Luxury in low gear at Lime Wood with the INEOS Grenadier
By Coral Manson
Style influencer Coral Manson reveals her opulent Lime Wood hotel escape, which shifted from fine dining indulgence to an exhilarating off-road adventure with the INEOS Grenadier….
The journey begins by winding through Hampshire’s country lanes into the enchanting New Forest, where wild ponies graze beside the road. Tucked near the village of Lyndhurst stands Lime Wood, a Georgian manor turned retreat amid 17 acres of private grounds. The ethos here is laid-back luxury – a focus on relaxation and good living that serves as an antidote to the often-frantic nature of my London life.
Staff whisk away my bags and welcome me with a refreshing drink in the glass-roofed courtyard bar overlooking manicured lawns. The scene is tranquil, thankfully putting me at ease because – speaking frankly – the idea of off-roading in a beautiful car had me a little worried. I’m not even very comfortable driving on motorways, let alone challenging country tracks. My room in the main house also upped the relaxation factor, with its muted tones, an enormous bed and tall windows framing the forest outside. It’s tempting to sink into the pillows and lose track of time. But I haven’t come just to be coddled – a real adventure idles outside, waiting.
But first, lunch. It’s a special affair at the Kitchen Table, set right in the chefs’ domain. I join a handful of guests and Lime Wood’s culinary stars, Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder, for an intimate feast. Angela and Luke chat with us as they cook, crafting an Italian-inspired spread from New Forest produce. It’s hearty, soulful food, accompanied by personal anecdotes from the chefs. The informal setting dissolves any formality; it feels like dining in a friend’s home kitchen. By the end of lunch, I’m both well-fed and brimming with anticipation for the adventure ahead.
Soon enough, I climb into the driver’s seat of an INEOS Grenadier 4×4, trading my comfort zone for a seatbelt and a trail map. I’ve been chauffeured on scenic drives before, but piloting a vehicle off-road is completely new to me. The Grenadier looks every inch the no-nonsense expedition machine – handsome, robust and kitted out with all sorts of clever tech that makes driving this powerful vehicle surprisingly easy. Our convoy departs Lime Wood and heads north to the vast Salisbury Plain, a 150-square-mile expanse owned by the Ministry of Defence. This normally restricted landscape is an off-roader’s playground when open, crisscrossed with chalk tracks and military byways. On a sunny day like today, it could almost double for the African savannah.
As soon as we leave the tarmac and jolt onto a rutted, muddy track, my knuckles whiten on the wheel. Fortunately, an INEOS instructor rides shotgun, giving calm tips as I tackle the first boggy stretch. The Grenadier is built for this – it crawls over rough terrain with ease, inspiring my confidence with each obstacle overcome. Before long, I’m laughing as we splash through puddles that send arcs of mud slapping the windows. We rumble up hills and along ridgelines, spotting an occasional faded warning sign or the silhouette of a watchtower – subtle reminders of Salisbury Plain’s military legacy. At a high vantage point, I pause to admire the view: endless grassland under a wide sky. What began as a white-knuckle ride has transformed into pure exhilaration. I’m grinning ear to ear, adrenaline still coursing as the afternoon light softens.
After hours in the wild, returning to Lime Wood feels especially soothing. I swap my mud-caked boots for slippers and relish a long, hot shower in my marble bathroom, letting the day’s grit wash away. Later, wrapped in a soft robe, I wander down to the courtyard bar for a well-earned cocktail, toasting the day with a local gin and tonic.
The contrast couldn’t be sharper, yet together these experiences prove the perfect pairing: the rugged thrill of Salisbury Plain and the pampered serenity of this country house. As someone accustomed to the smooth comforts of luxury travel, I found that venturing off-road only heightened the journey. Sinking into my feather-soft bed that night, I feel utterly content – having enjoyed the very best of both worlds in one spectacular escape.
Discover more about Lime Wood here and the INEOS Grenadier here.
