Duke’s Bath House Beaulieu

Duke’s Bath House Beaulieu

Our 2nd holiday of 2024 and we are off to Hampshire staying in what looks like a beautiful dog friendly historic cottage called the Duke’s Bath House, which sits on the banks of the Beaulieu River. Below is the historic information that is on a notice board on the public path outside the actual cottage so anyone passing can read.

When it was built in 1760 and for many years it would have been very secluded and private but now it surrounded by a very large marina.

We were looking for a good alternative place to stay other than Cornwall and doing a Google search this place stood out. I booked last April 2023 as soon as they opened it up for 2024 bookings as it seemed to be very popular and I did not want to miss it. Let’s just hope it is actually as good as advertised.

It also is very close to where we stayed on honeymoon 46 years ago, so no doubt we will pay the hotel a visit which will no doubt bring back memories.

14th June 2024

We left our Ivybridge home just after 11.00 am en route to Hampshire.  The roads were very busy and we planned to stop at Avon Heath Country Park just before Ringwood for a picnic lunch and for Archie our Clumberdoodle to have a walk. This should have taken just over 2 hours but due to the volume of traffic it actually took us over 3 hours which was much later than we had anticipated.

We had a walk around the heathland and found a picnic table in the woods where we enjoyed our late lunch.

We eventually arrived at our destination just after 4.00 pm. The cottage was lovely although very old querky and quaint and in a very picturesque setting with the Beaulieu River in front of it where lots of boats were moored.

On the wall were some photographs of previous residents of the Bath House including a family with 8 children – goodness knows how they all managed to fit in!!

There was a very nice welcome hamper for us to enjoy which included milk, butter, eggs, a loaf of bread, some little pots of jam and a couple of packs of biscuits which was a very nice touch. There was also a little bag of doggie biscuits which Archie enjoyed throughout his stay.

We unpacked and enjoyed a much needed coffee.

Some photos of the outside of the Duke’s Bath House

The cottage has a very large garden which Archie loved.

 

With regard to the advertising for the Duke’s Bath House it appears to be very private and secluded but as I mentioned above it does sit in the middle of a very large marina and boatyard. So when sitting out in the garden it can be quite noisy at times with boat owners working on their boats. The video below is of the garden one day which we captured the noise that we heard when we were sitting out in the garden.

As it states on the information board above about the history of the Duke’s Bath House the tidal pond is still in the garden, although it is now quite stagnant and overgrown.

There were also resident rabbits which we saw on a daily basis and it wasn’t long before Archie soon spotted them and found it fun chasing them but they outran him by a long way every time. It was difficult capturing these bunnies on the camera as they have acute hearing and every time I get to close enough they ran away, but with persistence I did manage a few piccies.

After Archie had eaten his tea we went for a walk along the banks of the Beaulieu River and it was just a very short walk to the Master Builders House Hotel and it’s associated Henry’s Pub at Bucklers Hard to see what it was like with a view to eating there. It only took a few minutes to get there and we sat on the terrace overlooking  the river and enjoyed a drink. We definitely will be back to try the food.

It was a lovely dry evening and we then strolled around the  path a bit further which came go a dead end right by the waters edge and Archie decided he needed a swim. We thought we were going to get away with not blasting him today but Archie had other ideas and went in for a soak and he was now soaking wet and he had to be blasted dry when we got back.

It had been dry all day but then heavy rain arrived at about 7.45 p.m so we were very lucky to have dodged it.

As it was our first night I had bought a ready made lasagne and had some garlic bread and a much needed glass of wine as it had been a very long and tiring day.

I didn’t sleep very well as I found the mattress a bit soft but then again I don’t sleep very well anywhere apart from my own bed at home. Then in the middle of the night I think I heard buzzing  around my head which woke me up which was probably some sort of insect. I woke Steve up and told him, hoping that he would be able to find it as with an insect flying around I knew I would not be able to go back to sleep.  He didn’t find anything (so perhaps I dreamt it!!) but I did manage to drop off to sleep again.

Saturday 15th June

Woke up to sun wind and showers. I used the eggs from the welcome hamper and boiled them for breakfast with some bread from the hamper which I toasted for the soldiers. However I overcooked the eggs so they were a bit hard (well it was a different hob than I am used to!!).

The sun then came out so we decided to go the Bucklers Hard Museum which is only a few minutes away from the Duke’s Bath House which was very interesting and well done and well worth a visit. It houses some wooden models of naval warships.

Also a model of the Bucklers Hard Shipyard.

Also various rooms with life size models including a Labourer’s living accommodation, pantry etc.

We then walked back and went a little way along the path to Beaulieu which is 2 .5 miles there and 2.5 miles back which we will do in its entirety on another day.

As it was now quite sunny and warm we sat out in the garden making use of the patio furniture of the Duke’s Bath House and had some pate and toast and a glass of wine which was very pleasant.

Then just as we had finished the heavens opened so we quickly packed things up and went indoors.

Steve needed to charge his electric car and Hythe was the nearest place, so as it was raining we thought it a good idea to go now. Also I wanted to get some bacon to have with the last of the bread and the 2 eggs left from the  hamper to have for breakfast tomorrow.

Included in the information supplied with the accommodation there was a car parking permit which enabled free parking for use in certain car parks. around the New Forest and luckily the car park we parked in at Hythe where the charging point was was one of them.

So whilst Steve’s car was charging we had a quick look around Hythe and also picked up some bacon. Whilst we were walking around the rain got heavier and we had to go and shelter in a doorway, but we still got soaked.

Car now charged and it was then back to the accommodation and a cup of coffee. It was still a bit dreary so we decided to have a game of scrabble and I won.

We decided to go back and have a meal at the Master Builders House Hotel in their bar called Henry’s which was aptly named as it was full if them!! After about 3 mins to walk to get to it we got there about 6.40 and was surprised how grubby the floors were with bits of food including what looked like chicken bones lying on the floor, great for dogs to choke on so not very impressed.

When I picked the menu from the bar I was told that there was a wedding in the hotel and no food would be served until 7.00 which wasn’t a problem as we sat a had a drink first. At 7.00pm I went and ordered our food. However at about 7.15 the barman came over to say that there would be another delay and mumbled something which I took to mean that the chef had two more tables to serve, which I presume he meant from the wedding.

Whilst we were waiting a couple came in who had a dog with them which was some sort of little terrier.  They sat down on a table close to us. Archie was under our table and being good until their dog which was on a long lead was walking around to other tables and then coming over to ours which Archie was not keen on. It kept coming over with Archie letting it know to stay away. Wouldn’t you think in consideration to other dog owners that perhaps to keep it on short lead as not all dogs take kindly to dogs coming over particularly when there is food around.

They then starting chatting to people on another table and it transpired they were all yacht owners with their yachts moored near each other in the marina. They didn’t live locally and went into detail where they actually lived but their yachts were moored here. They then spent ages comparing the size of their yachts talking loud enough for all to hear.

Anyway our food eventually arrived well after 7.30 with Steve having the battered fish and I had a burger (there wasn’t much choice on the menu!).

It was okay but nothing special but it was spoilt a bit by the inconsiderate yachting couple and their dog. Will we go back again I am not sure, but it is very handy and only a few minutes walk away.

To walk off our meal we then took Archie for a short walk on  the same path towards Beaulieu where we had walked earlier before we went back to have a glass of wine and some cheese and biscuits.

Then so to bed hoping I would have a better night’s sleep.

Sunday 16th June 2024

Woke up to cloud but dry with some sun. Had toast, fried egg and bacon for breakfast.

Decided to do the walk to Beaulieu. It was along a good level path all the way and ideal for dogs.  However Archie did manage to find a stagnant pond along the way, went for a float and was filthy when he joined the path again.

We got to Beaulieu and stopped in the Montague Arms Hotel (which was where we spent our honeymoon 46 years ago, so it brought back some memories). We sat in the pretty garden and enjoyed a G & T.

We had a stroll around the town and treated ourselves to an ice cream to eat on our walk back. It did start to rain a little as we made our way back to the cottage, but it didn’t last long.  Now as Archie was now dry we made sure he didn’t go in the same stagnant pond again so skillfully avoided it.   However quite a bit further on he managed to find another one and this was even worse. He came out covered in mud. That meant he had to be washed off  and had to use some of his doggy shampoo.

The sun was now fully out and it was quite warm so we sat in the garden and had a cup of coffee and Archie dried off running around the garden and then enjoying a nap outside which dried him off nicely, so he just needed a little blast to make sure he was completely dry.

The accommodation also had a separate garage (not useable for a car), but was where the freezer and washing machine and also a sink  was located. This was ideal for keeping Archie’s blaster, hairdryer and all his towels and was an ideal place to clean him off before he went inside.

It was such lovely evening, we sat out in the garden with a glass of wine and some pringles. Note the Beaulieu River in the background.

Then later on we did the short walk over to the Master Builder’s Hotel Bar (Henry’s) and sat and had a drink  on the terrace overlooking the river, which was very pleasant.

I had brought a pizza with us so we decided to sit out in the garden with yet another glass of wine.  The very large garden here is so pretty that it would have been a shame not to make use of it.  Of course Archie enjoyed running around as it really was a perfect garden for dogs.

Then I watched England v Serbia in the Euros and they won 1-0. Notice I only said me, as Steve is not a bit interested in football.

Monday 17th June 2024

Woke up to a beautiful morning and enjoyed a toasted bacon sandwich for breakfast.

We then decided to go to Brockenhurst and walked a 5 mile round trip in the heart of the New Forest, so we saw plenty of ponies who were grazing on the moorland. Now if you look at the photos below you will see we were walking along a path with large expanses of New Forest either side and it looks very dry.  However Archie did what Archie is good at and twice found a muddy puddle that he just had to paddle in and came out with his legs a lovely muddy chocolate brown.

Luckily a  little further on there was a river with a good deep bit that Archie could have a proper swim, which cleaned him off and cooled him down and he had a good drink as it was quite warm. He was now just wet but at least the mud had gone.

We also walked along a path where there were some fantastic houses – if only!!!!

We then walked along the main street in Brockenhurst where there were more ponies roaming the streets and also a few donkeys including a very young foal just standing in the shade on the corner of a busy road.

We stumbled across the Huntsman Pub and decided to stop there for a late lunch as it was now about 2.15 p.m. Steve had the steak, and ale pie served with mash broccoli and peas  and I had a pork chop which was huge but very tasty and served with chips and a salad. It was a very good meal and we both enjoyed it.

We then drove back and enjoyed a cup of coffee in the garden at the cottage and all of us including Archie were tired. It had been a warm and tiring day.

We didn’t want any tea but as it was another lovely evening we decided at about 7.00 pm to take some crackers and cheese and a flask of tea and sit on a picnic bench overlooking the Beaulieu River  just a few minutes walk from the Duke’s Bath House.  It really was very peaceful and the river was like a mill pond and we stayed about an hour enjoying our crackers and cheese and  watching the sun going down.

When we got back we had a game of scrabble and I won again.

Tuesday 18th June 2024

We woke up to dry but cloudy day, but it didn’t take long before the sun came out and it then was quite warm. We had croissants for breakfast.

As we had walked a long way yesterday we decided to take it easy today.

So we decided to to do the 30 minute Beaulieu River Cruise. These trips run approximately every 30 minutes and start just a  few minutes from the Duke’s Bath House.

We decided not to take Archie but to do it separately so we could both enjoy it and take photographs,  without having him to contend with him.

I went on the 11.00 am one whilst Steve stayed back at the cottage.

Mine was the first boat of the day and whilst waiting there was a man in a little boat with 2 Scottie dogs enjoying the ride that I just had to take a picture of.

I was lucky as there were only 11 people on the boat so we had plenty of room.  It was a very pleasant trip up the river with interesting commentary and it was very enjoyable.

As we moored up I got off on the pontoon I took a photo of the Duke’s Bath House which shows just how close it was.

It was then Steve’s turn to go on the next boat which was at 11.45. His boat was full with about 50 people so he was not quite so lucky.

Archie and I walked over to meet Steve when he returned from the boat trip.

Archie and I waited on the picnic table where we sat and enjoyed our cheese and biscuits on last night. When Steve walked over to us I let Archie’s lead go as he was excited to Steve and he ran up to meet him. He ran at full pelt towards a couple who had 2 small dogs and at first they were very worried when they saw a dog running towards them.  However Archie was not a bit interested in them, he was just eager to see Steve. Then once he had welcomed Steve Archie was very naughty and gave Steve the runaround as he was determined to get into the water. There was a little  pebbly area just by the side of the picnic tables before it met the river and Archie ran into it, had a float and came out soaking wet.

It was now lunch time so we sat in the garden back at the cottage, so Archie could dry off and we enjoyed some pate filled rolls and a glass of wine.

After lunch we did a shortish route along the path that goes to Beaulieu which we had walked the full way on Sunday.

We deviated a little and followed the woodland trails walking right by the river.

We found a little area which had a shingly area before it reached the river and Archie decided he wanted to go in for another swim and got wet all over again.

When we got back to the cottage Steve then had to use the mud daddy with some doggy shampoo in it to hopefully make him smell a bit better (Archie, not Steve!!).  He ran around the garden where he partly dried off but we had to finish him with the blaster (this is a must bit of doggy kit that we cannot do without particularly with Archie’s coat).

Whilst we enjoyed a cup off coffee sat out in the garden in the warm sunshine (well I sat under the umbrella as I do not like the heat) we heard some sort of motor noise and looked up in the sky to see that it was a paraglider. It flew over us and as it did a jet was also passing and this made a really good photo opportunity of them both in close proximity to each other.

We decided to go to the Master Builders House Hotel and Henry’s bar again but as it was a nice evening we did not have to sit inside but ate out on the terrace in front of the hotel overlooking the river. Steve had his fish and chips and I chose the burger again.

Then we had our first game of uckers which I won.

Wednesday 19th June 2024

Cloudy but the sun was lurking and a little bit windy to start the day.

Had croissants for breakfast.

Now this is a bit of a sad story (no photo)

Archie was out in the garden and had his sniffy head on as some wildlife had obviously been in the garden overnight.  Then he stopped and started chewing something which we initially  thought was a stick but when Steve got closer it was more of a crunchy noise ,but by the time he had got to him he had swallowed it. Then a few minutes later he was crunching something else. Steve managed to prise it out of his mouth only to find that it was the remains of a rabbit’s leg. Oh no it looks as if a fox  had come in the garden for his dinner overnight, so one less bunny now lives here. Let’s just hope the fox doesn’t come back for a second helping tonight!

Back to what we did today. We drove to Blackwater Arboretum near Brockenhurst.  We had a short walk around the arboretum where there was a large variety of  trees.

Then we did  the longer tall trees trail where there are spectacular giant sequoia trees (this sounds knowledgeable but there was a sign saying what they were!!).

Now bearing mind we were in a forest Archie managed to find the only dirtiest stickiest muddiest gully. He came out very pleased with himself as he now had 4 very brown muddy legs (yet again).

We were not very far from the car park and there was nowhere to wash him off. We got some funny looks and comments on how did he get so muddy. Archie is a mud magnet wherever he goes and I am sure he could find mud in the Sahara desert.

He had to get in the car filthy and we just hoped that sitting on his noodle rug he would dry off and the mud would fall off.

By this time the sun had come out and it was quite warm.

Then we went to Lymington a big harbour town and marina. Steve wanted to top up the charge on his car to keep it full for our long journey home on Friday. It worked out very well as there was charger in the car park at the back of the Mayflower Pub and ideal for a late lunch.

Luckily the noodle rug had worked and Archie was looking clean once more.

We sat out on the decking and we  both chose the turkey and ham pie with mashed potato seasonal greens and gravy and I have to say it was quite tasty.

We then went for a walk around the marina where there were some fabulous boats moored up.

This is where the Isle of White Ferry departs and it passed us as we were walking around.

We had timed this to perfection as the car was charged when we got back to it.

Drove back to the Bath House. As I said above, the mud had come off Archie’s legs and he was quite clean but I felt sorry for him as it had been warm and felt that he needed to cool off and have a swim. So before we went into the cottage we took him the short distance where he could access the river. The only problem was that at this time which was about 4.00 pm the tide was quite low and there was shingle and mud before he could get to the water.

However we could not take him there and not to let him have a swim so in he ran over the shingle and and then heard him squelching in the mud. He had a little swim but when he came out he was now once again wet and muddy.

As he was in the water a flock of geese started swimming towards him.

Steve was not happy as Archie was clean and dry before he went in so he had to be hosed off and then dried (as you can see from this post and previous posts, we spend an awful lot of time cleaning and drying Archie off).

We then had our coffee and Steve enjoying a brandy accompanied by some mini muffins sat in the garden.

We had a game of scrabble and I won (again!), Steve is not having much luck playing games.

Thursday 20th June 2024

Hot dry and sunny. Had croissants for breakfast.

We made the decision to go home this evening rather than tomorrow with the view that as the traffic was so awful when we travelled up it might be quieter tonight and also the forecast was for another hot dry day and we didn’t want to be stuck in traffic in the heat particularly with Archie on board.

So we started to pack up this morning in readiness. We did the short walk over  to the bucklers hard museum shop and bought a fridge magnet, as I forget to buy one when we visited at the beginning of the week. (I have collected many from places we have stayed abroad and this country).

We then sat in the garden with some cheese and biscuits for our lunch.

Duke’s Bath House Beaulieu

As it was really warm we went for our walk along part of the path to Beaulieu which is very handy and was nice and shady and of course Archie was able to go in to have a swim.

To access the Duke’s Bath House there is a key pad to enter the marina where it is situated and you are given a code to get through the first barrier and then you have to drive through the marina boatyard where there is another key pad for entry through the gates and to the cottage.

We went up to Henry’s Bar at the Master Builders Hotel and had an early evening meal before we travelled home and both had a flat iron steak which is a cut I have not had before and will probably not have again. It would have been easier to cut if we were actually given steak knives!!!

We then walked the few minutes back to the Duke’s Bath House and packed the car up with the last bits and headed home leaving at 6.40 pm.

Well it certainly was a good idea to leave this evening as the roads all the way home were very quiet and it took 3 hours which was brilliant.

When we arrived home and just brought our many bags in from the car I just unpacked essentials then left the rest until the morning.

Back to our own bed (there is nothing quite like it!)

Duke’s Bath House Beaulieu