[monkey]

Originally Posted by ron1863

Go for it Linda, if you don't you would always regret it, and if it fails, what have you really lost. At least you would be doing something you enjoy and making money from it.

The thought of doing this really excites me a lot more than working in the office again and under so much pressure! I am just concerned if I would make enough money to pay the bills as I am the only bread winner!!

Originally Posted by loripo

Sorry about the redundancy - not a pleasant situation. The B&B sounds like a good idea, why not try long weekends to start as there is such a lot of extra work you would need to cover sometime in the week if you are going to be out & about with guests. I think I would specify adults only if you are going to cater for people interested in photographing wildlife. Good luck

Thank you Loripo for your help and yes I think I would start with doing long weekends and definately adults only as the H&S with the pond in the garden would be endless as well as the difficulties in the terrain in a lot of the areas of the Forest with bogs and streams etc

Originally Posted by Tobyh

I don't have much input but..

*edit to add* - Firstly I think it's a great idea!!

I'd like this kind of thing. Local knowledge is crucial if you are looking to get certain shots and I'd certainly be up for a visit.

A couple of things that would sway me / interest me are -

How are you located generally? Personally I don't like being stuck in the middle of town. Plenty of parking? Are you willing to get up at the crack of dawn to ferry people about - last week i was up at 4.30 to get the early insects - would you be willing to do that? How's your cooking - are you flexible enough to drop everything and go if the weather is suddenly right?

These are just a few of the thoughts that sprung to mind

I visited the New Forest last year and loved it. I did a bit of homework and was helped immensely by WAB members of course but still would have loved to get good shots of deer and maybe some some different birds such as nightjars. I would definitely go back (and am considering this coming year). I picked my eventual location to stay by using google earth to see what the surrounding area was like. And it was gorgeous!

TobyH

Thanks Toby for your ideas definately food for thought. I am located close to easy travel locations ie airport, station and M27 but not so that you would notice it is very rural and there is a very large wood(with fields and pond) on the other side of the lane from my house. I have parking for 5 cars.At weekends I regularly get up before daylight to go out as I like to be there for sunrise and before the 'dogwalkers' so I am not worried about early mornings (the deer meet wabbers will vouch for that!!!!)My cooking is good as far as I have always been told and no food poisoning reported!!! As far as the 'drop everything for the weather' I have been thinking about that a lot and as the only bread winner I would need commitment on bookings and I always go out in any weather all year of course I know that for butterflies and insects it is especially relevant what the weather conditions are but I think it would have to be more a case of 'paying for the booking and fingers crossed' I would still take people to see some wildlife even if not their specific 1st choise? What do you think? Can I be really cheaky and ask if you just paid ordinary B&B prices would you pay more for a guided facility?

Originally Posted by BarryJ

Hi
The B & B sounds like a great idea, I would be very interested.
As you say local knowledge is very helpfull. I try and visit the New Forest at least twice a year but tend to stick to the same old locations.
Where abouts are you based (approx) ?
Regards
Barry

Thanks for the reply and great to know people are interested it is encouraging. I will pm you my approx location

Thank you everyone for your input and keep it coming it is such a big decision but an exciting one as I am getting so fed up sitting at my laptop everyday fruitlessly searching for an office job which I can apply for along with approx 300 other people per job!! Any jobs that come a long are taken of the web by lunchtime as they have so many applicants! One I applied for yesterday had had 27 applications in the first 30mins I would much rather be out with my camera!!!

Linda