IT embarrasses me to say that in the decade I have lived here, I have never properly experienced the New Forest.

But that all changed on a recent weekend, during which the husband, three year-old and myself had an unexpectedly fantastic time there in the popular Sandy Balls resort. I say unexpected, and I mean that there was no way we could have anticipated how much we would enjoy it, and how much we would come home inspired by the activities we tried there – or how much we’d immediately want to return.

I have extreme motion sickness and hate being in the car, so the distance to travel was just perfect. In Northern Ireland, I grew up used to just having to drive for an hour to get to the holiday town where we’d go each summer, so I think it’s pretty great to have a family holiday option really not too far away. 

The resort of Sandy Balls made us feel like we really were ‘away’ somewhere, getting a break - and some fresh air and exercise into the bargain.

Our lodge was clearly one of the newest properties on the 120-acre estate in the village of Godshill, and would be the perfect base for a family. It slept four in two bedrooms, one double and one room with a pair of singles. The living area was both stylish and welcoming, with lovely thick curtains and attractive furnishings.

The kitchen area had, despite this being a self-catering holiday, a lot of what we needed (in addition to plates, pans, cutlery, an oven and microwave etc) such as some tea bags and sugar, perfect for those who might have forgotten to pack some essentials. I was also impressed by the additional items such as a filter coffee and tea pot, which added that extra homely touch when preparing breakfast on the wooden terrace.

Said terrace, which included a full picnic table and extra chairs, led to a paved area with a BBQ and, even though we didn’t use it, we dreamed of the possibilities of al fresco dining if only we’d been staying longer.  

Throughout our weekend, we were lucky with the weather and so decided to get on our bikes on the Saturday, despite having no previous proper experience of anything similar. The man in the bike hire shop was extremely helpful and was keen to push us in the direction of a decent cycle, gently moving me away from things I thought in my head might be fun to do, and knowledgably encouraging us to make the most of our day with a map of a relatively route.

It began disastrously when the daughter took one look at the bike seat and threw a public hissy fit. But we persevered, taking her back to the lodge, donning our helmets and standing beside the bikes with ultra-serious expressions on our faces. It worked, and we were finally off, working our way from the site for the Abbots Well Family Ride, which took ¾ hour at a fast pace, two hours pottering.

After a few errors in navigation (passing cyclists refreshingly offered good mornings and, in one instance, help with directions), we grew in confidence. Cycling through the villages of Stuckton, Frogham, Hungerford and North and South Gorley, we stopped along the route to feed some ducks, to buy an ice cream, to throw sticks in a stream and to have a delicious lunch at The Stables Tearoom.  

Our daughter whooped and laughed as we cycled down hills and over cattle grids, and the husband loved it so much that since we returned he has been on a mission to research the best family bikes for us to purchase for next time. There were moments where I gave up and pushed the bike up a particularly nasty hill, but it was still invigorating and immensely enjoyable.

Back at Sandy Balls, we booked our daughter into two very reasonably priced activities, make and take and clay play. These were well organised and taken by enthusiastic young staff. She also loved wandering around the games room, the indoor soft play and, in particular, the fantastic outdoor playground on the east side of the site. On two levels, one with equipment for older kids, one with smaller equipment including swings, slides, bridges and everything a tot could wish for, it was as modern and impressive as our accommodation.

We were also surprised by the extensive range at the central supermarket, where the prices were not inflated at all, and the Pizza in the Piazza restaurant, where friendly staff made family dining quite painless. They cheerfully brought everything we needed to entertain our daughter before her Bolognese arrived, including a drink, a spoon to play with and something to draw on.  The food we chose, including stuffed red pepper and tortellini with red pesto, was very well presented and delicious.

As the end of the weekend came, and we were forced to pack our things in the cosy bedrooms of the lodge, we were genuinely sorry to leave. The only negative note of the entire experience had been the surly young man at the take away hatch.

We’d previously booked for Centre Parcs later this year with my parents and it’s going to have a lot to live up. Now we know about Sandy Balls, we’ve discovered that we have a superb family holiday facility just an hour or so away from home. We will be back!    

Info: 0844 693 2949, sandyballs.co.uk.