the tea and the traditional three tiered tray laden with delectable delights arrive, there's no time pressure. You don't have to finish one course so the next one can be served and it's a perfect opportunity to relax and linger over all the loveliness! It's just a question of choosing the venue....
At the Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu, afternoon tea in summer is served against the backdrop of their picturesque English country garden, where it unfolds at a gentle, unhurried pace, undisturbed apart from birdsong and the soft clink of china cups. It has that classic country garden feel, the kind of setting that seems made for afternoons spent over tea. Savouring dainty finger sandwiches, warm scones, baked fresh and served with clotted cream and New Forest jam followed by a selection of delicate pastries and sweet treats. Perfect!
And if your companion is a canine, no problem: “Belly Rubs and Biscuits” afternoon tea offers a choice of chicken, turkey, beef, or fish, alongside indulgent dog-friendly treats such as a “Ruffingtons” éclair, a canine cupcake, and ice cream from Jude's made especially for dogs!
Of course historic Beaulieu itself with its independent shops and lovely garden centre is perfect for a wander around the village as part of the treat. Read on, to discover why the Montagu Arms claims to offer the very best afternoon tea in the New Forest!
A COUNTRY HOUSE SETTING MADE FOR TEA!
News and Events
As the sea continues to warm and octopuses increasingly populate our waters, it's exciting to learn that we may soon hear cicadas too. As reported in the Daily Echo last week, conservationists from the Species Recovery Trust are working to reintroduce the New Forest Cicada (Cicadetta montana), once widespread in southern England with hundreds of males reported singing in the New Forest in the 1960s, thought to be extinct in the UK since 1996. The full story can be found here; it's fascinating!
This week I've attempted to divide the upcoming events below into two sections: one for school summer holiday events - including Summer Holiday Fun at Beaulieu above - and the other for the rest. If you're organising school holiday events and haven't yet added them please do. The holidays are rapidly approaching, in fact for some they're already here.
In the general events section you'll find the myriad of upcoming films at the Malt Cinema, which the Community Centre has added this week to the Events Calendar (and if you click through, you'll see that live screenings at the Malt are now listed through 2027 too.)
Now that we're approaching half way through July, I've also included Members' September events to display below.
Meanwhile beside the river from today until Sunday it's the Lymington Seafood Festival, celebrating its 10th birthday in Bath Road Park. See you there!
Best wishes Jane
Read the rest of this week's newsletter here
And check out What's On in the Diary of Upcoming Events!
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