When the weather allows, one of my favourite places to picnic has to be on the riverbanks of the beautiful River Itchen.

To find the perfect spot, pack up your picnicking best and head out along the B3047 between Martyr Worthy and Itchen Abbas. Park up on one of the lanes running down to the river and pick up the Itchen Way footpath. There are plenty of lovely places to stop but our favourite place to throw down a blanket is just beyond Chilland.

Here you’ll find a grassy riverbank, dotted with trees and sandy shallows perfect for paddling. If you have kids in tow, be sure to take wet wear and a net and bucket with which to seek out the river’s residents. Once explorations are exhausted and the picnic is polished off, it will surely be time to retreat to a shady spot for a relaxing afternoon nap. In the heat of the afternoon, you might just have some takers.

Image courtesy of Helen Lynn on Flickr