Head to this delightful Hampshire town for a romantic autumnal break
If you are looking for a seasonal staycation, then Stockbridge, situated just 10 miles from Winchester, is perfect for enjoying the autumnal landscape. With the river Test flowing alongside the High Street, one minute you can be spotting Hampshire’s famous chalk stream trout as they weave their way through the crystal-clear waters, the next shopping in one of the achingly stylish boutiques before stomping off into glorious open countryside on one of the many walking routes which surround the town.
Lying in the heart of Test Valley, the wide picturesque Stockbridge High Street reflects its early role as part of a Drover’s road where it was common to see flocks of sheep or herds of cattle being driven through the town on route from Wales. Seek out the Drovers House and you can still spot a sign in Welsh. The town of Stockbridge with its long and varied history has inspired many poets over the years and there is a trail of 10 poems, set in stone, metal plaques and etched glass, to follow as you wander through the town centre.
Accommodation
When it comes to overnight stays, Stockbridge has some wonderful accommodation offerings, particularly the recently renovated historic hotel, The Grosvenor (thegrosvenorstockbridge.com), and the gorgeous 2 AA rosette pub with rooms, The Greyhound on the Test (thegreyhoundonthetest.co.uk/). We’ve had the pleasure of trying both, and for us, The Greyhound, with its intimate and cosy boutique rooms offers a truly romantic stay at this time of year. Situated right on the river, with direct access from the garden, this delightful 19th century inn is so much more than your usual pub. Dining here is sensational, with chef Philip Bishop receiving recognition in the Michelin guide as well as The Sunday Times. Expect dishes to be brimming with local, seasonal produce and beautifully presented, a real treat if you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a special event. Alongside the food and drink, you can also rely on the pub to sort out the entertainment thanks to their partnerships with local Spitfire Shoot, who’s clay pigeon shooting range provides a fun way to experience the areas countryside pursuits, as well as a day out on the river fly-fishing with Leckford Estate.
Shopping
Stockbridge’s High Street is perfect for mooching, scattered with small independent shops, cafes, and delis. A particular favourite, Hoxton Bakehouse hoxtonbakehouse.uk/ has the most delicious pastries, an excellent accompaniment to a coffee on a mid-morning stroll and then head to Cleverly Wrapped (cleverlywrapped.com) for designer clothing and accessories to update your autumn/winter wardrobe. Get lost in Garden Inn (instagram.com/garden.inn), a stunning florist selling unique gifts and homewares and for something to take home, Wine Utopia (wineutopia.co.uk) has a really unusual range of stock, with friendly and knowledgeable staff to advise you. Finally, don’t miss TJ Brews (tjbrews.co.uk) in Vine Yard for an afternoon pick up, their cold brews are utterly delicious, and their new venue is well worth a visit.
Cosy cafes
For such a relatively small town to have such a huge selection of cafes shows there is clearly a local desire, and each one offers a different atmosphere to accompany your caffeine hit. At Thyme & Tides Deli (thymeandtidesdeli.co.uk) you can shop for local cheese, fish and meat at the same time as enjoying a brunch or breakfast served from their daytime menu. You can also pick up yummy Little Fish Sushi here to take home too. For coffee connoisseurs, Kudos Coffee (kudoscoffee.com) serves up beautiful beverages using Winchester based The Roasting Party beans. Enjoy light bites and breakfasts here too in the laidback atmosphere created by owners Jenni and Rob Good. Then there is Meadow (meadowstockbridge.com), a café, kitchen and gallery, where you can enjoy tasty treats as well as browse a collection of hand-selected artworks or book on to one of the creative workshops.
Walks
After all that wining and dining, thank goodness for stunning walks to burn off some extra calories. Stockbridge Common Marsh can start and end at Kudos Coffee and is a particularly beautiful place to see autumn colour alongside the Test (nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/stockbridge-marsh/stockbridge-common-marsh-wildlife-walk), or for the ambitious, The Test Way is a 44-mile route which passes through Stockbridge having started in Inkpen and finishing in Eling. Part of this includes a 5.5 mile stretch from Stockbridge to Mottisfont where you can also enjoy a visit to the National Trust’s Mottisfont Abbey (visit-hampshire.co.uk/things-to-do/the-test-way-walk-p1570951)
For historical views, Stockbridge Downs (visit-hampshire.co.uk/things-to-do/stockbridge-down-ancient-history-walk-p2138881) and Danebury Hill Fort (visit-hampshire.co.uk/things-to-do/danebury-ring-p54473) are well worth a visit.
