Lymington

Lymington is a port on the Solent in the New Forest district of Hampshire. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry. The town has a large tourist industry, based on proximity to the New Forest and the harbour. It is a major yachting centre with a three marinas. According to the 2001 census the Lymington urban area had a population of about 14,000.

The town has many shops, catering for tourists and sailing enthusiasts alike. There is a local market every Saturday, which takes place in the main High Street. The market is fairly typical for southern England, selling a selection of cheap general household items, craft items and a selection of food produce from the local area.

Lymington is particularly famous for its smuggling history, and under the High Street are smugglers' tunnels which run from the old inns to the town quay. These are no longer open to the public, as they are deemed to be dangerous.

The town's leisure amenities include; several parks, two sailing clubs, a community centre, a library, the St Barbes Museum and Gallery, two swimming baths (one is an open air sea water baths dating back to the 1830s), a sports centre and a very small cinema/theatre. Lymington, being near the New Forest, is also a good location for walking, cycling and riding.

Lymington has two railway stations: Lymington Pier (the terminus), and an intermediate station called Lymington Town. These stations are connected to the national rail network by a branch line to Brockenhurst Services are currently operated by South West Trains, and are unofficially known as the "Lymington Flyer". This branch line is one of the last places in the country that old "slam-door" trains can be seen in operation, as a "heritage" service.