I

f you visit Lymington market, say hello to John Bird.

His water-colours and pastels have been on sale here for almost 30 years – that’s a whopping three decades of finding inspiration in this one (aesthetically pleasing) area. Once you start exploring the surrounding landscape along the Hampshire coast for yourself, however, you’ll soon see why he keeps reaching for his brushes.

Pick up some tasty local treats at the market, and head out along the Solent Way, from Lymington to Milton-on-Sea. This section of the path is nine miles and takes about 3-4 hours.

Lymington is a favourite yachting destination, too, so you could always stop off and check out the boats bobbing about in the marina, before heading on to the marshes at Keyhaven.

It’s a wildlife haven here, so while the walk is great for dogs, you might want to stick Lassie on the lead at this point. Just before you reach Milton-on-Sea you’ll come across Henry VIII’s coastal fort, Hurst Castle – which is worth a diversion up the shingle spit.

Keep an eye out, too, for the famous Needles rearing up out of the sea before heading into pretty Milton or taking the ferry back to Keyhaven.