Sandy Balls review: Home comforts in the splendour of the New Forest

With childhood memories of happy times spent staying in holiday parks, I thought it was time to see if I could relive the magic at one with my own family - this time in one of England's most beautiful regions.

Set among the splendour of the New Forest, Sandy Balls Holiday Village boasts first class facilities aimed at anyone looking for a staycation.

With a history stretching back 100 years, it's been keeping families entertained in its woodland surroundings for generations.

Guests are given a range of accommodation options, from woodland lodges to camping pods and touring pitches.

We arrived to a warm reception from staff who guided us to our cabin in the woods. We were able to drive right up to the front door, and once we'd parked up that was the last we needed the car for most of the weekend.

Ours was a Premium Plus lodge, nestled under trees and with two bedrooms, a hot tub, a car parking space.

There was plenty of space inside for our two-year-old to run amok, and the living room had a cosy feel, but is more comfortable than luxurious.

We were a little concerned at first by the presence of what seemed to be a hen party in a nearby , and the prospect of them waking our youngster in the middle of the night.

But to our pleasant surprise, once inside, the lodge is effectively soundproof. And to be fair to the hens, while they spent most of the weekend in the hot tub drinking prosecco, they weren't particularly raucous.

The great outdoors is what any trip to the New Forest is really about, and there is no end of opportunities for people of any age and interest.

Take alpacas, for example. Thanks to our trip to Sandy Balls, I can cross off 'take an alpaca for a morning walk' from my bucket list. For a small charge, visitors can get hands-on with Sandy Balls' resident group of the South American camelids.

Visitors get to learn about the animals, as well as feed them and take them for a stroll around the ground. It proved a hit with families and was one of the most memorable hours of the break - particularly because my normally very wary son dipped his hand in a bucket of animal food and fed one of the alpacas with glee.

The swimming pool was a popular draw, our son insisting we started every day off with a dip. There's an outdoor pool too, which wasn't open while we were there as it's only available during school holidays.

Many families hire bikes to ride around the site. We considered this, hoping to put our son in one of the little covered trailers that attach to the back, but he wasn't having any of it.

Instead, we spent most of the weekend walking. Taking a stroll around the area surrounding the holiday homes gives a real appreciation of the park's beauty. We took advantage of glorious sunshine with a picnic on the banks of the Avon while our little one slept in his buggy.

Parents do need to be aware that some of the more woody paths won't be traversable with pushchair.

But as we were treated to the majestic sight of a swan swooping in to land on the water, the stresses and strains of work and sleepless nights floated away down the river.

In the evening, we paid a visit to the Forest Table cafe and restaurant. Keeping in theme with many of the facilities, the emphasis is on quality and comfort rather than luxury.

There was a nice friendly atmosphere in the restaurant, and a good choice of cuisine.

All the food we tried was excellent, and one night we treated ourselves to a delicious takeaway pizza.

There's so much to do on site, but we couldn't spent a long weekend in the New Forest without exploring the rest of it.

Whether its lush forests to explore, acres of heathland with breathtaking views across the plains, pretty towns and villages or seaside attractions, this place has it all.

The sight of countless wild horses roaming around everywhere never gets boring.

Just a five minute drive down the road is the pretty village of Fordingbridge. We spent an afternoon at The George, a fantastic family pub with beautiful views over the river and excellent food.

And a 40-minute drive away is Beaulieu, which is home to the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Gardens, Beaulieu Abbey and World of Top Gear.

After parking up you pay one entry charge and get to see all these great attractions.

Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Lymington are all great tourist spots and easy to get to from Sandy Balls.

It proved to be a wonderful family holiday, that's given us lots of happy memories for years to come.

Fact box:

Sandy Balls offer holidays from £265

Pets are welcome

Lodges have a choice of 1, 2, 3, or 4 bedrooms

Fully stocked shop on site

Air-conditioned gym

Entertainment programme running through school holidays

For more information, on things to do in and around the area, visit www.thenewforest.co.uk.