Old Sarum & Salisbury

22 October 2008

Distance: 61/4 miles
Parking: English Heritage Car Park - Old Sarum
Map: Explorer 130 Salisbury & Stonehenge
Map ref for car park: SU141328

For route details click here

I always learn something from the walks I do, whether it be a better idea of how to frame a photograph or discovering another use for some piece of equipment. The most useful thing I learn from some walks however is how it could be improved. This particular day proved to be one of the latter.

The weather was lovely, glorious sunshine, scarcely a cloud and warm for October. I began at Old Sarum, denying myself the pleasure of a wander around the castle ruins unless I returned in good time later. I’d planned the walk but hadn’t put a time to it. Even without entering the castle ruins, there are two great moats and the ruins of the original cathedral to observe before heading down to the gate out of Old Sarum.

The walk took me along a footpath which I believe to be the remainder of a more ancient way and alongside the River Test, although on the opposite bank to the Nature Reserve walk. Lesson 1. The walk continues over a wooden bridge and down into the city centre, passing under the main road and the railway bridges of modern concrete and Victorian brick, with other smaller bridges of wrought iron and more modern architecture crossing over the river from the Walk to shopping malls. Salisbury’s city centre has to be the most charming I have yet entered. Despite the modern shopping malls and stores, the River flows gently through and on this day was flocked with swans, mature and juvenile. Older brick buildings are preserved and in one wall is still to be seen an old sluice gate with its great screws.

Further on, with the cathedral spire dominating the skyline from all directions, you come to the older, mediaeval part of the city with its narrow streets and restored buildings, and the Bargate through which you pass into the Cathedral Close. The Gates are still closed at night, between 2330 and 0600.

The cathedral rises in majesty. The spire is the tallest in Britain. And this year the Cathedral celebrates its 750th year. The Close contains several buildings of interest, including a mediaeval hall, but this is only open between April and September, so was unfortunately inaccessible today. The Clarendon Way begins in front of the beautiful West Front of the Cathedral, heads out of the Close and turns right on its eastern route to Winchester 25 miles away.

Although I didn’t visit the Cathedral, I did step for a few minutes into the Church of St Thomas Becket where there is an original 15th century “Doom Painting”, long preserved by the whitewashing during the Reformation and rediscovered and restored in the 19th century. This did nothing for my time-keeping, but I wouldn’t wish the visit undone.

Of the latter part of my walk from Salisbury back to Old Sarum, some part of it went through suburban city streets much like any other city’s; along a bridlepath called Cow Lane of little interest or beauty, except for the double railway bridges at the far end. Emerging from Cow Lane and wishing to access St Marks Lane towards a bridlepath back to Old Sarum, there is no easy access except to turn left towards the roundabout and cross over to the Church, or turn right and find the way through from there.

The bridlepath itself when reached is an excellent gravelled path accessible not only to horseriders, but cyclists, pedestrians, wheel-chair users and pushchairs. It’s only drawback in respect of universal use is that it finishes at a narrow road with no pavement, and this needs negotiating to come back to Old Sarum itself.

I didn’t return in time to have a look around Old Sarum, and a visit to the Cathedral will have to be postponed until another day, because I didn’t leave myself enough time.

So, I have planned a new, rather shorter route which will take in the Avon River Nature Reserve, the water meadows and leave time for visiting both the castle ruins at Old Sarum and the Cathedral in the city.

Wickham - Meon Valley Trail and West Walk

18 October 2008

Distance: 4 1/2 miles
Parking: Hampshire County Council Free Car Park
Map: Explorer 119 Meon Valley - Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham
Map ref for car park: SU575117

For route details click here

One of these days I will walk the 10 miles from Wickham to West Meon, and 10 miles back again, along the dismantled railway that now forms the Meon Valley Trail.

Although for some it might constitute a good day’s hike, it would be nice to take it over a couple of days to have time to sidetrack into the villages along the route: Soberton, Droxford, Meonstoke, Exton and Warnford, as well as Wickham and West Meon themselves.

As well as these pretty villages dotted along the meandering course of the River Meon, there are other places of interest to interest, including the ancient hill fort of Old Winchester Hill to the east of Meonstoke and Beacon Hill west of Exton and Warnford.

Beacon Hill and Old Winchester Hill both have nature reserves, and are intersected by the South Downs Way and Monarch’s Way. Other long distance paths also cross the course of the Meon Valley Trail, perfect for creating circular walks from village to viewpoint and back again.

My walk today took in about 1½ miles of the Meon Valley Trail from the free car park at Wickham to the point where the Pilgrims’ Trail crosses it and heads into West Walk, an area of woodland remains of the ancient Forest of Bere, now managed by the Forestry Commission and offering some excellent walking.

The sun showed through in fits and starts, and although autumnal the day was not unpleasantly cold. As I was walking during the latter part of the afternoon the light had that warm, soft luminescence that comes only in the autumn, giving a golden glow to even the darkest pine trees.
Not today, but previously, I have seen stoats playing on the bridge over the river at the trout fishery, where I was also passed by a deer. On that same day, a buzzard soared over my head as I walked among the trees at West Walk.

Acres Down to Bolderwood

15 October 2008

Distance: 6/4 miles
Parking: New Forest Acres Down Car Park
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU268097

For route details click here

I chose this route because it was supposed to rain today and the mainly gravel cycle tracks would be better underfoot that "true" Forest paths (the ones designated by single dash lines on the map, which are narrow, sometimes indistinct and muddy or boggy more often than note - the fun ones!) The walk would pass over Forest streams in several places and would take in the autumnal changes of the trees.

Also at this time of year the stags come into rut. Would I be lucky?

Oh yes, I was lucky! At the Bolderwood Deer sanctuary I saw and heard not one, but two stags roaring in separate fields; I didn't get to see a confrontation. Moreover, one of the stags is white. I suppose seeing them properly wild would have been an added bonus but as I had the good fortune I did, I am not complaining.

I did select one "true" Forest path, of course. It was quite naturally muddy, even boggy in places. However, I found a great new use for my walking poles in feeling out the firm ground from the mushier parts. The poles also came into their own while crossing some boggy areas on small pieces of branch laid down for the purpose. Said branches are generally round and narrow. With a pole dug into the ground securely on either side, I maintained my balance with much more ease and consequently this part of the walk was more enjoyable.

I took nearly 100 photographs of deer, streams and scenic views. This is definitely a walk I would do again, perhaps a little more off-(cycle)track next time.

By the way, it didn't rain ...

The Cows of Itchen Valley Country Park

11 October 2008

Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU462161 (parking charges apply - from 50p for 1 hour)

I'd decided that I should conquer my cowphobia and the best place to do this would be in the environs of the local country park where I know my escape routes!

The Country Park is situated off Allington Lane, West End, Southampton. It covers 440 acres and includes water meadows, ancient woodland, meadows and grazing pasture, and has many waymarked trails which can be walked separately or made into one or several integrated walks. There is a Paw Trail for dogs and separate cycle and bridle paths, although the bridlepath requires a licence to be paid by users. It is also not for use by walkers or cyclists, presumably for safety reasons.

My excursion took me first into the grazing pasture. At first, I thought I was going to be out of luck. Then through a kissing gate I found cows. They were peacefully grazing. I walked along following the path towards another gate, right beside which was a cow. I would have to pass this one to get to the gate.

Safely negotiated. The cow looked at me rather curiously but simply stood there.

I was ready to approach the water meadows.

Through the trees I could see the cows making their way feedward from the outlying meadows. A large herd of beefstock (a rather sad thought!) all about 2 years old, all de-horned bulls.

There was a family with a small child who went through the kissing gate to watch the cows coming in, and I followed in behind them, content just to watch and see how the animals behaved. This was made more interesting by one of the Country Park rangers who strode down into the meadow and headed straight for the herd. He was intent on something else and went about his business as if the cows were not there. The cows stopped as he approached and stood around watching him. Occasionally a cow would moo at him but they didn't approach him; they just stood there.

I then got talking to a lady with two small dogs, one of which was used to being around cows and took no notice even when a large black muzzle was in its face. This lady used to work with calves and so I asked her about bovine behaviour.

Cows will move away from you if you are walking towards them. If you are bothered by a cow, say something like "boo!" to it in a loud voice. Calves are turned out into fields when they are 5 months old and are still hay-fed for a while until they get the idea that green means food, so if you walking through a field of youngsters they will equate human with hay and may approach and follow you. In my experience, their approach is at a run which can be quite scary, but they will stop and stand looking at you. As you walk on, they will continue to follow until you leave their field. They look so disappointed!

Altogether, it was a most interesting and informative time.

Godshill and the Avon Valley

9th October 2008

Distance: 7.8 miles approx
Parking: Forestry Commission Ashley Walk
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU186157

• The view eastward from Ashley Walk car park are quite beautiful and promise good things for another day.

• However, this walk heads west across the busy Roger Penny Way (B3078) to follow a grassy track down between gorse bushes running alongside a fence. The grass gives way to stones and descends sharply, with lovely views over the valley. At the bottom of the steep descent is a gate left and a bridleway signpost. The bridleway passes first along the right edge of an enclosed area of New Forest land, then through another gate and up between horse pastures on either side. Pass a footpath going left across a field and continue to follow the bridleway until it emerges between new cottages to a lane.

• For those who prefer to avoid livestock, turn left here to meet Roger Penny Way again, and right towards Fordingbridge along this road. A pavement on the right hand side of the road runs a good stretch of the way. Where it peters out, cross the road (with care!) to a footpath on the other side which runs down almost to Fordingbridge, where you need to cross again to another pavement.

• For those who have no qualms about livestock, there is a traffic-free route which cuts out a sizeable chunk of the main road, although eventually this has to be encountered on this particular route.

• From the end of the bridleway above, turn right along the lane until a footpath sign on the left to a stile. The footpath runs along the left hand edge of fields. Pass through a windbreak of trees. Ignore the first footpath left and turn on to the second. Turn right and soon left again to walk down through the Sandy Balls Estate. Keep following the footpath down through trees and eventually through a small paddock to a signpost by a gate pointing back along the way and emerge to the B3078. Turn right on to the pavement and continue down into Fordingbridge as above.

• The pavement going into Fordingbridge passes under the A338. Bear right to cross the stone bridge over the River Avon. There are picturesque views to either side along the River. Pass the George Inn on the left. At the T-junction the main street which is worth a wander along is to the left. I was hoping that the Avon Valley Path would pass through the town centre; instead it bears round to the right at the T-junction and turns the next left after the Museum, into a residential area.

• Keep through here. It is much like any other residential area, being far more modern than the more central parts of the town. There are Avon Valley Path stickers intermittently on telegraph poles and street lights. When a school sign is seen ahead, turn along a road bearing right before this. At the far end of this road and before it bends right, there is a footpath signposted with Avon Valley Path labelling continuing straight ahead. The tarmac footpath soon gives way to gravel and grass. Gardens and school grounds become hidden from view by high hedges. At a T-junction turn right. The Path still runs intermittently between hedges with views over pastureland, and can be very puddly after rain. The Path comes to a farmstead and passes through the farm, past cottages to the A338. Turn right here. On the right is the Tudor Rose Pub. Cross over towards a gate on to a concrete path past cottages towards a farmyard.

• Go through the farmyard. Just before a metal field gate, there is a signpost to the left towards a suspension bridge. Cross over and walk across a water meadow to a wooden bridge. Cross here and bear right down to a V-gate. Once through this, the Path runs between fences and over tributaries of the River Avon. At one point a shallow stream runs beside the road.

• Look out for a wooden lock or weir to the left.

• Again, the way runs through farmland. Ignore all other paths and keep straight ahead on to a gravel drive between more cottages to a New Forest sign, a cattle grid and gate. This is a return to New Forest land. Ahead is a small green with fenced woodland rising beyond a narrow tarmac lane. Turn left along the lane. To the left a wooded hill rises up, the ring and bailey of a lost castle.

• After Castle Hill the land falls away steeply to the left. There is a pleasant path alongside the lane. Keep along this until a car park with benches in front. This is one of two viewpoints over the Avon Valley, with views of the River winding through. A little further on, where a Forestry Commission sign stands ("Castle Hill") is another parking area with benches and viewpoint.

• From this car park, cross the lane and through a gate into the woodland. Follow the path heading left and up through the trees for about 150 yards. Look for a clear grass path to the left again and follow this up to a gate and road. Cross the road and pass through another gate into continuing woodland.

• This is true Forest walking.

• There are two tracks heading away from the gate either side of a holly clump. Take the left hand way which seems to run parallel with the road for a little way but soon heads up through the trees. Ignore all paths to right and left; cross over a wide cycle track and continue along to a gate into a car park. If the path is muddy look for narrow paths which veer around the main track to miss the worst of the mud.

• Leave the car park heading right past two small oak trees. Keep along the path that descends into the valley and eventually runs beside a fence. At the bottom of the valley where a stream runs through, there is a choice of a wooden bridge or fording the stream. Whichever you choose, continue up along a choice of paths with the fence always to the right. Soon pass the gate and signpost to the bridleway walked earlier, and climb steeply up the last part of the path to the road. Cross the road to return to Ashley Walk car park.

Not today!!

4 October 2008

Distance: A few yards around my apartment
Parking: The chair in my study
Map: N/A



This is the view from my study window! Not very nice, and even worse when you can see the moving picture with trees waving around like oversized triffids and the rain sheeting sort of sideways.

Oh well, hoping for better things by Tuesday.

Minstead Circular

02 October 2008

Distance: 51/2 miles
Parking: In front of Village Shop by the Village Green
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU283110

Minstead is another pretty village nestled in the New Forest just north of Lyndhurst and easy to get to from the A337 south from the M27 westbound from Southampton.

The day was pleasant although occasionally cold when the sun was obscured and on the exposed ridge overlooking Withybed Bottom and Murrays Passage.

If there are no parking spaces by the village green, there is a New Forest Car Park by the cricket ground about 1/2 mile east.

From the village shop head towards the village green where there is a stocks and a memorial to villagers who fought in WWI. Pass the memorial up Church Lane with the pub on your right and pass in front of the church to a gate in the right hand corner. The footpath runs down between a hedge and trees on the right and paddocks on the left, to another gate at the bottom. Turn right to the road and left over the stream to go uphill.

Where the road forks, take the right hand lane, and at the next fork by the phone box bear left to the crossroads. Go straight over past Piglets Corner, stables and other cottages heading for Acres Down Farm. At the Farm there is a Tea Rooms open from April to September, and camping to be had from £10 per night for a small (1-3 person) tent. Continue around the corner past a sign in green pointing the way to Acres Down Car Park. Walk past the car park (or divert here to go up on to Acres Down) and around a barrier on to a cycle track signposted to Bolderwood (2.3 miles).

The track winds through the Forest passing between old gate posts and the remains of a wooden fence where a gate used to be. Further along the track goes over Bagshott Gutter. Where another track comes down from the left some way past the stream, turn right up a grass track through conifers. Go over the track at the top and follow the grass track ahead which bears slightly right. This track can be rather churned and muddy but, except where it is very wet, the mud tends to be firm underfoot. Apart from the mud this is a lovely walk with the trees closing in on both sides.

At the top of a short rise follow the track round to the left and keep along the clearer path. As the bracken begins to increase and the trees to recede slightly on the approach to a gravel track, there is a possibility of spotting deer.

At the gravel track cross over and bear slightly right to find a grass path running almost parallel to the gravel track, which soon runs lower than this grassed way. Keep along this path through the trees to a gate bearing a permissive footpath sign on the other side. Through the gate, turn immediately right and where a track joins from the left keep left. Follow this track along the ridge beside trees on the right and gorse intermittently on the left.

Here are lovely views across a shallow valley, Withybed Bottom. Looking left from the track it is possible to spot a green fingerpost, which points the way to Murrays Passage. This is a nice spot to stop for Jaffa Cakes and water and to enjoy the view. Return to the track up by the trees and continue along through the gorse ahead.

There are three main tracks through the gorse. Keep ahead on the middle way. A track will come down from the right to join this; continue a little further and at the next major fork, go right and continue to follow this path round to the road opposite the gates to Grovewood House, ignoring a path which goes left to the road before this. Along this path, look south and on clear days spectacular views can be had over miles of Forest to the rising heights of the Isle of Wight.

Cross the road towards the gates of Grovewood House and turn right along the verge to the bridleway signposted to King's Garn, which is a private residence. Follow the bridleway all the way down until a road is reached. On the left before the road is a stile. Go over the stile and up the footpath between hedge and fenced pasture to another stile. Turn immediately right down to a footbridge and then up some wooden steps and, forking right, go through a staggered gate. Cross a plank bridge, through another staggered gate and up a slope with greenhouses on the right to a car park.

Keep right and ahead is Furzey Gardens, through a wooden gate flanked by a wooden board giving details of the Gardens, to a charming cottage tucked down behind trees.

Continue along the path to the road and turn right. From here is a choice of two ways back into Minstead. The simplest is to pass a Y-junction and keep along the road, passing cottages and fields and finer houses and coming down eventually past white-walled and oak beamed cottages and the pub to the village green.

The alternative route is to go right at the Y-junction and head down this lane until a stile left into a field. The path goes up the left side of this field, which may be used for grazing horses or cattle - today it was empty except for two deer which bounded away across the field ahead of me.

Follow the path up through this field to a footbridge and stile into the next field and continue up to still another stile and the road beyond. Turn right and come down into Minstead, again past the white-walled cottages and the pub to the village green.