There is nothing to make that perfect weekend away just a little more perfect than stumbling on the perfect pub.
Too often, when you need that lunchtime pick-me-up in a relaxed proper pub, you only find the kitsch fake ones.
So there we were.
The second day of a family activities weekend in the New Forest, having just spent the morning hunting each other in laser gun tag.
A hardy lunch and refreshments were needed, and there was the Turfcutters Arms, the first turn after the Collie killing fields, in East Boldre.
It had just what you’d want: a lovely village garden, top ales, sturdy pub portions and even a well-lubricated local perched on the corner of the bar ready to chat with anyone.
Whilst the weekend was about getting away for a short break with kayaking and the like, the Turfcutters Arms seemed to encapsulate the New Forest perfectly.
It was just authentic, relaxed and relaxing.
We managed to pack in three decent activities over the course of two days, a fine evening meal and said-lunchtime pub refresher in just two days.
The New Forest is comparatively close, just a dash down the A34, M3, M27 and turn left.
Your plans can be catered for by New Forest Activities, a company with a number of venues in and around Beaulieu.
The first afternoon saw our inner Robin Hood coming out, as we tried our hand at archery.
It was expected to be a flop but all in all there was some considerable success.
No bulls-eyes, admittedly, but everyone did walk away with both eyes intact.
An hour-and-a-half might sound a little long but the instructor kept changing up the rules to keep it interesting, with the hardest challenge being to try to skewer a cut-out of a Simpsons cartoon character (sorry for the new earring hole, Homer).
Battlefield Live, the laser tag game, was the undoubted highlight.
Again there was some doubt about surviving two hours charging around a forest setting but the time flew by.
About 20 people had turned up and we were soon split into two groups.
Or elite fighting commandos, to be more accurate.
And despite being pitched in with complete strangers, you soon bond into a unit as you hunt through the trees for the enemy or the electronic box you have to capture, dodging the opposition – or evildoers to be fair – to prevent them killing you off.
It is remarkable how you’re prepared to start dishing out head shots to loved ones within about five minutes of donning camouflage gear and crouching behind bracken.
It’s the young ones you have to watch, as they sneak up and kill you off.
My eight-year-old Alex was delighted with one particular kill as he bravely strolled through the battle zone and zapped his dear old dad.
After that lunch and a pint, what could be more sedate than a canoe trip up the Beaulieu river?
To be honest, the pace might have been sedate but the effort needed was not far off charging around the bush with a gun for two hours.
Under expert guidance, you slip-off in a (very stable) Canadian canoe and paddle your way up the Beaulieu, taking in the sights.
- Dylan Collie tries his hand at archery
Again, despite the best intentions, the competitive spirit does kick in and you find yourself carving out deeper and faster strokes just to keep ahead of the rest of the canoes.
Accommodation is varied within the New Forest, from staying in tents through to top hotels.
We stayed in the Forest Lodge hotel, in Lyndhurst, a lovely Georgian property boasting a swimming pool and a divine restaurant.
Lyndhurst itself can be more widely known as a very tricky traffic bottleneck in the middle of the New Forest.
But it is worth spending a summer evening stroll in, dipping in and out of the shops with a tasty New Forest ice cream in hand.
And that is the key to the New Forest.
You can choose to be as active or relaxed as you want.
Switching from sharing an ice cream... to gunning down your relatives in just a matter of a few minutes.
THE FACTS
New Forest Activities, based in Beaulieu offers kayaking, canoeing, archery, bicycle hire, rope courses, laser gun combat, forage walks and bush craft sessions.
newforestactivities.co.uk
Best Western Forest Lodge Hotel, Lyndhurst.
newforesthotels.co.uk/hotels/forest-lodge-hotel-lyndhurst/
New Forest Cottages, with more than 130 properties.
newforestcottages.co.uk
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