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A private lake for water sports and activities. There are two wakeboard systems; one for beginners to practise (15 min lessons are usually enough even for first-timers), and a main course on which to try out tricks, jumps and rails. The Aqua Park features two floating obstacle courses with hurdles, climbing walls, slides and more. For a more relaxing activity, the park also offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and freshwater swimming. The park also has a campsite (see below).
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Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Anglo-Saxon St Mary's was rebuilt from circa 1150 until 1230 by the Normans. It's attractive, if fairly typical of rural churches in the region, with the main historical interest being two memorials: one to Charles Chubb, the locksmith and safe manufacturer; the other to James Seton, a young man whose sad claim to fame is for being the last person to be killed in a duel on English soil, in 1845.
archery & axe throwing
Email via online contact form (page bottom). Supervised fun with mediaeval weapons in the woods! Guided sessions for absolute beginners in longbow archery, crossbow shooting and axe throwing. The tuition is personable and humorous with an emphasis on safety and proper technique. Combine a lesson with an activity: in 'Siege the Castle', groups design their own giant projectile and fire at a model castle, while 'Combat Tag' combines a number of archery team games - back-to-back duelling, capture the flag and something called 'death match'. The archery range is open to all ages, while the other activities aren't suitable for children under 12.
Pick your own pumpkins: choose from 30 varieties (and not just the bright orange ones), explore recipes, or carve your own jack-o-lantern. Family-friendly games, seasonal crafts, and hot and cold refreshments are all part of the fun.
Annual community festival on a Saturday in mid-July. Expect heavy horse obstacle racing, dog shows, tug of war, falconry, arts and crafts, and live music.
Fordingbridge Park or Recreation Ground
Despite not knowing what to call itself, this has pretty much everything you'd want from a small town park: a decent-sized playground, sports pitches, a snack kiosk that makes its own ice lollies, and even a shingle beach where you can paddle or swim in the languid waters of the Avon.
Classy Art Deco cinema, built in 1933 and lovingly restored in 2016. The façade is nice, but the lobby and the bar are something else, so make sure you allow some time to enjoy them before or after the film. The intimate 30-seat auditorium makes each screening - of film, live theatre or opera - special.