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Come and join other Murvis at Bucklers Hard. The ‘peaceful haven’ of Buckler’s Hard is on the banks of the Beaulieu River in the New Forest National Park. Beaulieu River is one of the few privately owned rivers in the world and its banks play host to an exceptional variety of flora and fauna.
It’s an ideal base to explore the New Forest and is just a short walk to Beaulieu village along the river to the National Motor Museum.
The Maritime Museum and Buckler’s Hard Story give an insight into the history of the village whilst a trip on the river or a walk beside the riverbank provides an opportunity to see some of its abundant wildlife. (See www.bucklershard.co.uk for more information).
Morning coffee, light lunches, all day snacks, and clotted cream teas are a few of the delicious items that can be enjoyed at the Captain’s Cabin Tea Rooms. There is also a small selection of provisions including daily newspapers, milk and bread. The Master Builders House Hotel is located at the bottom of Buckler’s Hard village street and serves lunch and dinner daily. (www.themasterbuilders.co.uk)
Rallies of 5 to 40 vans can be accommodated and there is a drinking water point, elsan point and public toilets in the village although these are not accessible after closing time. The rally site is only available to organised groups, so we should have it to ourselves.
The 2014 pitch fee is £13.00 per unit per night which includes admission to Buckler’s Hard Village and reduced rates on other attractions.
We need 10 units as a minimum if possible. (It must be good as the rally site is fully booked at least a year in advance!) Please let me know if you are interested, so that I can gauge the level of support. It will be possible to stay for part of the week if preferred. Email juliaright@aol.com or phone 01823 481144 or 07740 406449
Advice for visitors with dogs
Dogs are allowed in the village, but for must be kept on a lead and under control at all times. Dogs are not allowed inside the Maritime Museum, Cottage Displays or the Captain’s Cabin Tea Room, unless they are guide dogs for the blind.
Attractions on site
Maritime Museum (reduced rate of £4.50)
The maritime village of Buckler’s Hard allows visitors to step back in time to the 18th century and discover the important role that Buckler’s Hard played in Britain’s shipbuilding history.
The re-designed Maritime Museum offers a new interpretation of Buckler’s Hard and the Beaulieu River, focusing on its ships which have been the inspiration for a wealth of art, literature and films whilst The Buckler’s Hard Story with its reconstructed cottage interiors and the Shipwright’s Cottage on the village street, give you an insight into what village life was like at Buckler’s Hard in the 18th century.
Founded as a free port for the trading of sugar from the West Indies, the newly re-designed Maritime Museum tells why the ambitious plans for a new town were never realised and why its name changed to Buckler’s Hard. Learn about the machine gun that fired round and square bullets and see characters from the village at the time of Henry Adams, the Master Shipbuilder who lived and worked at Buckler’s Hard.
Buckler’s Hard developed as a thriving shipbuilding village where warships for Nelson’s Navy were built, three of which took part in the Battle of Trafalgar. See models of these ships including HMS Euryalus on which the dispatch was written containing the news of the great victory and of Nelson’s death. View Nelson memorabilia including his baby clothes, made for him by the citizens of his birthplace, Burnham Thorpe, in Norfolk.
Woodland Walk – This tranquil walk beside the river shows you many of the tree species that were used in the construction of Nelson’s warships. Buckler’s Hard became a shipyard because of its protected location, tidal access to the sea and the ready supply of timber from the Beaulieu Estate and the surrounding New Forest. It took up to 2,000 loads or 40 acres of 100 year old trees to make one 64 gun ship such as the Agamemnon. See a 200 year old Oak Tree that would have been a sapling at the time of shipbuilding in the 18th century, a large hazel tree that was coppiced in the past but has now been left to grow, an Alder tree that seeps blood orange sap when cut and a yew tree that lives for thousands of years rather than mere centuries.
River Cruise (reduced rate £2.75)
The 30 minute tranquil journey wends its way along the River with accompanying commentary revealing the history of the Beaulieu River and the abundant wildlife that inhabits its riverbanks.
Other Attractions
Military Attractions in the New Forest
Buckler’s Hard is part of the Defence of the Realm, a superb collection of over 30 castles, museums, great ships and stately homes in and around Hampshire that have had a defining role in shaping the history of this unique county. Six of these are located in the New Forest. See http://www.defenceoftherealm.co.uk/attractions_newforest.aspx for further information.
The New Forest
Walkers and cyclists among you will probably be familiar with the delights of the New Forest. Further information on all activities and places to visit can be found on http://www.thenewforest.co.uk/activities/default.aspx