WalkingDi

South Downs Way - Petersfield to Cocking (the public transport method)

2010-06-12T00:19:00.027+01:00

4th June 2010

Waiting for the bus to Bishops Waltham. I'm not just punctual, I'm early. About 30 minutes to go before the bus arrives …

From my portable journal:

"Let's see. The walk is the easy bit. I have to make bus and train connections. I've checked and re-checked everything. It's now up to whatever comes along to complicate matters. I can get money for cabs if I absolutely have to. You can't plan for absolutely everything, but I can have a damn good try. And here's hoping there are no cows along the Hangers Way, otherwise it'll be road walking or back to Petersfield for another bus! You simply never know!"

The bus to BW arrived on time (Brijan 7 09:23 £3.90). I got talking to an elderly couple who were on a morning's busabout: Bitterne - Bishops Waltham - Petersfield - Winchester - Eastleigh, and back to Bitterne. Changed buses at BW in good time for Petersfield (Brijan 17 10:10 £1.75 - yes, that is correct. Possibly reduced fares through the South Downs National Park?)

Arrived at Petersfield pretty much on time. A few minutes in the Information Centre asking for directions to the start of the southern part of the Hangers Way. No problems. Very well sign-posted.

First through a field full of some scrubby stuff. I guess it's kept like that to encourage wildlife. The path was well-kept however and pleasant to walk along. Came soon to a gate. The gate goes into a mobile home park. Through the park and nip through a narrow gap to a stile into a sheep field (no sheep. Or maybe invisible stealth sheep remembering those non-cows in the Lake District). Notice on the fence - "Dogs found among sheep will be shot". Now, where's the exit? Half way along the far side of the field through a gap in the hedge and over a stile into a cropfield. Came upon man drinking water and looking at map. "Hello". Walk on.

Through a gap in the hedge at the bottom of the field on to a greenway between high hedges and down to a simple plank bridge over some mud into another field, also left to go wild. Nice view however past a lone tree over cropfields towards Butser Hill.

At the end of the field over a stile, across a strip of narrow rough ground, and over another stile on to another simple bridge over some mud into a suspicious-looking field. There is evidence of ancient cow activity here but nothing recent. The chalky path is perfectly visible; however, there was a line of tamped down grass going uphill. Not quite sure which was the correct path to take, I went up the hill to no exit, so came back down again to the clear path. This of course follows the trail (!) The path passes between a windbreak and a copse of trees, although another narrow path runs alongside the fence and stream at the bottom of the field.

All these fields are V-shaped. They have steep sides and narrow bottoms with a small stream running through.

Through the exit at the far end of this large field, either a gate or a stile, I can't remember, and into another small field with a sewage works on the far side of the dip. Soon houses began to appear on the far slope - very nice homes, too. One of them was having a roof replaced. In that moment of envy I thought "I hope it rains". I didn't mean it really.

Eventually the path comes to a gate on to a grassy footpath and the waymarkers lead you round to the right and through a drive, past a stone house called the Hop Loft, I think. The drive comes out on to a lane. Turn left down to the main road through the village of Buriton. On the other side of the road rises the church and in front of that is the duck pond. Ducks milling everywhere, on the water and on the paths.

I checked out the footpath that goes through the fields past the church but as before when I thought to use that way, coming from the other direction on a previous visit, there were cows. Deciding against that footpath, my first option had been to follow the road round past Buriton House and then turn along the Milky Way. In the end, I chose instead to continue along the Hangers Way up South Lane (past the row of cottages called Toad Row). The lane becomes a bridleway and passes under the railway, beginning to rise steeply through the trees. Buriton Chalk Pit Nature Reserve is to be found on the way up with several gates leading into the enclosure. My way lay ahead and ever upwards. Thank goodness I brought my poles!

The Hangers Way emerges at a crossroads and continues through a gate into Queen Elizabeth Country Park. When I reached the crossroads, I turned left up the lane, which is waymarked for the South Downs and for Staunton Way. There were two female cyclists ahead of me. They soon coursed ahead although I caught up with them a couple of times. They were cycling uphill, never mind walking!

I was now following part of a previous walk I had done here. Up the lane and soon on to a dusty track which leads past a cottage and goes up and down between green fields of either crops or grass. I found all the green is very restful.

I was starting to get into my rhythm now. On the up slopes using shorter strides and slowing as the demands of the gradient dictated, lengthening stride as the path levels out and increasing pace on the down slopes.

Past Coulters Dean Farm, which I had passed on the previous walk, with its lovely rolling cropfield, the young crops that deep turquoisey green that will later turn to gold. The house sits among trees at the bottom of the valley, and has a large trampoline in the garden.

Plod up the slope to the metalled lane. A gate right goes into Coulters Dean Wood, which is waymarked "Staunton Way" which I can only assume means that it joins Staunton Way further down, or because you can get to Staunton Country Park along that route. It isn't marked as such on the OS map.
Bear round to the left and past this end of the Milky Way (presumably "Milky" as in the colour of the chalk and also for the consistency of the path after heavy rain; this byway descends quite sharply in places). This bit of lane walking is about 1km. It is very quiet, more an access road to the farm and Ditcham Park School further on. Part of the way runs alongside a steep hanger on the left. Past the entrance to the school the view widens out across farmland and the Downs come into view ahead.

The road runs down to Sunwood Farm and its outlying cottages. The SDW follows the road round to the left and then turns right up a broad chalk path alongside more cropfields with a windbreak of trees on the right. Perfect for shade from the hot sun. This is Hundred Acres Lane. The banks on either side are full of chalkland flowers, pink and white and yellow; a couple of the yellow flowers I inspected a bit more closely and they were orchids, delicate lady's slippers. Those were all the orchids I saw all day. An elderly lady I was to meet in Cocking told me that the flowers didn't seem to know what to do this year, given the strange weather patterns and sharp changes of temperature this Spring. It doesn't appear to have bothered the cow-parsley. Why is it called cow-parsley and not cat-parsley? It smells like cats.

Hundred Acres Lane eventually comes to a tarmac lane running crosswise while the SDW continues ahead on Forty Acre Lane, past two handsome but bored-looking horses in a field across from a cottage. The two female cyclists I'd seen before were in conference when I passed them here. I didn't see them again.

I have walked Forty Acre Lane in the other direction. It's a pleasant path again with a windbreak of shady trees. It seemed shorter than I remembered it, possibly because I was going downhill this time. The path goes past a footpath left which is signposted for South Harting village and all its amenities. The main SDW continues on and comes to the B2146.

Across the road the path winds around Tower Hill. The Tower on the top of the hill is the remains of a Victorian Folly and from a distance looks spectacular. I had previously scrambled up the near-vertical sheep field to be disappointed by the rather prosaic red brick of the thing. It must have been a huge structure judging by the size of the remains.

The path around the Hill seemed longer, where Forty Acre had seemed shorter, and I think it was probably because I was going all uphill. The slope isn't really steep, it just keeps climbing. Left is a steep bank of trees down to the road and the path eventually emerges at the B2141.

Across the road and I've reached my first target point - Harting Down. I’d started from Petersfield at 11.10 am and it was now about 1.20pm. The sun had brought out half-term picnickers - the car park is about 20 yards up the slope. Oddly, no one had chosen to sit on the viewpoint bench, so I did. Families littered the grass and one elderly couple had not only brought chairs with them but a table as well!

A perfect spot for lunch. There is a lovely view of deciduous trees of various green shades in the foreground forming a sort of cup-shaped frame for South Harting nestled below, the green spire of the church rising on the left. Behind the village is the mound of Torberry Hill that abounds with legends, and then spread about all this is the quilt of farmland with the shadow of the hangers beyond stretching away from Petersfield north to Alton. Above all, a clear blue, hot sky.

I had lunch: a cheese and tomato sandwich - the cheese was really strong, I only ate half of it - some cornsticks and a chocolate topped flapjack, my staple walking food. Lots of water to drink and then I set off again. Once through the gate all I saw for some time were one family, four cyclists (two of whom were idling in the shade) and a pair of knees.

The views from the Downs out over the countryside with its patchwork colours and warm red clusters of villages and farms all looks so peaceful and restful. The sight of any spread of landscape appeals to me. The land has no straight lines, it curves and rolls, rises and drops away constantly. The unmoving ground is in constant motion. This is what tempts me from home and creates the dissatisfaction with the walks around home. There's nowhere to get up high-ish to walk and view the land at the same time. Maybe I ought to learn to paint. It's hard to capture the real experience of the human eye and mind on photographic equipment.

Coming down from Harting Down you have the lovely valley of Bramshott Bottom to the right - later in the year it's a riot of long grasses and yellow and white wildflowers. The official SDW wanders "inland" from here along an accessible bridleway going around Beacon Hill. But why go around when you can go the short way. The viewpoint is straight ahead - I mean, straight Up. Practically vertical. For those with hydraulic legs and iron stamina I'm sure it's a breeze and I'm a wuss. For me, it's shorten the poles, legs of lead and a cardio workout to beat any amount of circuit training in a gym - and much, much more fun!

I made the gate, caught my breath and took some video footage of the view from here. A little further up but before the trig the view really opens out. The viewpoint marked on the OS map shows a 360 viewpoint but from the trig itself there's a copse of trees blocking the northward view. The better view is a little way west of this.

My legs recovered really quickly. I was soon ready to continue. The eastern slope of Beacon Hill is also very steep although I think it's not quite so long. I found my poles useful here for steadying descent. And then up again, a wide chalk path that descends the other side down a gentle slope curving alongside farmland once more. Ahead of me is another glorious view over the outlying landscape; in the foreground a line of trees and dotted along the path are occasional elder trees.

The Down ahead is Treyford Hill. The path curves down into trees at the bottom. Apparently, I have just rounded the top of Mount Sinai …

The path emerges from the trees and begins to bend inland. In the large cropfield to the right, a farmer spraying fertiliser or insecticide from … some large piece of machinery.

And into trees again. This is pleasant walking. The great views and the thrill of being able to see you're up high are intense but the cool green wandering woodland path through shifting sunlight and shade is lovely. I do enjoy woodland walking.

And out again coming down towards Buriton Farm. It looks like this is being re-built because all the buildings look fairly new in pink-grey brickwork and there's chalky rubble all over the place. What they do have is a large solar panel in a perfect position out in the open where it will catch every ray of sunshine between dawn and dusk. As I was coming along the path towards the Farm I saw a large brown bird swoop through the air. It was some distance away but definitely chasing some other smaller bird. I'm not good at ornithology, but I wonder if I saw my first sparrowhawk!

Past the Farm, the path comes to a T-junction and a fingerpost in various directions. The SDW goes left and about fifty or so yards along is signed to the right, starting Up again and into more trees. I met another older man here who was clearly enjoying his walk. Friendly walkers' "Hellos" and on our way.

Poles out. The path climbs quite steeply and for some distance so it's quite wearing on inexperienced legs. Again through trees. It was very pleasant in the cool amid the dancing sunlight.

After the path had levelled out for a few yards, I came across a small memorial of grey stone dedicated to "Hauptmann Joseph Oestermann". I found some information on him. He was the pilot of a Junkers Ju88 bomber on the first day of the Battle of Britain (also known as Adlertag, or Eagle Day) on 13th August 1940. His plane was shot down during a raid on Aldershot and he remained at the controls while the other crew members bailed out. He was only twenty-five. There are some poppies around the base of the memorial. And I wonder now if his ashes are buried there. What a lovely peaceful place to rest.

And then later where the path bends sharply left, I came upon a young roe stag. We both started and it took off. It might have heard me coming and with that strange curiosity they have, waited, poised for flight, until I actually came round the corner before it took off. They are funny creatures! It shot into the trees and I never afterwards saw or heard it.

Next I saw a lookout platform, like the ones they have in the New Forest for watching deer, which I assumed this one for as I'd just seen a deer. However, it looks out over a clearing in which are three grassy barrows. They're not very high and I was curious. There was a gate. There was also a board which was turned away from the path. I had to see what was on it. It was an information panel about the barrows, called the Devil's Jumps, and are said to date from the Bronze Age, about 3000 years. There were some bones in two of the barrows, found in 1853, but nothing in the other "two" (I only saw three). The barrows seem to be aligned upon setting sun of Midsummer's Day.

Next to this very interesting place is another cropfield and a private estate on the right, Monkton House. There is nothing really of the estate to see due to the heavy screen of trees but I heard the clear, complaining cry of peacocks.

Soon ahead now was the end of the woodland walk, emerging between fenced sheep pasture. I stopped by a gate because my right big toe was a little uncomfortable. It wasn't burning with impending blister, but to be on the safe side I applied a Compeed plaster to it. If I wasn't going to get a blister without it, I'd just made sure I did get one. By the time I got home, I had a small and painful blister right in the crease between my big toe and the ball of my foot where the Compeed had rubbed! I think I'll stick to Scholl or Sainsbury's in future. The blister is now bound up with cotton wool and surgical tape which works very well.

Plastered (!) I left the shade and emerged into the heat and glare again. The path goes straight up between the fields, rather rutted from use by cyclists but not unpleasant to walk because of it. There is a forest of trees off to the right beyond the fields, and to the left the Downs must fall away quite abruptly because there's the edge and then there are those views out over the countryside again. Beautiful!

The sheep pastures spread across Didling Hill. There is a bridleway which intersects the SDW about half-way up. About here I was startled by a shout from behind and I turned to see the black-clad cyclists I'd seen last on Harting Down powering up the slope towards me. I skipped to the right to let them pass with a smile and "Thanks!" People who use the countryside can be such lovely people, friendly and polite. These guys were soon lost to view over the top of Linch Ball, while I paced on my own merry way. And then there was a sight to gladden my heart! Separated from me by a good sturdy fence, a field of cows, all leg-deep in grass and large-headed daisies.

From Didling Hill I'd been making some surmises, checking and re-checking my position on the map. I'd made better way than I'd expected. I'd guesstimated the time the walk would take, based on my apparent average of 2.5 mph, and come to a figure of 5.6 hours. I started from Petersfield at 11.10 am. As I checked my position and the distance left to go, it was now about 3.30 pm and ahead of schedule. True, I hadn't got myself lost or stopped every other stride to take photographs but I was good for time and looking at getting to Hilltop and the A286 somewhere between 4 and 4.30pm.

Past Linch Ball the path goes straight ahead at crosspaths. On the left where the bridleway goes down to a gate there is an open grass lawn with several tree trunks scattered about as seats for weary travellers to rest upon and take in the lovely views out towards Midhurst. The trees have been dried and bleached by long days of exposure. I did rest my tired legs for a while in the afternoon sun, the heat offset by the southerly breeze.

And then to the last part of the walk, which comes down again between open cropfields. Ahead can be seen Manorfarm Down and the great scar of the chalk pit on the other side of the A286. My destination.

Or it was.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you don't stick to your plan (your whole plan, mind!) the curse of the change of plan will bite you on the bum. Sometimes literally!

Instead of continuing on down past Hilltop to the road and bus stop, I decided I'd walk into Cocking itself as I was in hand with time (oh, foolish woman!). There's bridleway way-marked down across a rough field of grass and clover (silage?). Another fingerpost half-way down the field (it's a big field) keeps you on track and the path turns away right to follow the line of the hedge.

A cautionary tale: when walking on a narrow path of uncertain footing, it is unwise to attempt to map-read at the same time. My footing did become uncertain - stumble, stagger, fall … right on my backside. The bruise is grey and purple!

The path goes into trees past Crypt Farm and at the end a signpost points the restricted byway. Like many byways, this one runs between high hedges with no view, which becomes a bit dull after a while. Eventually, however, the path emerges on to Bell Lane in Cocking where there are some lovely, enviable houses set in threes or fours in their own little courts or drives above the road. Here I met the elderly lady who knew about the chalkland flowers suffering from the mad Spring weather this year. She was carrying a flowered bag and, of all things, a car battery. She was somewhat taken aback that I had walked from Petersfield. She recommended the Moonlight Tea Rooms (end of the lane turn right and it's on your left) as I was by now in need of a cup of tea! The pub (The Bluebell) stands at the end of Bell Lane but doesn't open until 6pm.

Across the road (busy in the rush hour), past the car sales and the bus stop and there is the Moonlight Tea Rooms and Bed & Breakfast. It's a quaint cottage set in a pretty flower garden laid out with round wooden tables and seats on the lawn amid the flower-beds. While sat waiting for my pot of tea some chap in a garden across the gravel drive behind a hedge was obviously having a hard time: "Christ! … Christ! Christ! Christ!" I didn't find out what Christ had done. It was probably his cat.

I wrote in my travelling journal:

" The tea is LOOSE-LEAF - none of your common old tea bags here! I need this after my great hike! … I finished the walk much earlier than anticipated so decided to treat myself and get a later bus. I can afford to wait for the 1842 [oh, foolish woman!]

"Tea Rooms - right next to the main road and in the garden of the cottage …

"Mmm, warm toasted tea cakes & strawberry jam with clotted cream and a fresh strawberry … a bus has just gone by 10 minutes late … The tea is not just leaf, it's organic leaf - sort of woody.

"I'm sure my hair must be frightful [I'd taken a hairband to try to make it look half-decent after taking off my hat] and I must visit the loo - yes, they have one here. Outside. Quaint! Then - bus!"

Then, on the train (eventually) I wrote:

"I didn't visit the loo, someone was in it [ though I kept tugging at the door thinking it was stiff when in fact it was locked]. The day which had been perfectly lovely suddenly took a nasty turn. I'd used up all my "lovely" credit. So, the loo was engaged, the bus was late, then still late trying to catch itself up. [Note to self: when dashing away tears of frustration, use a tissue and not a sweaty finger because it will make the suntan cream run in your eye - good thing I had some tissues, then]. And now the train is delayed. [At least you could see its due time and get reassuring (if automated) messages, that it was going to arrive eventually] … And I'm sure I was overcharged for my afternoon tea. Oh, stop moaning. Make sure you check what's included next time!

"I'm looking forward to a shower, a foot soak and a hot meal!

Fortunately, in the end, despite the train being delayed I managed to get the 8.20pm bus home. I’d considered getting the train to Swaythling and walking from there. I would have done had there not been a handy bus.

Once home, I discovered the blister on my toe. I had a hot shower and used the massage spray on my poor feet, then I got a quick meal of salmon and veg with a simple butter and lemon dressing. Washed up and managed to tidy my walking clobber away before bed.

I fell into bed about 11.15pm. Despite the glitches towards the end it was a day to remember, for the sun, the clear sky, the wonderful physical sensations of a walk that really works your body and the beauty of the countryside of the South Downs National Park.

Old Winchester Hill (without possible extension to East Meon)

2010-06-11T23:04:00.010+01:00

25th May 2010

Old Winchester Hill from Exton, with possible extension to East Meon on a beautiful afternoon in May. The idea, to get out before the schools kicked out and return home after the rush hour. Being as the day was warm and the walk a fair distance, I thought to take my camelback. I didn't store it properly, did I. Parts of it had turned green. I took bottles. I will get another camelback but only when I've learned how to look after it properly! I've read somewhere you should clean and sterilise it, then fill it with water and keep it in the freezer, ready for when you next want to use it.

So, armed with food and hat, phone and camera, sunblocked and repelling all insect-boarders, I set off. Nice drive to Exton, accompanied by Muse. I parked in the shade along the little lane just past the village where the South Downs Way runs through. Two horse riders came up the lane as I was getting organised and that tiny lingering memory of wistful thinking was stirred in me again. I've done my horse-riding and given up all the bolting and being thrown off, but the childhood wish is still there. "Lovely way to spend the day" I said. "Yes, it certainly is" replied the leading rider with a smile.

I followed them across the road to the path and over the bridge, while they rode through the ford. They politely asked if I wanted to go first but they would be naturally quicker than me so I declined. Not thinking, I managed to follow them right past where I should have turned left so I had to retrace my steps and at the fingerpost (!) turn along Garden Lane, an ancient holloway, which goes over the disused Meon Railway (now a foot- and cycle-path) and turns sharp left by a gate in to a sheep field (this turn being missed on the OS map), emerging finally at a T-junction where the Monarch's Way comes in from the left to join the SDW briefly eastwards.

Turning right along the conjoined paths, the way goes up almost to a gate and then dodges left to follow the edge of a cropfield, round to the left at the top alongside the sheepfield and then left at the fingerpost at the top. I would later re-tread this last little bit.

The climb up through the trees and through the gate up to the fort is steep and good for your cardio-vascular system and your legs. The rewards of this Up are great indeed when you get to the ramparts/earthworks of the Fort and look everywhere. The view extends beyond Portsdown Hill, over towards the Isle of Wight, Fawley Chimney, Fawley Refinery, the New Forest with the Dorset hills rising hazily in the distance , round to Beacon Hill, and north to the hills beyond Cheesefoot Head and Winchester. The Down includes Old Winchester Hill takes over and blocks the northward view towards East Meon and Butser Hill. And below, running north to south is the lovely Meon Valley drowsing in the sunlight accompanied by the complaining bleat of sheep.

This is the view I chose to have while I sat and ate a late lunch and after about 15 minutes basking in the sunshine I went on my way.

There is a narrow chalk path that runs along the side of the inner slope of the Down (I found myself battling vertigo again, I thought that had gone!). I chose the Circular Path that goes up through a gate and into the trees above and comes out at the main path from the car parks back to the Fort. I turned left to follow the bridle path through the shade and out across the road.

My plan to extend the walk down to East Meon was scuppered. The SDW goes clear through a large field. There was a problem.

Cows. Lots of cows, black and white Friesians, standing 5 ft at the shoulder and a great Hereford bull in with them. Actually, the bull went and laid down in the grass, but I wasn't to be lulled. This was a combination guaranteed to put me off.

As time was beginning to get on I thought it best to put off this little bit of SDW I hadn't yet walked for now and continue on the back-up route.

I went off down Old Winchester Hill Lane in the direction of Warnford. The view was lovely, the sun warm and beginning to get that golden glow as the afternoon wore on. I decided to try my hand at documentary. The result is a not bad narration but the video footage on my little camera is very shaky, and watching it back made me feel slightly nauseous.

It was a pleasant walk down the road and there was a dear little black-faced lamb in a field looking at me, so I took its photo.

My destination was the Monarch's Way which goes through farmland. I had no idea what this might entail, but from the OS map the waymarkings are line-bordered which means the path is enclosed. Being able to see the land from above, this must mean fencing. The path goes through a metal gate on to a beaten earth and tarmac chipping drive.

This path is a treasure! It goes past fields with views towards Beacon Hill on the right and Old Winchester Hill ahead, and comes over a rise to a view of the valley where the farm and a scattering of cottages nestle. There are some lovely horses on the farm, of varying sizes and colours, white, grey and chestnut. The farm has an eventing course and a show-jumping/dressage arena. I'm pretty sure they have equestrian competitions here.

The path goes round past Peake Cottage, where a man in a barn called out a cheerful "Hello!" It then turns right along a nice, well-kept grass track between fences to the actual farm, which is very nice. The path turns then alongside a barn following the edge of a cropfield and comes out on a wide path. To the left the drive is marked "Private". The Monarch's Way continues round to the right, past fields of safely stored cows to join the SDW at the end of Garden Lane.

I followed the conjoined paths once more up along the cropfield and past the sheepfield to the fingerpost, as before. At the sign this time I turned right instead of left, following the bridleway of the SDW that comes down to the Old Railway and returns to Exton.

Isle of Wight 1 - Tennyson Down and the Freshwater Trail

2010-06-11T20:16:00.012+01:00

27th October 2009

Beautiful, beautiful day! Sunny. Warm.

£50 just about covred my expenses for the day but that did include the indulgence of a taxi home in the evening.

Redjet from Town Quay in Southampton to Cowes and from Cowes to Newport on the No. 1 bus, which runs every 6 minutes. I got the No. 11 from Newport which terminates in Yarmouth, as I had some idea of walking down to Freshwater Bay along the old railway; then I changed my mind when I saw the Downs from the Bus and decided to get off at Totland instead.

The path I followed is the Coastal Path, joined at Totland up a road and then off at a footpath sign to come up on to Headon Warren - in the 15th Century this was the location of a thriving rabbit-meat and -fur trade.

At the top of the Warren is a Bronze Age tumulus which was raided for its treasures on the orders of Henry III.

Down the other side of Headon Warren and you arrive at Alum Bay, a tourist trap, full of permanent souvenir shops selling items ranging from blown glass ornaments to phials of the famous multi-coloured sands. Guess who managed to to choose half-term week to do this walk! There were people everywhere, a fairground and a cable ride up and down the cliffs. After Alum Bay, however, the walk improved.

I followed the Coastal Path on round towards the Old Battery that overlooks the Needles. I was intending to go up on to West High Down through a gate along here but I baulked at the steep climb up to the Coastguard Cottages with the exposed drop behind. So I turned back along the cliff edge - a footpath alongside a tarmac road that you can also walk along - and went back to where there is a stile by a National Trust sign. The path wanders along the lower slopes of the Downs past open fields and a tea rooms in a cottage about 1/4 mile off the track. Eventually the path comes to a gate and out on to Tennyson Down. The great Down climbs away ahead of you, a great green sward, with some trees on the northern slope. From the gate the Tennyson Monument on top of the Down is barely visible. Look behind as you climb to see West High Down pointing its great crooked green and chalk finger out to sea.

I found the climb really weird. Just this sheep-bitten mound curving against the sky - water to the right, nothing to the left - and I kept checking behind because I had the oddest sensation that the ground behind me was falling away after every step I took. Totally irrational!

Arrived at the monument, I sat on the bench that faces out to sea and had lunch. All very pleasant with a book in one hand, something edible in the other and the warm sun on my face.

Then the tide turned and up came the wind, all blowy and chill. Although my legs were well-protected as always in army surplus combats I had on a T-shirt and cotton hoodie that let the wind through! I did, fortunately, also have my waterproof jacket in my rucksack. Did I put it on at once? No.

I walked the rest of the way down the other side of the Down (although not on the cliff-edge path) and suddenly realised there were cows. I didn't realise they have the run of the place. Still there were plenty of other people for them to chase. I even stopped to photograph them before continuing on through a gateless gap , past more cows and down into Freshwater Bay.

Here is a public convenience, and here I finally put on my extra layer.

Freshwater = water - the sea, fresh - the wind, and what a spectacular silver lining! The waves were tumbling and foaming up from the Channel and crashing with a great rumble and hiss on the shingle beach and booming against the cliffs.

Eventually and reluctantly I turned away from the sea as time was getting on and I still had the walk to Yarmouth. I wanted to go over Compton Down as well but the increasing wind would have made it unpleasant, so I went off north around the golf course on to the Freshwater Trail. and if I had gone over Compton I don't know that I'd have made it to Brighstone before sunset anyway.

The golf course is a windy links, open to the elements. The Freshwater Trail goes along the edge of the course and down past sheep fields. I took a photo of one particular sheep for its impudent staring as if it objected to my being there.

The path here is grassy and well-maintained. Unfortunately, it ends at a busy road with blind corners in both directions. Once you have taken a deep breath and scuttled across the road, ears on the alert for any whining engine noise bearing down on you, the path continues along a quiet country lane which meanders along between a woodland and fields, eventually coming to a bridge where the path goes off to the right alongside the Yar. This is the disused railway.

I tried to get a photo of a man feeding swans and wanted a shot of one with its head stretched up but every time I went to take the shot, the man thoughtlessly dropped another piece of bread. I put my camera away and went off up the path. The way is lined with trees so that views of the river are patchy. I did manage to get some nice shots of the sunset over the river.

There were loads of people along the path, walking or cycling, out to make the most of the late autumn sunshine.

The path splits off towards the Yarmouth end, one way going on into the town, the other taking a more circuitous route. I chose the latter and got this lovely shot of three swans gliding down the river in the gold of the late afternoon.

The path along here runs between fields full of reeds and emerges at a lane. Turning left from here there is a bus stop on either side of the lane and the lane itself comes to the main road into Yarmouth. I checked the timetable for the next bus to Newport (all buses on the Island go to Newport). There was about 1/2 an hour to the next so I decided to walk into the town.

There are quaint little backroads through the quiet part of the town down by the water. The roads come soon to the quayside and tourist information centre at the ferry terminal.

The sun was down by now and autumn twilight sliding over the water and the town. The bus station is just along from the ferry terminal and the bays are quite clearly marked.

The bus ride was through darkness and occasional little hamlets of cottages on a bus being driven by Jensen Button - he thought he was.

Made Newport and straight on to the No. 1 for Cowes. All through the rush hour traffic. My timing is always impecable! I made the 6.15 ferry, having missed the 5.45 by seeing it pulling away from the quay as the bus pulled into the terminal. Oh well. I had a coffee and read some more of my book.

The ride back to Southampton was pleasant through the dark, as long as I didn't look at Fawley bobbing up and down, and at the far end I got a cab home as it was dark and I was tired, and hadn't brought the bus times with me anyway.

The day cost me just under £50 including cab and I had a lovely time and got some beautiful photos of a memorable day.

The Wanderer Returns

2010-06-11T19:48:00.002+01:00

After a rather long break I have taken to the keyboard again to sort of pick up where I left off. Here are the walks so far for 2010.

Southampton to Winchester along the Itchen Navigation

2010-04-08T19:39:00.007+01:00

8th April 2010

The day was stunning, warm enough that I didn't need a jacket and at times could dispense even with my hoodie. Birds sang in the trees and hedgerows all along the path, and water of course runs alongside it, at least 95% of the way - sometimes on both sides. I think there is nowhere along the path without trees.

The journey started from my front door, through Riverside Park and under the new Mansbridge Bridge (the 300 year old original bridge still spans the river and was in use up until the 1970s). Across Mansbridge Meadow which is managed for encouraging wildlife, and the path proper beings through the hedge in the top right hand corner. A project to restore the brickwork of the old locks of the canal has just been completed.

Between Southampton and Bishopstoke the path is mainly beaten earth and can be very muddy, even flooded in places.

I chose to cross the Itchen Valley Nature Reserve rather than follow the actual path alongside the M27. The airport I don't mind, although there's no view of it from the path when you eventually come back to it up some steps from the long western edge of the Nature Reserve and over a stile. Birds singing everywhere and brimstone and peacock butterflies flitting about, with the occasional fat bee bumbling along.

Alongside the canal and before the flood, I met a volunteer with the Hampshire County Council who was doing a survey of rare nesting birds along the way. There is a project, funded by the Lottery Fund, to restore the canal and put a proper footpath along from Southampton to Winchester. This is already under way in several places. I daresay the Southampton end will be the last bit to be completed. Both the man and myself wondered how they will get the machinery into that part of the canal; I'm sure they have a plan. And regarding the path, how to make it disabled-friendly with room for a barge-horse (oh, yes, there are plans rumoured) and at the same time keep the dirt-bike and scooter hellions off it!

The nice man warned me about the mud and flood further on and with friendly goodbyes we parted.

I next met a couple of people coming the other way who also warned me abou the 20 metre flooded area. They advised going into the adjacent field to get around it. Did I? Did I heck as like! I have an adventurous spirit and thick waterproof boots.

The views over the flat southern Hampshire countryside, even in early April, is very pretty. Fields becoming greener with budding trees dotted around. The aspect is very open.

The path passes under the railway several times. One of the tunnels was lined with what looked like an upside-down nissan hunt. Past this was the lovely, lovely sewage works at Eastleigh. There was a slight fertilizer-y tang in the air briefly but the towers don't smell bad and they're actually not as unsightly as I'd expected, given their industrial nature. I can see the path becoming badly overgrown with nettles later in the season if no one tends them properly.

Past the works, the path goes round and over the river. In places, either by nature or design the water splashes and races white over unseen objects in the water, sometimes trees or other scrub, but not, I think old prams and tyres.

The path begins to widen out and here are signs of the beginnings of the restoration of the canal itself with the sinking and lining of a channel into which water is being fed from the River Itchen on the other side of the walkway. There is an information panel giving more details near the new bridge and inlet.

The path emerges on to a busy road and there is a crossing not far down. Don't use the ATM at the garage close by, it charges. There is an Esso garage further up the road the other way.

Across the road the path continues, excellently laid out past the recreation ground and out into countryside, all along the river bank, meadering with the river's course between Bishopstoke and Otterbourne. There are trees all along the far bank and some fine houses beyond. today, the river was sparkling the sunlight. The only blight on the idyllic scene is a great yellow crane-thing at the railway works and some pylons, but if you keep looking at the river it doesn't matter.

The scene soon changes again beyond another railway bridge. Steep gardens rise from landing stages - although the water is really too narrow for boats; maybe canoes ... The landing stages have been converted into pleasant seating areas, each with its bench or benches. One or two have been made into designer features with plants and ornaments; or with lighting and brightly painted ironwork. All enviable, and the houses look pleasant as well. One garden is "decorated" with old signs: of shops, bus stops, railway signs, etc.

The path meanders through woodland and alongside water and open fields eventually coming to another road to cross at or near Brambridge. Today the path opposite was closed for restoration and a diversion created, which to my mind could have been more clearly sign-posted, however it isn't hard to find the way. Here, I met with another couple who have walked the Itchen Way several times.

Having ascertained the diversion we all three set off along the road, fortunately pavemented on one side or the other. They were very pleasant people, however, me being me, I began to long for my solitary state again. As we came to Brambridge Antiques I chose to turn in here while the others continued on their way.

I learned that the gentleman who owns the Antiques workshop is 66, about to retire and a skilled French polisher; that he has found it hard to find someone who is willing to take on a 7-year apprenticeship. Having recently lost my debit card and having no hard cash on me I was in a good position to regret that I couldn't buy anything. He offered a solution but I managed to slide out of that and to say goodbye and continue my journey.

I don't like pavementless lanes that are also busy thoroughfares with a popular Garden Centre along it. However, I used roadwalking sense and politely acknowledged the drivers forced to go around me. the, soon after a narrow white bridge I was able to go on along the path again. There was a sign to say that the path was flooded 500 m on. Well, there was a large puddle to wade through and it was being regarded with some concern by a man pacing undecidedly about it. We had some discussion and I waded on, while he declared his intention of taking off his shoes and socks and paddling through. I didn't see him again.

There was a family of swans just here, one of the youngsters of which tried to swim in a puddle. Good luck with that!

The river splits into two on either side of a "central reservation" full of daffodils and primroses. I passed my erstwhile companions who were having lunch in the Waterworks Memorial Gardens. I waved but they didn't see me. The woods here are owned by Southern Water and KEEP OUT! (Okay, already!)

Where the path turns away from the River for a spell, there is a piece of ground where today were parked two traditional gypsy caravans, and a modern two-man tent with a real campfire smoking away with that lovely acrid woody smell. In the field next were tethered a rather hairy horse, and the shaggiest pony I have ever seen! I worry about gypsy horses. Further round the path there is a large field beside the railway where were tethered a few horses, but they all had large water buckets. A little further on is a farm and the railway looms right over you on its great bank.

The path goes back down alongside the river and across a cul-de-sac of about half a dozen cottages and then it runs down behind some lovely houses into Shawford. There was the Bridge Inn which does lovely baked potatoes, but not having any cash on me and not hungry anyway, I pushed on now through known country.

The renovators have been here, too. The path has been improved, the riverbank tidied and replanted to encourage water creatures such as voles. Where the houses end there is more evidence of renovation on the far bank: new wooden bridges stand isolated here and there along no path, and water is being let out through channel under the bridges, presumably to feed the renovated canal.

The path was nice and clean today, but with the summer coming on, the nettles and other plants will start to encroach. Still, the nettles attract butterflies and the other plants afford shelter to the river creatures. And I don't like wearing shorts in any case.

And so alongside the water meadows, under the M3, to a choice. The watermeadows of St Cross; or around St Catherine's Hill; or over it.

I miss the Ups of last year's Lakeland holiday. I choose to go over St Catherine's Hill. I loved it, and my legs did it! They will probably hate me tomorrow.

Once over St Catherine's I went along the path that runs alongside the riverside houses and the quicker way into Winchester, missing the Saxon Gate and the Cathedral, which had been my original intention had I gone past St Cross. However, I reached the statue of King Alfred and I had achieved the goal.

And so to the railway station - with a brief diversion into Waterstone's to pick up a new book.

I left home at 10 am and was at King Alf's statue by 3pm. A walk I should like to do again in the fullness of summer, bearing in mind that it might be overgrown by then and not being fully renovated, maybe impassible in places.

Take some shears.

Holly Hill Woodlands

2009-10-22T15:11:00.026+01:00

14th August 2009

I combined a pleasant walk on a lovely day with a photoshoot of one of the local "hidden treasures".

This is the beautifully sculpted iron gate into the woodlands from the car park.

And a bridge cast in the same style.

One of the water features.

The Lower Lake

View from the edge of the woods at Wendleholme Nature Reserve overlooking the Hamble River.

The path down to Bunny Meadows (nothing to do with rabbits)

The path across the salt marshes back towards Holly Hill. This path floods at high tide but is still passable in good boots.

One of many paths through the Woodlands.

The Victorian sunken garden.

Bramshaw Backwards

2009-10-22T14:28:00.006+01:00

30th July 2009

All day it had been sunshine and showers so I dragged my waterproofs along with me. Didn't need them in the end.

My previous walk around the woodlands had been so pleasant I thought I'd go back for more, only this time in reverse. It does give you a different perspective of a familiar place.

There was a group of deer grazing just inside the gate. Being dark in shadows I didn't see them until I was climbing over the stile, by which time they clocked me and shot off into the trees.

Further down the path I came to the farm with many dogs. They seem to appear from all directions and run up and down the fence continuously barking.

I also heard and saw an owl flying. In the middle of the day? It was still an owl. It soared across the trees in front of me and out across a random cropfield in the middle of the woods. The crop they grow here is sweetcorn.

The sun was out just about all the time and being late afternoon and the height of summer the light in the woods was beautiful, and very photogenic. The Forest is showing the maturity of its colours now, although the bracken is just starting to turn.

Hamble Ramble

2009-10-21T12:16:00.012+01:00

2nd October 2009

This is a walk from AA's 100 More Weekend Walks and the only one of two to have any substantial mileage to it. However, the copy I have is 12 years old and some things have changed slightly. I would recommend using Explorer Map 22 which shows the route of the walk on the East Sheet in the top right hand corner.

In the book, parking is advised in Hamble itself. I chose to park at the car park on the southernmost tip of Hamble Common and walk back through the Common to the village. For those, like me, who are nervous of cows, they are grazed here between May and October. There were a couple just inside the gate today but I went through anyway while they rather mournfully watched me pass.

The Common adds an extra mile to the walk through pretty woodland and alongside the Hamble River, and the car park is free. There is also a bus service no. 16 which runs frequently to Hamble Village from Southampton.

A ferry ride is the first event of the walk across from Hamble to Warsash. The ferry is pink, as is the ferry shelter on the Warsash shore, and the journey takes about 5 minutes through the host of yachts in the marina. On this trip, the ferry cut right across in front of some vast corporate vessel powering its way down the River to the Solent.

The ferry ride is also a part of the Solent Way long distance path which runs from Milton on Sea to Emsworth.

From the Warsash jetty the Solent Way heads south, and the route of today's walk heads north along an excellent gravel foot- and cycle-path through the Bunny Meadows. This is not quite as cute as it sounds. The path runs along the top of a purpose-built embankment and the "bunnies" are the pipes used to channel the water flow between the river and the salt water marshes that form the meadows. At extreme high tides even this raised path can become flooded.

On one side flows the River Hamble and the yachts, houseboats and houses of the village opposite offer an ever-changing view. On the right, as you walk up towards the boatyards, are the woodlands of HollyHill. There are several entrances this along the Bunny footpath; one goes across the marsh and up between mansion-like houses, however, the marsh crossing does flood at high tide. As long as you have sturdy waterproof footwear, this shouldn't present much of a problem. Or there is a dry access path further along straight into the woodland of the Wendleholme Nature Reserve where the path descends to a gate into HollyHill.

The walk along the embankment is exposed and it can be windy along the river, so it's a good idea to pack a cardigan except on the warmest and stillest of days. In open, sunny weather this is a beautiful place to walk and there's always something happening on the water.

The path goes over a curved bridge and later in front of riverside houses with their own boat docks, like water-driveways, then on through Hamble Point Marina. The path is signposted through here, past stacks of motorboats. There is a small restaurant but the toilets are marked as for berth holders only. How strict this is, I didn't find out.

Past the boatyard, the way continues up past another car park (also free) and emerges on to pavement beside the A27. The route goes left over the bridge past the entrance to Swanwick Marina and under the railway bridge round into Church Lane.

I think having done this walk I would be inclined to follow the route in reverse next time and save the Bunny Meadow stretch and ferry ride until last. The latter part of the route as I walked it today does have a few short sharp inclines, up and down. It goes through Bursledon village which is beautiful, but some of the footpaths are of the squeeze-type, fitted begrudgingly between hedges and garden fences with little or no view to look at.

However, things improve when Mallard Moor is reached. Up through the woodland, ignore the metal gate at the top of a short bank and continue through the woodland to a concrete road. The path goes right then left passing between high wire fences past a disused tip which is now used to graze ponies and later on over the railway to emerge into a small car park and out on to Satchell Lane.

The route now goes along the road. There is a narrow verge but occasionally you have to walk on the road and this is the way down to Hamble Common, which is quite popular. Across the road, however, is an expanse of open land which is a disused airfield and at various points entrances have been made so it is possible to get away from the road and continue along the edge of the airfield instead. Later on there is a marked footpath but everyone seems to use the old airfield instead, and there are several entry points between the airfield and the footpath.

The way continues down to a housing estate. I kept straight ahead until I came to a main road opposite the church. Turning left here I came back into Hamble Village and headed down to the waterfront where the ferry leaves from and where there are public toilets and a hut which sells both hot and cold snacks and drinks. From here, I retraced my path back up a narrow hill and into Hamble Common, following an alternative route back to the shore and the car park.

Lyndhurst, Denny Wood, Parkhill

2009-10-20T10:39:00.007+01:00

16th July 2009

A 5 miler on a dry, sometimes sunny day, hot and humid but not unpleasantly so.

I started from Park Pale Car Park along Beaulieu Road (the one after Bolton's Bench), climbing up the sandbank to The Ridge and dropping down the other side out of sight of the road but still walking parallel to it. The paths are sandy and wind through gorse and heather. There are big views to the east across the moorland, pink and purple with new heather flowers, trees in the distance and a herd of deer grazing its way across. I came back to the road before it dips down and up again towards Matley Ridge, crossed over and past a low barrier on to a grassy track down through trees. This winds down and around and goes off in various directions further along. I chose a path left through pine forest which eventually comes to a bridge over a little river and climbs gently to a gate into Denny Inclosure.

Again, this is a pretty place to walk along. I followed the main path through although there are lots of tempting paths leading off and was rewarded for it by the sight of a doe and a fawn on the path ahead. Fawns are even funnier than the adults when they bounce away.

The path comes to a gate and a four-way junction. I opted to go straight across through the next gate into Parkhill Inclosure from where I had intended to go east eventually across Shatterford Bottom down to Beaulieu Road Inn, but I decided to change my mind. Not usually recommended as my sudden mind changes do not often work out well. I left Beaulieu Road Inn for another day and ambled off westward along the tracks and paths of Parkhill until I came out through a gate on to Beechen Lane. This is a cycle track but as such tracks go, this is really nice. The trees come down low over the path and there are many other paths and rides off the main way.

I decided to turn along one of the rides between Parkhill and Park Ground Inclosures, all green grass with muddy bits - it's fine as long as you watch your feet. All at once I looked to my right and spotted a little gate into Park Ground. I'm not usually whimsical on my walks. This time I thought I'd have an exploration.

Through the gate and a tiny path winds up through thick bracken through trees. There are indistinct pathways off this little way but I continued on up to a T-junction with a wide, clear path and turned right back to Beechen Lane. Across this and through another gate into Pondhead Inclosure on a rather less charming greenway than any of the others. This soon bends round to another T-junction and turning right comes through a deerproof gate past houses and back to Beaulieu Road.

I crossed the road and climbed about half way up the ridge, turning left on to a pony track through bracken with Lyndhurst church spire rising in the distance, to head back to the car park.

Bramshaw Telegraph

2009-10-19T23:08:00.005+01:00

9th July 2009

Another lovely walk, this time outside the New Forest Boundary along the byway, foot- and bridlepaths through Fanchises Wood and Quar Hill Plantation.

The paths are well laid-out and the byway part of the route allows all traffic and more like a long drive, good enough to support 4x4s and tractors.

Bramshaw Telegraph is the name of the car park within the New Forest National Park. Then entrance to the woodlands is just across the road past Hope Cottage. The exit (or alternative entrance, if walking the route the opposite way, as I do later on) is about 100 yards further along the road.

Through the south-easternmost gate then and the track descends and descends (which of course has to be accounted for later) through dense woodland of oak, beech and pine. Don't get tempted off the permitted paths, the woodlands are privately owned on all sides. The trees open out and there's an open area which is rather scraggy although there is a large buddleia bush to one side. Across this area and through a gateway to pass between cow pasture where they graze huge Friesians. The cows are separated from the path by trees and what looks like a single strand of barbed wire. The beasts were peering at me through the trees as I stepped aside to let the tractor pass.

Be vigilant about where the byway is as the path forks quite often and it can take a double-take to see which way you are allowed to go. Clear signposting is made use of which is very handy.

Leaving the cow pastures behind, and being sure to take the left path at the fork, the way passes through the pleasant woodland as the photograph above. A little further on, there has been some maintenance work carried out along the path with trees felled and large ditches or channels cut into the side of the path which may look a bit unsightly until it begins to grow over once more. Past this, however, the path comes back into lovely woodland again and up to another junction. Keep round to the left along a rather rutted but otherwise pleasant path, lined with rhododendrons. It looks like this was once a very formal drive up to Hamptworth Lodge which is hidden in the trees somewhere to the north.

The byway continues along to emerge at a road later on. Before this, there is a clear bridleway which leads off the bridleway to the left, heading south-west. The path goes past one of the most picturesque cottages I have seen, nestled within the wood. Past the cottage and a barrier and on through more beautiful woodland, passing meadows of long grass. Where the path bends sharply to the right the path seems to be impassibly overgrown with tall bracken. The path does go clearly through it, however, and it doesn't last very far, running on into denser woodland than before. This may potentially not suit people who are claustrophobic, as the path is narrow and the trees are very densely packed, but it is a lovely place to walk.

Eventually the junction is reached with tall pines rising across the way and an excellent wide footpath running north-west/south-east. I'm sometimes a bit wary of footpaths marked on maps as they can be narrow, nettly and unkempt. This one most certainly is not and is of the best New Forest type, being broad with a surface of grass and gravel, good walking in all weathers. Right, the path goes to a road; my way lies to the left.

The environment changes and changes again. The path runs mostly through woodland with now and then fields opening out one side or the other and there is an area of common land further along.

I did get a bit confused towards the end of the walk as the main path slopes downhill and appears to bend around to the left. Well, it does, but the actual permitted footpath continues straight ahead through low bracken on a grassy way, over a plank footbridge and under some low-branching trees. Here is the compensation for the descent at the beginning of the walk. The ascent is not so long but it is steeper, up through the trees to a farmstead where they have many, many dogs of all different breeds including a great alsatian with a very deep bark. Fortunately there is a good, sturdy gate. The path goes to the right (don't go left, the dogs go crazy!) and still climbs quite steeply up through reddish woodland to the exit gate.

Out of the gate, the land opens out again and you are once more within the New Forest boundary. From here, it's a short walk up the road, past the fork and back across the road to the car park.

Brockenhurst to Ashurst

2009-10-19T22:19:00.005+01:00

6th July 2009

This trip utilised local train stations. I proved to myself that a bit of forward planning means I can do more interesting linear walks, and indulge four different hobbies in one go - travelling, reading, walking and photography.

I had a lovely walk despite the day being somewhat cloudy and windy.

I thoroughly enjoyed it right up to the bit where the clouds decided to dump all over me two minutes from Ashurst Station. It was a case of "do I stop to put my rain trousers on or catch the train?" I decided I wanted to catch the train. I had been speedwalking for 15 minutes already by this point in order to make the train I wanted, otherwise I'd have had to wait an hour for the next one. I'd already mistimed the walk from home to my local station outbound, arriving just as the train pulled in; the stupid automated ticket machine only had my destination in a sub-menu, by which time the train was pulling away.

I had a choice. If I went home, what was I going to do as my car was a bit poorly (exhaust)? Well, I had Dracula with me (the book, the book!), so I bought my ticket and sat on the station for an hour reading Jonathan Harker's adventures in Transylvania. The next train arrived and from that point, until torrential downpour mentioned above, the day was lovely.

The train deposited me at Brockenhurst. The route begins from here and starts off across the A337 and up Mill Lane. There's no pavement but there is currently a stewardship footpath along the inside edge of meadows of Brockenhurst Park, dotted with trees.

There's a short bit of road work from the exit from the footpath to the bridge before turning right along the verge of the B3055 alongside Ivy Wood, then across the road to a gate set at an angle into Perrywood Inclosure on a good grass path which goes up to the railway bridge and into Pignall Inclosure. On to the cycle track and soon off it again on one of those impassible-looking paths of clumpy, long grass which always have a narrow but definite path running through them.

So to another gate and along another ride between Stubby Copse and Parkhill, this time a path of short grass but likely to become a quagmire in winter after horses have been along it. On to a cycle track in Stubby Copse, and soon off it again on to another overgrown, dried out ride which arcs around the cycle track (I didn't want to keep along the cycle tracks). Back on to the cycle track again and turn north until an almost Roman-straight good footpath of grass and gravel that curves down and up again.

At the top of the rise - um, well, they don't tell you these things before you get to them and - it's a ride under re-establishment, after all the tree-felling and churning up of the paths by equipment. There are signs: "No Walking" "No Cycling" "No Horse Riding". Well, it looked all right to me, and there was a way around the barrier and my planned route went that way. I didn't want to divert (I'd have missed my train), so I - well, I did a bad thing - a bit naughty, really ...

Then I had to climb over the fence out of the Inclosure (Denny Lodge) because they'd chained up the gate. And there was no notice on the gate to say why it was chained up!

I left the scene of my misdemeanour and enjoyed the trees of the copse. Emerging from the trees into more open ground I was treated to an aerial display of many little swifts darting and wheeling around and above my head. Whether in exuberance or alarm I don't know. It all looked fairly exuberant, and they weren't diving at me.

Two bridges over the wetland and an excellent path up through Bishop of Winchester's Purlieu, through Bishop's Dyke and over Shatterford. It got very windy across the expanse of moorland but my Tilley Hat is excellent! On up to Beaulieu Road where I sat on the station platform to eat my lunch. I'd forgotten to bring some cash to have a cup of tea at the Inn.

I checked the time and my position and found that in two hours I'd covered about 2/3 the distance. I reckoned the rest of the route to be about an hour's walking, and with the bit of power-walking at the end I was just about right.

I left Beaulieu Road Station, crossed Beualieu Road on to the path that goes over another windy moor, which looks quite wild from the road. The path is excellent and comes to a lawn which today was crowded with ponies. The route turns right, eastward, under a railway arch into a little woodland called Withycombe Shade (not quite the Withywindle (Tolkien ref) but it does have a sluggish brown river).

After the footbridge, the path turns north and is a quite, pleasant path alongside the tree-lined railway, through clumps of gorse and a narrow windbreak of trees with a shallow ford, and on the right another path rises towards the towering pines of Longdown Inclosure. Ahead, the path rises and forks, left over a railway bridge to Fulliford Bog, onward towards Deerleap Inclosure.

I went on into Deerleap (the path also bends east here to follow the line of the Inclosure fence up to Deerleap Car Park) and checked my watch. There's about a mile to go to get to Ashurst Station and I need to make it in 20 minutes.

I begin to walk fast through the Inclosure and out of the gate at the far end there's a choice of ways to the Station. Do I go left over the railway bridge and turn right along the path through the campsite? Or should I keep along the open bit of common ahead, which I have seen described as a dog-toilet? Had I chosen the latter and slightly quicker way, would I have avoided a soaking?

All things being as our choices make them, I chose what I believed to be the best choice at the time. (Incidentally, I would still choose the pleasant path through the campsite over the "dog-toilet") As the rain beat down upon me, I believe I muttered "why did I come this way?" as well as cursing the rain. But I made the Station, the train arrived on time, and I didn't have to change at Southampton Central for my local stop this time.

East Meon to Butser Hill

2009-10-17T16:14:00.019+01:00

29th June 2009

Maps used: OS Explorers 119 and 120 + photocopier and sellotape!

This was a lovely walk. 3 1/2 hours exhilarating walking in beautiful warm sunshine with extensive views of Hampshire. 3 birds of prey, swifts and rabbits seen. Accompanied all the way up by the song of skylarks. Exercise for the legs and always something to look at. A fabulous day altogether.

The walk starts from East Meon, a charming example of a typical Hampshire village.

For the car park, take the right hand turn in front of the church set against the slope of Park Hill above the road, and follow the road round to the right past Ye Olde George Inn, a 15th century coaching house, and follow the signs for the car park. This is spacious and free.

The walk starts from the car park, heading south along a footpath past the community centre and steps left on to a park in front of houses. Continue through a small housing estate to a country road and turn right. Follow this road round (there's no pavement but it's quiet) to a wide signposted concrete track which rises between crop fields and passes to the left of farm buildings. The path continues round and then down through more crops to a crossroads. To the right is a track called Halnaker Lane; ahead and to the left is the South Downs Way. The path ahead comes eventually to Old Winchester Hill. The path left is that required on this route. It is a restricted by-way and like many such tracks is somewhat enclosed by hedges and trees. Being on the South Downs routes the path climbs steeply in places. Not recommended in wet weather as the path is chalky and I found that insect repellent is a good idea, particularly in hot weather.

Towards the top of this part of the route, the views begin to open out. To the left are views over Small Down and Wether Down towards Butser Hill and glimpses of the valley in which Petersfield sits. The views to the right are somewhat more open looking towards Old Winchester Hill and the Meon Valley behind and the spread of west Hampshire further over.

I was passed by two cyclists hurtling back down the way I was going up. The path isn't smooth. It's fairly rutted with a lot of loose stones.

Past the pylons and Wetherdown Barn the path drops slightly down to Mercury Park. This is quite interesting. There is some science facility here which I found difficult to ascertain whether it's still in use or not. The wire fences are topped by great rolls of razor wire and there's a security entrance but there was no one about. Unless it's part of the Sustainability Centre on the other side of the road, which is also interesting as this is the site of the South Downs Natural Burial Site.

The excellent thing about walking through Mercury Park is that there is a good wide pavement part of which goes down through pleasant trees past some very nice houses. At the triangle junction, the pavement gives out but the road is fairly quiet and at the next junction, Hyden Cross, there is a small grass area with a bench opposite a white cottage, which looks out over the countryside. Lovely place to stop for a break.

After a quick bite and some water, I crossed the busier road to the continuation of the South Downs Way directly ahead. This is a pleasant broad path which climbs gently up through trees with views of the countryside to the left and Hyden Wood (private woodland, unfortunately) to the right - a dense woodland that doesn't let much sunlight through and has a red-brown look to it.

As the views close to the left and open out to the right where the woodland ends (I could just see the white of the Science Station on Portsdown Hill far away south) the path comes up to the road which rises to Butser Hill (Limekiln Lane). The tarmac road goes on up to the Car Park (a fee is charged here - £1 for the day). There are picnic tables up by the information hut, and there are toilets, but no refreshments. (There is an information centre and cafeteria a short walk down Butser Hill at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Car Parking at the country park is also £1 for the whole day)

Limekiln Lane continues as a restricted by-way just below the car park beyond a steel barrier with a "No Motor Vehicles" sign. The Lane is chalk and not recommended in wet weather. It is also rutted and fairly steep in places. There is a footpath along a bank above the main chalk path. After a while the way forks. The right fork descends precipitously down Rakes Bottom to the Nore. Left, Limekiln Lane continues, in the latter stages becoming earthy rather than chalk and later descends fairly steeply to Lethe House Farm where there is a sturdy gate between the path and the dog; a beautifully laid out dressage arena, and some rather fine horses. The gentleman who was watering the dressage arena was nice and called out "good afternoon".

The way now comes to a lane. My way turned left along to Cumber's Lane, which has a traffic regulation order and is blocked to traffic by a large concrete barrier. Walkers, riders and cyclists are still permitted but the path has been churned up by 4x4 vehicles and motorcycles which are no longer permitted to use the path, for obvious reasons. The path becomes a little more stable further on until a 5-way junction of TRO paths.

As I didn't know the area before I started, of course I couldn't know what kind of paths I might encounter. I chose to go immediately left past Greenway Copse. The path is firm but rather scraggy, the grass worn away and rather weedy. As the path passes the Copse there is an intriguing wrought-iron gate which seems to stand alone against the dense dark trees. The path eventually emerges on to a very narrow, very quiet lane between fields and outlying cottages of East Meon and overhung with trees.

Looking at my map, there was another route I might have taken from the 5-way junction to Frogmore, just outside East Meon. I might look at that another day.

It doesn't need to be all roadwork back to the car park. There is much to see that is pleasant and interesting in the village.

Coming along the road and over the river, there is a footbridge which goes back over the river to a footpath running in front of cottages and across a small green; past a tiny pasture with a couple of young, nervous bullocks in it and the back of the old Court House. There is a small gate at the top of the path, past tennis courts, and you emerge on to the main road from West Meon. Across the road is the beautiful All Saints Church with a wooden lychgate and a bus stop just beside that.

Back round past Ye Olde George Inn and to the car park once more.

Acres Down (real-time)

2009-10-16T16:09:00.006+01:00

28th June 2009

I took my journal with me today and wrote in "real-time" rather than in hindsight.

Is there a better use for an all-weather map than using it as a mat to sit on in the roots of an oak tree on the bank of a river?

I'm at Highland Water, again, heading back towards Acres Down and hoping it stays quiet for a little while. Strangely, I've just met again the woman I passed the other day who was sitting on a fallen tree reading her book, just up the path to my left. She was with her dog and her husband this time.

It's been a pleasant walk, if not so sunny. Indeed, it was beginning to spit with rain as I drove down but apart from a couple of spit-spots, no rain so far.

I was hoping to find a path through Mark's Ash Wood (who is Mark?) from Bolderwood Drive this time, but it looks like it's grown over or been otherwise lost. I couldn't find any kind of clear start to it so I came back another, possibly much nicer way. Along Bolderwood Drive, up through a small car park on to a path beyond a barrier and through lovely woodland over the bridge I found the other day from the other side. I'm pretty sure I "zoned out" for a while, then I got here.

There's the warm sound of pigeons and other birdsong, other than that just the scratch of my pen on the paper. I feel very content away from the scream of children and thump-muzak at home - driven out I was! :-) and grateful for it now. I could have done with some insect-repellent but it's only a couple of midges and a buzzer (a what-what?). And there are fish in stream!

There's something tapping somewhere (it was ponies crunching about in the undergrowth) and the fish are still jumping. I've been here about 1/2 an hour. I think I might move on.

Fritham

2009-10-16T15:36:00.009+01:00

24th June 2009

I followed an AA Walk out from Fritham with a slight detour which was at first a little disappointing as the path I chose to revisit was not as lovely as I thought I remembered it. It may be one of those places that looks best in the rain, the sunlight made it look rather insipid. It was the ford in Amberwood, the subject of my previous post "Sweet Woods". Not so sweet today. The river was barely a trickle and the path not so "clean" as I had thought.

However, I was soon glad I did go that way and into Sloden Inclosure because I got my best deer photos yet!

I was looking towards a possible greenway left when they appeared, just standing there as they do with their inquisi-scared faces and silly ears. And very obligingly they posed (or froze) for a couple of carefully taken taken photos before it proved too much for them and they bounced away.

I also came across a doe and a half-grown youngster in Holly Hatch, and a small group peering out at me from a clump of trees on the path up to Fritham later on. It was too dark for photographs and flash would have scared them. They are so funny, so nervous and yet so curious.

The AA guide proved a bit vage in places. Up past Eyeworth Lodge and the cottage beyond, the directions tell you to bear right and then go left and follow the fence round, then when it goes further left go along a grass track, etc. I started up a right hand track, found I was getting further away from the fence and cut back through the trees to find the path I wanted. Then I had to choose between two paths that no clear path led to (bear with me!). Finally I picked the likeliest one and found myself where I needed to be. At least they were right about the single conifer - wait till someone cuts it down!

My advice is to keep along the path (albeit a bit muddy) over the wooden barrier and follow the fence around until it begins to bear away left, then look for a green path going down through trees to the right.

In Holly Hatch, I had to use my compass and double back to find the correct path after the AA guide defined the path required as a major junction. It isn't a major junction, it's a grass path and one of several. Why they can't say, take the wide grass path heading north-east I don't know! They do state "within 400 yards" from the previous junction but I have no idea what that looks like on the ground - it isn't very far, and I didn't have my pedometer.

In South Bentley Inclosure, yes the path becomes indistinct and I "forded" the (dried up) stream; but what is the term "half-left" supposed to convey? Half of what? I consulted my compass, checked the map, found out where I needed to be, had a scout around and saw a gate through some trees. I headed for the gate and there - ta-da! - was a clear path running north to south. I headed north, the way I wanted, and came to the lawn with the river and footbridge, as required.

Over the footbridge and up the path, past the outlying cottages and church (and deer) of Fritham, and back to the car park 1/2 an hour ahead of schedule. The walk was supposed to be 3 hours and took 2 1/2 including an extended diversion, photo-taking, doubling back and scouting around.

It was fun, the late afternoon sunshine was wonderful and I am very proud of my deer pictures.

Acres Down

2009-10-16T14:43:00.007+01:00

22nd June 2009

I'd decided I was going for a walk and chose Acres Down. I got up in good time and then whiffled around for ages doing other things, so I wasn't ready to go until about 1.45pm. Then I forgot my boots (how?), after which the road to the motorway from home was "Police-Closed" (I never did find out why). I turned back, found another way around and still managed to hit my revised target time to reach my destination as the M27 was clear.

Driving through Minstead was fun. Cows everywhere. On the verges, on the road. They were very purposeful wherever they were heading at 2.20 in the afternoon. It was very amusing, driving at cow walking-pace. I even got overtaken by one! There were cars going my way, cars coming the other way, and at one point a man in a van had time to stop and ask me for directions to a Farm. And cows everywhere. At the fork, all the cows decided to go left. All the traffic (about 3 cars) went right!

Having reached my objective, I put on my boots and set off, deciding to go around the lower path that runs along the side of Acres Down and into Highland Inclosure, rather than going over the Down. I'm pretty sure the lower path is not marked on the map - all paths seem to go over according to that.

It was interesting to watch the behaviour of a group of ponies in this shallow valley. There was an obvious leader, a grey mare. She led them right across the path in front of me (as they do) then she trotted on ahead while the first little band of the group sort of ambled along behind until she stopped in a grove of trees. The first band caught up with her, then the next lot followed down. The one in the lead of this group was black with a Black Beauty star and two or three others behind and they all trotted down to the grove of trees. It was interesting to watch the way they trotted, they moved so easily and naturally with a gait to make a dressage rider weep for joy. You try getting that smooth, natural pace on demand! The ponies went off into the thicker woodland beyond and I walked on.

I went past a tree full of chaffinches! and down into woodland through a gate where I stopped for a moment just to enjoy the surroundings and the quiet.

So on, and following much the same route I've trodden before, over a bridge, left at a T-junction and over the ford at Highland Water. As I walked along the path something moved in front of me. I thought it was an old leaf but it was moving strangely and when I looked closer it was a little rust-coloured toad.

A little further along, I came across a woman sitting on an old fallen tree reading a book with a little terrier snuffling around on a long lead. "Typical!" I thought, wryly, "you think you've found a bit of peace to read your book and someone comes along. " We exchanged "good afternoon" and I walked on.

I went straight up to a gate out of the Inclosure to a road and was trying to find a path that, according to the map, should go over two footbridges through Mark Ash Wood but the only footbridge I found was in the wrong direction and everything else was overgrown with bracken. So I returned to the road and found another gate back into Highland Water Inclosure. It was time to be heading back.

I came down through trees to a cycle track and decided to follow this back to the car park. The sun came out but not for long as the clouds regrouped. It was becoming hot and rather hunid.

The walk was lovely and the whole day was full of interesting stuff, what with the cows, the ponies, chaffinches and the toad. I had a very relaxed and content afternoon.

And when I got home, I discovered I'd driven all the way back in my boots!

Pig Bush

2009-09-03T17:13:00.013+01:00

19th June 2009

New Forest Car Park - Pig Bush

There is a path from the car park running west down through the trees to the Nature Reserve, an open area of moorland; at the head of the path is an information panel giving the layout of the Reserve and outlining the path around it.

However, I was going further afield.

I followed the path down through the trees and turned left along the edge of the Reserve, soon to turn north-west over a footbridge. Flowering shrubs were growing over the river.

I followed the path to a gate into an Inclosure but turned right here and followed the line of the fence towards the railway bridge. This is a long climbing slope over boggy ground and then the bridge itself. There is a notice here for riders to dismount, presumably in case the sound of the train or a sudden claxon causes the animal to bolt. There are high shields put up so that the trains are hidden from view.

After the bridge, I went through the gate across from it into Denny Inclosure and up a lovely grass slope with foxgloves lining the path. I had an idea of fairies sleeping in the foxgloves and when they leave for the day, the bees come and clean out the flowers.

At the top of the slope, part of the path was closed off for reinstatement of a bridleway churned up by forest logging. I wanted the path left anyway.

I was supposed to keep going until the cycle track down to LadyCross. Well, it looked like a cycle track, being gravelled and wide, and I suppose I should have marked the absence of cycle trail posts, but I didn't. The way ahead I realised later I should have continued along looked really overgrown so I turned down what I thought was the cycle track. (I'm not too hot on distances and could really use a pedometer to help me).

I came back to the railway, as I should have done, only a little short of where I should have been. More fun than merely going over another railway bridge, though. You have to actually cross the railway here at Railway Cottages (with barking dogs). I haven't done this since the Mottisfont Walk.

Across the railway, then, and through another gate into another Inclosure. Following this cycle track round, there were a couple of grass paths leading off it but barred and signed "Deer Research - No Entry. Good thing I hadn't planned to go that way!

I passed two joggers with a cheery good morning on each side and soon out of the Inclosure on to the cycle track down to LadyCross that I should have struck earlier.

LadyCross is a sprawling pile with impressive black entrance gates flanked by trees and bushes and a black mailbox.

On towards the road that winds to left towards Brockenhurst. A path cuts alongside the road then bends back on to a drive that goes to two hidden cottages (How DO people get to live in these places?) and also forks off on to a path over a low barrier into the loveliest of woodlands.

The path winds gently through old oak trees with heavy-laden branches coming down low over the path. Then further on opens out into a glade. The sun had come out by now and it looked very inviting, so I stopped here and sat on the lawn to eat my energy bar and drink water.

I took several photos of the woodland on the way through, and then I saw the Two Trees - well, that was my first thought as they were literally side by side and intertwining their branches. Then as I looked again, it struck me that they appeared to be dancing and I imagine in a strong wind the illusion would be even stronger. And so I called the photograph the Last Dance of the Ent and Entwife, which will mean little to anyone who has not read The Lord of the Rings.

And so I left the dancing trees and wandered on through the woodland to another cycle path, turned right through a gate into the next Inclosure heading for what on the map looks like a river or stream.

It's called Worts Gutter. It's rusty brown and it smells of rot or something. I walked along the track next to it for a way until I came to a green path going left and having re-plotted my route turned up this and then first right on to a similar path. These paths are of the type that look overgrown and as if they might be dreadfully boggy, but these particular paths although clumped with long grasses have clear narrow paths through. The latter came up to a clearing called Moon Hill and did become a bit hoof-pocked, which being thoroughly dried needed attention to avoid turning an ankle.

At the T-junction my way went right and down through a gate on to more open heathland. There is a track to Beaulieu straight ahead, but my way lay to the left through a ford and on along a pleasant grass path to a crossroads of five paths. I had planned to take the way ahead. However, this was evidently a well-used ride and rather churned up so I changed tack again and chose the path going north and a little west. This winds up through woodland and although likely to be very muddy in winter was a delight today.

I have to say by this time I had been hemmed in by trees for a good while and was beginning to hanker for some open space. It didn't help that the sun had vanished and everything was beginning to look rather morose under increasingly leaden skies.

Soon I came out to Tantany Wood. I wonder if the labelling on the map is a bit misleading here because Tantany Wood turns out to be a clear, wide lawn dotted with trees and must look lovely on a late summer evening when the deer come out to graze.

There isn't a path exactly across the lawn but the layout of the trees makes a veritable avenue towards the woods on the far side.

There is a good track through the woodland which comes to the edge of the Nature Reserve and also bends around through more trees towards Beaulieu Road. These trees are the interior of the beautiful line of woodland you drive past along the Road, and as I had long wanted to see what the interior was like I turned right towards the Road.

It had begun to rain, and I got some atmospheric shots of the trees.

At length to the road and I was by now happy to see it. I'd had a slight headache all day on and off. However, I'm still glad that I got out and walked around for 3 1/2 hours.

Turn alongside the road here and follow the track down to the stream which is crossed by stepping stones - made of concrete. And then along an easy track through trees, across Culverley Car Park, down through trees again to emerge at the edge of the Nature Reserve once more. From here, along the path, turn right up through the trees and return to the car park.

It would have been nice, of course, if the sun had shone all the way but I was going on this walk today whether it shone or not.

Later that evening, standing looking out of my kitchen window, the clouds had fled and the sun was glowing in a clear summer sky. Maybe I should have waited ...

Short walk around Upham

2009-09-02T17:55:00.007+01:00

13th June 2009

A very quick 3 miler around this pretty little village.

While walking through the cropfield up towards Street End I realised that in the distance I could clearly see The Rosebowl Cricket Ground with Telegraph Wood rising behind.

When I reach the road past the farmhouse, where I had continued along to Stephen's Castle Down previously, I turned off instead along the footpath/cycle trail that runs down to Bigpath Farm, across the road that runs past there into Upham and along up the continuation of the same old path.

And instead of continuing to the end of the path down to the road opposite another farm, I turned up along the footpath at the top of the hill which is fenced all the way alongside cow pasture. The youngsters I'd seen here the time before were all gone and the field being rested.

There were cows further along.

The views from this path along the little downs at this point are very picturesque and it is a very pleasant walk for an hour or so, and not far from home.

I met a chatty soul with a small black spaniel (which sat down for a fuss and then got bored and trotted off) along the path. I said goodbye to the cows and continued on to the end of the path and back into the village.

Turning left to return to the duck pond there is a pub The Brushmakers Arms on the right hand side, which adheres to the country opening times (11pm - 3pm and 6pm - 11pm). They also serve food.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-09-02T17:30:00.008+01:00

4th June 2009

It is one year ago today that my walking hobby took off and I had no idea where it would take me. The weird thing about today's walk was that quite unconsciously, and only because it was "I really need a walk" vs "it's too late to go anywhere really interesting", I decided to go to Itchen Valley Country Park. The very first place I went on 4th June 2008.

And I only realised this when I got to the top meadow and was walking down towards the Woodland Trail.

Odd how things work out sometimes.

Cheesefoot Head to Owslebury - all the way!

2009-09-01T17:30:00.010+01:00

1st June 2009

Park at Cheesefoot Head car park on the A272

I couldn't get to Owslebury from the south, so I came at it from the north! There it sits on its hill in the sunlight defying me, viewed from the South Downs/Kings Way.

I'd originally planned to follow the same route at the start as I had taken previously from Cheesefoot Head. However, part of the route goes along a bridleway through MOD land so I chose to do the walk in reverse from that planned so that if the red flags were out I had time to adapt the route at the start, rather than having to cobble something together at the end.

So, I struck out north westward along the South Downs Way towards Winchester with panoramic views to the south and west. The top of the Spinnaker Tower, Portsdown Science Station, the Isle of Wight, Fawley Tower and Southampton squatting by the River.

As the path wound up and around towards Chilcomb, the view north opened up and the Intech Science Centre came into view beside a lovely Down that has no Access.

There's a choice of footpaths down into Chilcomb. I chose a path through the barley field and down through a well sign-posted woodland. Note for the future: going along wooded paths, put on insect repellent!

Chilcomb is very small and very pretty and there is an 11th century Church at its southernmost tip just before the lane becomes a bridlepath and heads up through a gate into the MOD land.

I visited the church, which is tiny and very peaceful. They have a birdgate to prevent birds flying into the church and a polite notice asking walkers to remove muddy boots. After signing the book and taking a couple of photographs I continued up to the gate.

The red flag was down and the gate standing open. I took that as a sign and as I didn't get shot at I guess it was OK. The bridlepath goes up through more lovely woodland with views over the shooting range below and out across a field up to Morestead Race-track, otherwise known as Morestead Road which comes down into Winchester further on. It was about 6.15pm. The tail-end of the rush hour.

Cross the lane (at a run!) and on to White Lane, a footpath that passes through trees and past open fields. It was all beautiful on this particular day as the sun was beginning to fall to the west and the young green crops and grass and trees were shot with gold.

White Lane comes to a crossroad with Pilgrim's Way coming down from Twyford Down. Turn left here and walk past the wide wheatfields and the racehorse hurdles. Continue down between pasture returning to Morestead Lane and cross over into Mare Lane. This is a quiet road through a veritable tunnel of trees all the way up.

I paused at the signpost on to Monarch's Way which here goes down to Twyford Village and then continued on my way to Owslebury.

At the junction of Mare Lane, Whites Hill across from this, and Hatchers Lane crossing them both, there is an excellent path through a large wheatfield. Towards the far side in front of a hedge was a deer grazing and as I was downwind of it I got quite close before it saw me and shot off through the hedge. Which way my path also lay, climbing steeply between another cropfield and a paddock. The deer was now standing in the middle of the second cropfield watching me. I took some photographs and the last I saw of him, he was picking his way through the field back to the hedge.

At the top of the path there were new-planted trees and the path came out across a farmyard, between pony paddocks and further on between a school and a house, coming down to the road through Owslebury.

The village is small and rather ordinary. I continued out of the village eastwards and turned up the lane just beyond the edge of the village. I was looking for the pub and it's quite easy to miss if you don't know it's there. It's a house with the word "Arms" in its name. I only know it's there because it's where we stopped with horse-box and horses many years ago to ride up Fawley Down.

I continued on up the road to find the bridleway which on the map is called Staggs Lane. It comes once again to Morestead Road, which by now was much quieter being around 7pm.

Across the road is Honeyman Lane, another bridleway up through trees which comes to a crossroads with Warren Lane. Over the crossing, Honeyman Lane becomes the King's Way once more, but I chose to turn left along the permissive cycle track past the Old Down Plantations.

I checked out the field where I had once before failed to find the footpath through as it had been overgrown with dead bean plants. Today, the path was clearly marked through the crop.

On along the greenway and out through the gate on to the hard stony path through the fields of corn and rape.

The sun was by now hanging golden an hour above the west horizon. Any clouds there had been were fled. And the green fields were glowing gold in the lovely evening light.

3 1/2 hours and weary legs later back to the car.

Upham to Owslebury - nearly

2009-09-01T16:47:00.004+01:00

30th May 2009

I had this walk all planned and then had to alter and cutail it due to cows and lost or stolen trail.

Park beside the duck pond and from there walk back past the church and turn right up the hill until you see a footpath sign and a stile over a fence into a paddock.

This is part of the Monarch's Way, going over another stile into a wheatfield. Follow the edge of the wheatfield and the Way is later met by Widler's Lane. The Way passes straight down through a woodland called The Rookery and then proceeds through a gate across a field to a gate at the top. Today there were young Highland Cattle in the field ...

In the The Rookery there is a footpath that goes off to the right from the Monarch's Path and eventually comes out at a cropfield. Turn left and follow the field edge round until another footpath sign pointing up through another cropfield. This passes some kind of small racetrack or horse exercise area and comes to a T-junction with Rowhay Lane, which forms part of the King's Way coming down from the north-east to join the Monarch's Way heading south east. Turn left along Rowhay Lane and where the Monarch's Way crosses at the gate to the field where the cattle were, turn right up through cropfields. The views open out at the path climbs, eventually reaching another T-junction through a large gap in high hedges beyond which Red Lane runs roughly north to south. Turn right along Red Lane until a four-way junction. Here, cross the junction to a gate through some rough woodland. This is now the Pilgrim's Trail. The woodland is mostly beech and becomes more pleasant further round, with dense woodland on the right of the path and views out over fields to the left. Eventually come down to a gate and out into a paddock with the path clearly marked through the grass up to another gate on to a drive. Turn down the drive to emerge on Lower Baybridge Lane.

From here, the Pilgrim's Trail on the map continues ahead easily through fields to Owslebury. On the ground, the Trail goes up a concrete track between pasture and is then lost. There is a gate into one of the fields - however, this field is horrendously muddy in wet weather and when dried out, is overgrown with rough stuff under which the ground is heavily pocked by cows and unpleasant to walk on. Further up the concrete path is where it seems the Trail is supposed to continue, and Owslebury Church rises tantalisingly close at the top of the hill beyond the fields. However, on the day I tried this route, the Trail was "blocked" off by orange tape right across where the path should be.

Not sure what to do, as there were no signs and I didn't know what was going on, I consulted my map and found an alternative footpath up through a field further along Lower Baybridge Lane.

I turned around, turned right along the Lane and found the footpath over an overgrown stile by a broken footpath sign (does someone want to put walkers off?). This field was no more pleasant to walk upon than the previous one, and - well, those who have been following my progress will know that I don't do cows. They are the devil's herd! And there were some large specimens quietly lolling about right where I wanted to go.

So, what to do? Consult the map.

I decided to curtail the walk as I was getting fed up with all the messing about. I went back down to Lower Baybridge Lane and turning right, continued towards Marwell House. The Lane emerges on to Thompsons Lane. Here I turned left and soon came to Marwell House where a footpath passes between the House and a cottage or farm.

I soon became glad that I'd chosen this alternative, as the footpath continues between fencing on a good path and passes between fields and over a couple of stiles into a cropfield, past a hedge (don't get tempted along the field edge inside the hedge, go past the hedge, the path continues behind it) and through pleasant woodland past more fields, coming eventually to the tarmac part of Red Lane. Left the Lane continues as a restricted byway; to the right you can walk along the Lane or follow a footpath along the field edge parallel to the road. The footpath is OK for a while but becomes overgrown in the latter stages. I found the road the easier alternative, as it is more a driveway to the Farm than an actual thoroughfare.

At its southern end, Red Lane bends round sharply to the right but there is another restricted byway off to the left which passes the end of Rowhay Lane and continues along Popes Road emerging at the main road into Upham. At this junction turn left and walk through this lovely village back past the church to the duck pond.

Lord Swan and the Invasion of the Pretenders

2009-08-31T02:34:00.016+01:00

22nd May 2009

The flotilla begin edging their way upriver from the sea.

Lord Swan holds position on the river with his wings raised in warning until it becomes obvious that the flotilla of young pretenders are not going to take the hint. Lord Swan decides that the time for direct action has come. Head lowered and wings lifting aggressively all the way, he sails majestically at near ramming speed at the flotilla.

Overawed by the courage and majesty of Lord Swan the Pretenders drift off seaward, pretending that nothing has happened, that they had no designs upon the upriver reaches, and begin to dabble for food.

Lord Swan cruises back upriver still in battle array and undeniable ruler of the Meon.

Brockenhurst to Wilverley

2009-08-31T01:41:00.006+01:00

22nd May 2009

I parked at Long Slade View , overlooking the disused railway and Hincheslea Bog towards Hincheslead Wood. The wind was chilly when I got out of the car but off the hill top it got rather warmer and I shed my fleece. I'd even put my waterproofs in my rucksack because the clouds looked a bit iffy over Southampton. Over the southern part of the New Forest - clear blue skies and warm sunshine. Did I take the stuff back to the car? No.

The walk was lovely, from the bridge through which you pass to Hincheslea Bog, along the olf railway through an avenue of fir trees with views over the lawns to the left and up to Set Thorn Inclosure, and out over Hincheslea to the right.

The route passes through a succession of three bridges which I passed through in the opposite direction during the Sway walk in January. The path took me past the caravan site and eventually to the road between Yewtree Bottom and Wilverley Inclosure. (The railway track is interrupted here and continues later on the far side of the A35.)

I crossed the road and went down to the river. There being deep holes in the river bed, my only recourse was either over a slippery-looking tree trunk or over Wootton Bridge along the road. I took the latter choice, then turned right through a gate into Wootton Coppice Inclosure.

This is a pleasant walk and I left the cycle track for a footpath which bent its way round back to the cycle track eventually. I followed this until striking off right on to a footpath downhill through trees to a gate which opens out to a lawned area by the river, where yellow irises were giving back the yellow of the sunlight. A group of ponies were stood sleepily around a crashed-out mare and an equally crashed-out foal.

I crossed the river over the bridge and came to a side road off the A35. From here I had to follow the road round to the right and then turned left to walk along the verge past the tea rooms and restaurant to the Lyndhurst Road.

A nice man in a red car stopped for me to cross. Beyond is a little gate on to the continuation of the railway route. I passed through this and sat on the edge of the old platform to take on water and fuel.

From here I had originally planned to walk on up to Burley but decided instead to follow the Avon Water until I found a path going up towards Anthony's Bee Bottom. (This path is not shown on the map.) I came to another path heading east back towards Wilverley Inclosure.

Coming down to Station Road, there was a small mare with a dear little black foal which was standing in the road beside its mother, in total innocence holding up and diverting traffic around it.

Across the road, there is a pleasant track past boggy ground which then goes uphill and drops down again to pass under the A35 and again climbs up towards Wilverley Inclosure.

This is a nice place to walk although it has the appearance of being possibly the most obviously managed Inclosure for the pleasure of people. The paths are all clearly marked out, the arrangement of trees in places give it the appearance of an arboretum and there are benches placed around the Inclosure which you rarely get anywhere else in the whole Park.

So on and up and out through a gate on the far side of the Inclosure out on to the Plain. There is deep heather across the Plain and you must stick to the paths to avoid disturbing ground nesting birds. Heading east across the Plain, heading for Horseshoe Earth, the heather eventually gives way to a wide lawn full of ponies.

Across the road and along the path of Horseshoe Earth which I very much enjoyed. It's a low ridge looking North towards Rhinefield over Whitefield Moor; and south over the railway route towards Set Thorns.

The path I chose goes around the edge of Hincheslead Wood and then downhill over a footbridge and under the railway. Here I turned left along the green lawn to strike the path that runs out from Hincheslea Bog again and winds up through the gorse back to the car park.

I got barked at and then investigated by a young pointer that didn't really seem to know what it was trying to achieve. I ate my sandwiches and drove back towards Emery Down and the M3.

Short walk around Upham

2009-05-29T15:58:00.008+01:00

24th May 2009

When the sun gets up, when the clouds fly away and the wind drops, how can anyone stay indoors?

This was a short walk due to time constraints, it was somewhere other than the New Forest and it was lovely.

Upham is a little village lying within the boundary of the new South Downs National Park. All around the countryside rolls and folds like a gently swelling sea.

The best place to park is by the pond in the village, although given more time it is quite possible to walk to Upham from my front door.

On this particular Sunday there was a wedding taking place in the church. At the T-junction by the pond there's a farmyard, and in the farmyard were "parked" a large black barouche drawn by four black horses. The barouche was decorated with white roses and each horse had a white rose in the headband of its bridle. Also in the yard was a smaller chaise drawn by two white Welsh Cobs. The driver of the barouche was quite happy for me to take a picture of the assembly. The background of grain silo and barn is unfortunate but the horses and carriages are very picturesque.

The walk begins a little along the lane left of the farmyard, along Monarch's Way which is on a good path though farmland, at first between crops.

Now, there was a light breeze blowing. Only it was blowing in an unfortunate direction. A gentle breeze on a warm day is pleasant on the face. However, when it is blowing across a pig-farm the country scent can be a little - um - "sharp" in the olafactory sense.

Should anyone else care to follow this walk, it is worth bearing with the aroma of the sties for a few moments. Coming down the hill, the smell actually dies away and you can enjoy the amusement of trying to tell what is pig and what is wallow. They looked very contented lying about in the mud.

Beyond the pigs is a fence and stile and another hill, going up. Steeply. This area seems from the signs on the fence by the stile to be a conservation area maintained by the farm. The field is all long grass with the path running through it to a windbreak of trees and a further stile at the top. This is good exercise for the legs!

Over the next stile the Way continues down and up between cropfields and round through the farmyard to the road. The route now lies left along the road which has good verges for avoiding traffic.

Where the road bends, there is a waymarked path going off on the right had side of the road, through a thicket. The path is narrow and falls and rises with the contours of the land. The trees and hedgerows soon clear and there is a lovely view over Stephen's Castle Down across the countryside as in the first picture above.

A little further on there is a kissing gate on the left which gives on to Stephen's Castle Down itself, which is designated Access Land. The little path winds down the slope to another kissing gate and across what is termed on the map as a Gallop. There is a sign by the gate requesting dogs to be kept under close control through this area.

This brings you to a lane on the other side of which a farm seems to snuggle in the fold and there are one or two other cottages around the farm.

Turn left along the lane and watch out for rabbits. They were everywhere as I walked along here.

The lane comes eventually up to a road, Stakes Lane, and the route turns left along here. This isn't a terribly busy road but it is well to be aware of cars in both directions. They can generally be heard before they arrive and it is possible to keep well in to the side of the road. Fortunately it doesn't take long to reach the little lane that runs left off this road. The lane crosses another road that runs from Winchester to Bishops Waltham and then proceeds quietly along under trees and alongside fields, eventually arriving back in Upham.

However, even quiet tarmac lanes can pall and there are some other more interesting paths to tread. There is a green lane that runs through Bigpath Farm. I'd skipped the south eastern stretch of this path to go across Stephen's Castle Down. Now, opposite the Farm, I turned right and walked up past a couple of cottages and towards the top of a hill, with pleasant views either side through the line of trees. Just after the top of the hill is a footpath that goes off left past cow pasture and is fenced off from the animals. I chose to continue on, come out at the next tarmac lane, turn left past the farm houses, and left again along Woodcote Lane, which is another green lane. This winds back up the hill and across the slope near the top into woodland, emerging at last on to the road which, turning right, comes back down into Upham. The footpath mentioned before comes out just along here as well.

And thus was a couple of hours rambled away in pleasant surroundings (in spite of the few moments' reek of pigs) on a beautiful day. I shall be returning to Upham in the near future to walk the footpath over the hill by the cow pasture, and also to walk a route to Owslebury which skirts Marwell Zoological Park on the return stint.

Cuckoos in the Rain

2009-05-14T17:23:00.005+01:00

14th May 2009

I had to fit a walk into an hour this afternoon and I was trying to keep in the spirit of the Thursday Experiment. Fortunately it rained, so I had the opportunity to try out the Tilley hat and new waterproof trousers. Only I took the wrong trousers - I took my golfing ones, which are fine and work really well; they just don't have through-pockets to my cargo pockets where I keep everything. However, the pockets on my jacket have safety zips, so I used those instead.

I chose a route from Millyford Green that I haven't trodden before which goes south out of Holmhill Inclosure into Woosons and Holiday Hill Inclosures. As I wended my way to and over the ford in Holmhill there was a cuckoo calling ... and calling ... and calling ... The atmosphere of the Forest becomes quite eerie in the rain, although not unpleasantly so, and the cuckoo's insistent calling added to that quite different atmosphere. I have to admit to not having done a lot of walking in the rain. After today, I think I'm hooked and will look forward to rainy days again!

Having left Holmhill and crossed the road into the woodland beyond, a pleasant green path runs down into a narrow valley and up again. This must be generally a quiet place as there were deer grazing amid the new bracken. As I didn't know they were there I didn't take enough care to be quiet and disturbed them and off they went up the hill and through the trees.

There is a circular route of good gravel track within Woosons Inclosure with lots of interesting-looking pathways leading off, a lot of which have been churned up by felling operations. I do wish they'd find another way of getting around other than our footways!

As I walked along the southern stretch of the track I came across the incongruous carcass of a car. It looked like it had been there some time, and had been set on fire at some point, not very efficiently. I'd resolved to contact someone about this when I got home, then fortunately was passed by a New Forest ranger in his vehicle and managed to catch him up at a gate. He took the map reference and said he'd report it. I did a good thing!

Although this was not really in the nature of a true experimental walk, trying out a different area along unknown country ways, it was a lovely walk in conditions I haven't tried for a long time in gear that needed testing. The only very tiny gripe I might have is that I got a bit too warm, but the golfing trousers are lined and I had a hoodie on under the jacket as well as a base layer, so that would explain that. And I was walking quite fast.

And so back to the car to miss the rush hour and get home for work.

I did have to stop and sidle (not easy in a car, even a Ford Fiesta) past a foal that had decided the road was a good place to stand and have a rest. It jerked its head at me as I went wide around it but as far as I know it's still standing there ...

A Ramble Round

2009-05-11T22:59:00.008+01:00

11th May 2009

This was a spur of the moment ramble. I knew I wanted to walk but hadn't fixed on where. It was a case of finding a car park and saying "Right, this'll do", putting on my boots and going.

The sun was warm, the wind was fresh.

I stopped at a favourite spot, Whitefield Moor just outside Brockenhurst. There are a lot of visitor areas around here: there's the Ober Water Walk from Puttles Bridge, the Ornamental Drive and Blackwater Arboretum further along, a Nature Reserve at Poundhill Heath and a caravan park.

I followed the Ober Water Trail because it's pretty and I was in the mood for something sweet. There was no one else about, being right on tea-time, and I was having a lovely time while other people were sweltering in the traffic jam around Lyndhurst.

At the second bridge, my way turned north into Aldridgehill and past the cottage across Fletchers Green to Fletchers Thorns and round on to Poundhill Heath. All of this is very open with good cover for ground-nesting birds.

Leaving Poundhill Heath to join the cycle track in the north-east corner there is a large field on the left which is generally full of deer. Today, the gate was open and the mass of deer had been joined by a few mares and foals.

The track continues through a gate into Hursthill Inclosure (which is featured in this month's Country Walking magazine) which is lovely at the moment with the new fresh green bracken crowded with bluebells. Many intriguing paths lead off from the main cycle way, and eventually I was seduced by a green path with bluebell border, down to a gate.

The path turns south, running along beside the fence of an Inclosure to the left, and I have walked this before. I followed this path northward on the previous occasion, kept going north, and being rather new to it all at the time, got lost and ended up in Foxlease Park (oops!)

This time going south, I knew where I was going and soon bore left alongside Highland Water, yes, the very same that runs down from Holmhill Inclosure further north.

Returning to the eastern loop of the cycle track I followed this over Bolderford Bridge, where I met a young woman on a white pony whom I had glimpsed cantering through the woodland. After an exchange of the usual pleasantries, she rode her pony into the river to cool its feet and I crossed the bridge and set off down along the ride across Ober Heath. The young woman on her white pony soon passed me and cantered off across the Heath into the trees further down.

At the driveway to the caravan park I turned right along the lane towards Ober Water, which meets Highland Water near Bolderford Bridge, and found a vague path (unmarked) that runs alongside the water so that I didn't have to follow the long drive all the way back. 'Ware tree roots on this path!

Although there is a good path that runs up from the bridge towards where I had parked the car, I chose another little off-road path winding through the heather and later crossed the drive to walk along the lawn of Whitefield Moor back to the car park.

It was a lovely evening and a lovely walk, picked by metaphorically sticking a pin in a map. I think I might try that again.

Tales from the River Bank

2009-05-09T15:12:00.006+01:00

8th May 2009

This entry is verbatim what I wrote on the riverbank at Busketts Lawn. By the way, it didn't rain.

I started this walk feeling that sick-sensation that I think I must attribute to anxiety. About what? I couldn't say.

I am now sat on the bank of Bartley Water and I can see my "photograph" to my right. I have just walked along it.

I can't stop for long as it's taken me about an hour to get here. Despite the wind, I'm just wearing my base-layer top and sitting on my fleece which will need a wash!

The first cycle-track was pleasant and I met a very sweet-natured golden labrador who required head stroking and sat down beside me with a sweet expression. Apparently she can be quite growly and barky with nervous dogs.

The side track to Gutter Heath was pleasant enough, a bit hoof-pocked, but a narrow path ran alongside it. A gate and a footbridge, muddy stuff and then the heath with a boggy bit. I did the Forest-thing and put down bits of branch and twig to make a crossing. I used my compass to keep on track through the trees where there isn't a path and found Plain Green where there is a broad ride which is good going and makes a nice walk along the Green. I managed to confuse myself at one point when I wasn't paying attention, thinking I was heading west when I was actually heading N/E (which was what my compass was telling me!) - the way I wanted to go.

I followed the ride round to the right, negotiated the stream which later becomes the river, and passed through the gate into the Inclosure on bridleways that are easy to walk - for bridleways - not too much mud or pocks. Where the river comes down almost to the bridleway, I left the bridleway and hopped across the ditch on to the footpath beside the water. I followed the winding way to here, with the wind rushing through the treetops, the water nattering over the stones of the ford, and occasionally a snatch of birdsong. All green with glimpses of sun and no one about.

Ah well, it's half past 3 and I must make tracks back to the car. I wanted to be heading home at 4. Maybe half past, then. Hope the traffic's not too - oh damn! it's Friday.

What I didn't write because I was walking again by then, is that coming back to the gate at Yewtree Hill I noted that I was calm, relaxed, unanxious, unworried and had a general sense of well-being. I was chilled. I knew I'd be a little later back to the car and I'd curtailed the intended path along the river to the next footbridge, but time was bothering me on an any level I was aware of. I think I might take my journal with me on all my walks. Hm, I may need to unearth my rucksack again.

The best laid cliches and positivity

2009-05-07T15:22:00.018+01:00

7th May 2009

Mice sleep, men (and women) stare glumly out of the window, and I spend hours poring over maps until the hours dawn on me and I cast the maps away.

Yes, it's a dull day that doesn't even have any rain to make it interesting. It's a bit breezy but nothing to really make the sea pound. It's one of those dull days that makes you thankful it's spring and there's a bit of bright green to alleviate the dullness. It isn't even gloomy or brooding; nor is there a touch of brightness, except something like a weak smile of sunlight that's swiftly gone. It's like the day is sulking.

However! I have at last put away my maps and waiting for the better rain tomorrow which will make the woodlands come alive with water. I've just acquired a new Tilley hat ...

... and Peter Storm trousers (they've been in their own pocket hence the fashionable crinkled effect) ...

so I'm looking forward to trying them out!

I've also aquired a photoprinter and have come to realise the difference between what makes a picture and what qualifies as a snapshot.

I have an idea for scrapbooking my walking life using my photos, plagiarising my own blog and getting a footprint stamp so I can stamp little ramlbing footprints all through the scrapbook.

So much for Experiment Thursday, trying out new walks and expanding my comfort zone. This is not an expandable day. It's just dull. Roll on the rain tomorrow!

Ashurst Circular

2009-05-05T22:59:00.016+01:00

5th May 2009

This was a blissful walk. All grey and windy over Southampton and many diversions around the 4pm rush hour (? - trust me!); all shiny and warm out in the New Forest. Peace, quiet, birdsong and singing streams.

I parked at Bolton's Bench, just down the road from the Lyndhurst Maserati showrooms. Boots and gaiters on, stick in hand (was I expecting mud?) and compass not far from reach I set off up alongside the drive to the cricket pavilion towards the cemetery where the walk really begins.

The underpass from this White Moor (there are several) to the golf course was muddy and puddly and the entrance full of ponies that looked like they started off knowing what they were doing and forgot half way down the track.

Round to the right of the golf course with much envy of two girls cantering along ahead on their steeds and into Rushpole Wood. Over the footbridge and following the route quite happily. Turn north west - still quite happily. Find the switchback path, heading north east - and still happy - pretty woodlands, lots of green, a bit rutted and muddy, last years fallen leaves turned brown and crunchy ... where's the path?

I found the south east one. I found the north west one. (Didn't look for the south west one, didn't want to go that way - either). Could I find the north east one? I can find north east on my compass but not on the ground. Oh well, the north west one will take me to Plain Green. Then that one dies.

Cast about. Cast about. I'm aiming for north east, so off I go. Sod it! And find the rest of the north west path (where did it go/come from?).

Arrive at Plain Green and to the right is the gate into the Inclosure. Off I go. And pass the exit to the north east path I was looking for.

Anyway ... off I go again. Happily find the footbridge and soon the gate into Busketts. A hoof-pocked track that can be avoided by a narrow path of necessity along the edge of the pine trees up to the cycle track. This wide reprieve doesn't have time to pall too much before I turn right and expect to come across the footbridge somewhere down the way. The path is pleasant, birds singing, a cuckoo calling and so descends one of those moments where you are suddenly aware of the peacefulness of your surroundings.

The river. No footbridge. A ford. And I think I've found the outskirts of Lothlorien (above photo).

The path to the ford has large cobbles in it and the ford itself looks like a broken bit of old road. The crossing is made of slightly submerged stepping stones. There are four corners of high bank all grassy and studded with speedwell, violets and other woodland spring flowers. The water sings over the stones, and here I stopped and sat on the bank to take in water and munch a bakey cakey.

As on Saturday, I discovered an unmarked path that runs alongside the river. It seems to wander away from the river at times, but only because the river is very windy. This was a digression from the route I had plotted, but I never turn down a riverbank ramble.

So out on to a cycle track again, a little way from the bridge and ford I crossed the last time I was in Busketts. I turned away from it this time, however, and along the cycle track for a little way before my way went off to the left. A left fork and to a gate and out on to Woodlands Road. Turn right here and at the end of the road left along Southampton Road over the railway and into Ashurst. Cross at the lights (buy a Mars Bar in the newsagents), turn right to go back over the bridge and soon turn left into Ashurst Caravan site.

Now, I thought kittens were cute, but the prize for cuteness must go to Shetland pony foals. They don't gangle like normal foals; they have little sturdy legs and are just ... CUTE!! There should be a law against that much cuteness.

I'm fine.

Past the Shetland mare and her foal (too cute!!) and on into the woodland alongside the railway. Two trains whizz past. I stop to take a photo of the bridge ahead through the trees - the open-worked wrought iron is painted a pale blue. Ponies were ambling along it, right in front of a cyclist, who was very good and patient; a few moments later he whizzed past me ...

Of course, the ponies took the path I was aiming for and as time was now getting on I didn't really have the option of changing course now. What made it slightly awkward was that two of the mares had very young foals with them. However, it's no problem to walk off the path to give them plenty of space and as they were keeping pace with the youngsters I soon past them. It was very touching to see the chestnut mare stop twice and touch her foal as if to reassure it.

The path goes around the edge of Ashurst Lodge and strikes out across the moor to Longwater Lawn through which bright green oasis in all the heather the Beaulieu River flows with white flowers in the rippling water. By now the light had become deep and rich and the surroundings green-golden.

Off the Lawn and across Foxhill Moor and into trees where the path remained clear ahead and soon out to White Moor again, with the sun gilding the trees and the pale ghost of the moon hanging in blue sky between lace ribbons of cloud.

I met a Springer spaniel which was keen to explain in visual terms why the breed is so called, bouncing after rabbits and bits of branch.

As the evening just got lovelier and lovelier, I came back alongside the stone wall of the cemetery and all the chaps in their whites playing cricket, just in time to see a well-taken wicket. Much polite applause, which clacks pleasantly on the air and sounds so English.

And so back to the car wrapped in a hug of blissfulness, that hasn't yet left me as I sit tapping at my keyboard and recalling the glow of the evening and the pleasure of the walk.

Highland Water Wander

2009-05-03T16:12:00.003+01:00

2nd May 2009

One of my favourite walks with a little difference.

Many are the routes within routes (or even outside them) that can be plotted along the New Forest network of pathways. And it becomes even better when you discover a path that isn't shown on the map.

I can't actually take credit for finding this unmarked path that wanders along the river banks of Highland Water. I only discovered it after spotting a man and his dog walking among the trees close to the river on a previous walk. So today I went exploring and found this treasure that takes you off the main trails. No sound except the water trickling over stones and fallen branches, and birdsong.

Being unofficial and unmanaged, however - probably a pony or forest ranger track - the path is subject to the vagueries of the Forest and the Inclosures. About half way along the course the path becomes lost in deep ruts and channels and the scattered ruins of "forest operations". It may be passable but I prefer to be able to look about me when I'm walking along, and not staring at my feet and the ground.

At a suitable junction I turned left away from the river and up a grass slope to a pleasant path that I hadn't trodden before and, to be honest, only realised was on the map when I checked to see where I was going from this point.

The walk proceeds along a cycle track for a little way before, at a sharp left hand bend in the cycle track, going straight ahead along another grass track up to a gate and out into the dip below Mogshade Hill where there is a ford and wooden footbridge across the Water. From here up to Stonnard Wood and then into the trees again.

I stopped at the bench at Hart Hill for some water and jaffa cakes before descending on to the path and began to wend my way back along hoof-pocked grassways, through gates and over footbridges (across Bagshot Gutter this time), eventually coming back to the banks of Highland Water, studded with violets, celandine and bluebells and with a cuckoo calling in the distance.

And so to the car park and home.

Storms around Keyhaven

2009-04-30T01:22:00.009+01:00

28th April 2009

Thursday is Experiment Day! Every Thursday I shall be trying out a new walk in Hampshire (or elsewhere) that is not in the New Forest. Should the "experiment" turn out to be unfavourable, there will be a consolation walk i.e. one I have done before and enjoyed. Given the vagueries of my work roster, Thursday may be titled "Third Day" instead; but it's the same thing

Unless you have a dental appointment that gets in the way, of course. And so this experiment took place on Tuesday instead of Thursday. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon.

This is another AA Walk and chosen because the weather forecast was so uncertain. Fine with showers, possibly heavy.

And this turned out to be another peach, with added cream, later washed down with buckets of water.

The environment itself is beautiful, marshland and mudflats with extensive views of the rolling Isle of Wight landscape ending in the great Tennyson Down and the Needles with their lighthouse. Sea and shingle beaches, a little marina and a Tudor Castle with World War II additions. And then the drama of the weather.

There are two free parking areas, as well as a pay and display near the waterfront. One of the free parking areas is quite small alongside the sea wall heading towards a dead end where the Solent Way starts off out on to a raised bank of gravel and grass around the marshes.

The other car park is at the landward end of the great shingle spit that supports Hurst Castle and a white lighthouse at it further end. The spit itself is still growing in length and is lined with poles that are measured from time to time to see how far the spit has shifted. The spit is also protected on the seaward side by defences constructed to resemble great boulders. I think they work; others may disagree.

Toffee crunch ice cream (with a flake) in hand, the walk along the spit to the Castle is about a mile and a half. With the waves of the Solent foaming on one side and the calm lagoon on the other, and the Isle of Wight rising up ahead, there is plenty to look at and admire and photograph.

Hurst Castle is run by English Heritage and costs £3.50 entry. To the east is Henry VIII's fortress, partially restored in the Victorian age and added to and patched with concrete during WWII. Charles I was also imprisoned here for a while. There is a display about Tudor fortresses in the Keep; the basement under the Keep is well worth a visit for sheer spookiness. The floor is black and barely visible.

If you fancy a different method of returning to the mainland, there is a little Ferry that shuttles back and forth between Hurst Castle (or the lighthouse when the tide is out) and Keyhaven every 20 minutes. The fare is £3 which you pay to the Ferryman. It is a very pleasant little journey between the mudflats and the yachts and the walk proper starts from the jetty.

Follow the seawall all the way around to a kissing gate on to the bank of the Solent Way and simply keep along it until just past the Dock Sluice at Oxey Marsh when the walk turns inland along a lane past Woodside Farm which peters out at a gate on to a byway/cycle path back to Kayhaven. As I was being closed in on by stormclouds from the east, I chose to curtail the walk by turning inland along a straight path leading directly away from an old jetty, just before Pennington Marshes. This path comes out at the gate to the byway/cycle path mentioned above. I had already chosen the lower inland path of the Solent Way as the dramatic skies, the forking lightning and thunderous rumbles from the east actually became too much for me. I think it was an irrational feeling of exposure on the higher ground with flatness stretching all around across marsh, mud and water and murderous black skies closing in.

I shall do better next time.

There are great views from the byway/cycle path across Keyhaven Marshes to Hurst Castle and the Isle of Wight. It was getting darker and darker as the clouds came ever closer overhead and all around, and the scene was changing spectacularly. For a while, hedges ran along both sides of the path bringing within their enclosure occasional clouds of midges.

At the end of the path is a gate and the end of the little road that contains the seawall-side parking area.

I still had to pass around the marina and out on to the Solent Way, another bank of shingle and grass, to get back to where I had parked my car. Just as I stepped out on to the bank, the black clouds parted and dumped water all over me, driven into my back by a sharp wind that was now blowing down from the north-east.

The scenery was no longer the warm, welcoming brightness of the sunny afternoon. It was becoming a grey, brooding early evening with the eastern reaches of the Island lost in thick mist and Tennyson Down now scowling over the Solent.

Eventually, with the novelty of the rainstorm beginning to wear off, I got back to my car and got out of wet weather jacket and boots. Wet weather trousers? Um, well, I hadn't taken the "possibly heavy" aspect of the showers as seriously as I should have and hadn't brought any. So although, yes, I got thoroughly soaked, it wasn't until I got out of the car back at home that the clamminess became all too apparent.

Next time, take wet weather trousers ...

Micheldever Bluebells

2009-04-30T00:49:00.005+01:00

29th April 2009

I have heard the expression "a carpet of bluebells". Today I saw several.

Micheldever Wood lies along an undesignated lane off the A33 (look for a signpost off the dual carriageway pointing right to Northington). It is a Forestry Commission managed site mostly consisting of beech trees and, at this time of year, thickly carpeted with Endymion non-scriptus - our native plant. Although the woodlands are managed, the bluebells are completely naturally occurring. The combination of the shining green of the beech tree foliage and the glowing lilac-blue of the flowers is the most sublime; matched with blue skies and clear sunlight, it is a natural magic that occurs only in England. I am reliably informed that at dusk the flowers would actually glow due to the ultra-violet in their natural colouring. This I have yet to experience ...

I had the company of my mum today. We found a little path heading almost directly up from the car park through a straight avenue of trees. There were a few clumps of bluebells dotted here and there. The further in we went, the denser became the bluebell cover under the shining trees.

As much as we could we chose the narrower, windier paths which took us like welcome guests among the bluebells.

Our choices were many. Eventually, we were led back to the car park, and having already been past the large tumulus and having seen the "banjo" on a previous visit, we passed through the car park to the road. Turning right we came to a locked metal gate with a wide path beyond. Here is the choice of climbing over the wooden fence or ducking under the gate.

Having negotiated this obstacle we were soon flanked by ever denser "carpets" of bluebells. To left and right greenways ran into the distance; we continued up the main way to where the path divides, going ahead across a meadow (in summer, hopefully, to be crowded with wildflowers) and bending right to meet a bridlepath. As we looked across the field there was a taletell shimmer of blue amid the trees of the woodland on the far side.

We went round to the right with the path, alongside the meadow on the right and bluebells and beech wood to our left. Where paths met, we turned right along the meadow's edge and were soon in woodland again with the densest cover of lilac-blue yet. Here was a true "carpet".

We continued on (after yet another photoshoot) along the bridleway, past the open gates to the meadow where travellers' caravans had congregated and where the bridlepath becomes one of the many ancient Oxdroves, which comes up from the south and soon turns north.

Right alongside the M3 Winchester services and the M3 its glorious (?) self.

As soon as we could we found a greenway heading back into the woodland and then on to a narrow path heading downhill which turned at the bottom on to another greenway that led us back to the gate and the road.

Back to the car park after a surfeit of bluebells and at 4.50pm, the delights of the M3 rush hour traffic to brave.

After such a walk, however, the spirit is so uplifted that not even a midweek rush hour can quench the joy!

For those of a Tolkienian nature, these woods could well be those of Lothlorien ...

Hambledon vs the South Downs ends in a Perfect Walk

2009-04-27T16:19:00.009+01:00

23rd April 2009

It is a magical thing about life that very often something unexpectedly wonderful can come from something that can, at the time it occurs, spoil a whole day.

My original plan for this Thursday was to follow another AA walk around Hambledon, a pretty village nestled between two Downs a little north of Portsmouth.

It was another beautiful day. I didn't know anything about the area of Hambledon (I can describe it briefly now having driven through the village on my way home), so I decided I would take advantage of the weather and head out a little further east to the South Downs between Buriton and Butser Ancient Farm.

I will go back to do this walk on another fine day. The walk starts from the Queen Elizabeth Country Park car park (£1 charge for all day parking) and follows the chalk path of the South Downs Way alongside the bridleway that runs through the Country Park and brings you out opposite Butser Ancient Farm. Here, they have constructed an Iron Age Round House and built a Roman Villa. I have not visited the Farm since the Villa was erected, so I was really looking forward to this.

I will not weary you with the ridiculous details of what went wrong. Suffice to say, it did go wrong and it was ridiculous and my choices being now limited due to a freak in my nature, I decided to suspend this particular walk until another day. It is one I would still like to do but in a temper more conducive to such a walk in such surroundings.

Well, I said I would have a consolatory walk planned to offset any experiment that did not work out and so I did, and in doing so I found my perfect walk.

Rather predictably, I suppose, it's a New Forest walk and it has a bit of everything: woodland, Forest views, through gates, paths up, paths down, excellent cycle tracks, lovely forest tracks, over water, through water, across bridges, along river banks. It isn't a very long walk, about an hour and a half, nor is it exactly local, being a 20 minute drive to get there. But it is a walk for all weathers and all seasons. I have walked in this area a lot but this particular route I plotted seemed to work - well, perfectly.

Sometimes these things turn out for the best if you give them a little time.

Hincheslea and Whitemoor

2009-04-21T23:14:00.006+01:00

21st April 2009

The day was bright and warm as summer. The route is one I made up from the map (OL22 - New Forest) and it turned out to be another lovely walk.

The first intended landmark to hit was the disused railway that runs as a cycle track/footpath/bridleway from Burley to Brockenhurst. The route runs past the outskirts of Brockenhurst and out across the eastern reaches of Hincheslea Bog. As I passed the last cottage before heading out across the bog I met a lady with a young labrador who wanted me to play fetch - with my walking pole, if you please!

Unlike my previous encounter with a bog (Linwood) the path is excellent and takes you safely across the bog and not into it. The views are interesting across this part of the New Forest as the wetlands are being managed to encourage wildlife that prefers such an environment. The ponies were also finding good foraging here.

After meandering across the bog and down through a small copse, the path runs between two cottages and on to the disused railway. I walked part of this on my walk around Sway back in December 2008 and today I left the path where I had previously left it to walk down to the village. Today, however, my way lay in the opposite direction, passing under the old bridge and up into the western area of Hincheslea Bog. There is an information panel here with details of the path layout around the wetland and about the birds that inhabit the area.

Having met with a pleasant chap and his three soggy spaniels I followed the path across the footbridge by the water where the dogs had obviously been playing and continued up into Hincheslea Wood. On reaching the boundary fence of Farm Cottage (a mansion if ever I saw one)the path turns left and soon becomes indistinct. Keep the fence clearly to the right and trust the clearest way ahead.

I came upon a muntjac deer which looked at me, had a scratch and wandered off a short distance to start grazing. It wasn't fazed by me at all. Great photo opportunity you would think. Every shot I attempted was all tail and no head. I gave up, the deer grazed on. At the edge of the trees a good, clear path appears running south to north, with the fenced land of Farm Cottage on the right and Burley Road ahead to cross to Hincheslea Moor.

Before I got to the road I was adopted by two pony yearlings. I was worried that they might follow me out on to the road. Fortunately my ignoring them (apart from taking one photo) made them eventually give up and go back to what they were doing.

Hincheslea Moor is pleasant walking. The lower part of the path is obviously deeply muddy in winter and after heavy rain but it soon rises and becomes sandy. It slopes up to Red Hill - which is actually yellow due to the thick gorse bushes that cover it. From Red Hill, I turned west to follow another previously trodden path, this time up Holm Hill (January 2009 Whitefield Moor). However, I turned off on to a different path down to the Ober River and up into Clumber Inclosure. Fortunately, the pony grazing directly in front of the gate into the Inclosure moved off after giving me an "I suppose you want me to move" look as I approached.

I had been in Clumber Inclosure before on the walk mentioned above. On that occasion I came in from the west and turned north to pass Rhinefield House. Today I entered from the south and turned east heading for Aldrigehill Inclosure. The light through the tall pines was scintillating, and there was a lovely warm glow on the path at the crossroads. It was a lovely place to be.

The route led out of a gate, guarded by a tall Douglas fir, and across Rhinefield Drive into Aldridgehill Inclosure, another place I have walked several times. From the main path I turned down alongside a new enclosure of pine posts and wire fencing and came down to the excellent path that runs alongside Ober Water as a laid out Forest Trail. I went over the bridge and up the slope to the car park. They have a public convenience there.

From here along the path that runs between the green lawn of Whitefield Moor and the lower wetland. Small paths run down to the river but there is a gravelled path further along that runs down to another bridge and turns right along the south bank of the river to a cross path which runs up to a drive and the car park at the far end of the drive.

The water gently trickles over the stones and fallen twigs and branches, birds begin their evening chorus as the sun falls westward, and it is very peaceful and pleasant. Try to come midweek during termtime to avoid the inevitable crowds at weekends and during school holidays.

As you make your way back to the car park, Whitefield Moor opens out around you.

At 6.45pm on an April evening with the sun hanging just above the horizon, a golden light falls across the green lawns dotted with New Forest and Shetland ponies. Looking out over those lawns and the surrounding tree lined moors I couldn't think of anywhere else I would rather be at that moment.

Cheriton to Tichborne

2009-04-16T19:02:00.013+01:00

Thursday 16th April 2009

Thursday is Experiment Day! Every Thursday I shall be trying out a new walk in Hampshire (or elsewhere) that is not in the New Forest. Should the "experiment" turn out to be unfavourable, there will be a consolation walk i.e. one I have done before and enjoyed. Given the vagueries of my work roster, Thursday may be titled "Third Day" instead; but it's the same thing.

This is a walk with directions to be found in the AA "50 Walks in Hampshire and Isle of Wight", another guide book I recently purchased. There is a good bus route to Cheriton (see below) and a few stiles.

Today was a lovely day and, after a slightly inauspicious start, this was a beautiful walk. When I do this walk again I shall probably use one or two diversions which I will add in parentheses as I go along.

Parking in Cheriton was easy enough today, on a little side road in the village near the post office just round the corner from The Flower Pots Inn as you approach the village from the south. However, there is a stagecoach bus service no. 67 that runs through Cheriton between Winchester and Petersfield every hour.

The walk goes past the post office and round to the right past the school towards some gates. The start of the Wayfarer's Walk is tucked in a corner between a cottage and the gates and climbs up out of the village and across fields. The scene is rural, all cornfields and cows.

Where the guidebook advises us to "turn left downhill and keep to the track to a lane by a barn", please be aware that today when I did this walk there were travellers' caravans parked in this lane accompanied by vociferous dogs. Fortunately these were strongly chained and the man who appeared very courteously escorted me past the dogs.

(There is an alternate route previous to this lane which follows the Itchen Way rather than Wayfarers Walk. This brings you on to Hinton Lane rather than Broad Lane later on (both greenways) which both come together later just before Prite Lane - another greenway. There is also the option to extend the walk slightly and keep along Cheriton Lane and then turn on to Alresford Lane (greenways again) to pass alongside the site of the 1644 Battlefield of Cheriton. You will need OS Map 132 Winchester New Alresford and East Meon to follow and complete these alternate routes)

The route continues past the barn and over a lane and then up alongside arable land, which is pleasant walking. In the AA book they mark a spot as a viewpoint, which is nice, but in my opinion there are better and prettier views to be had later on.

I had a bit of a directional problem across a brown field, as the waymarker points straight across, but the field had been newly ploughed and I wasn't sure of the way. So I went around the left edge of the field and came out on to a footpath between this and a cow pasture and turned right towards the next cropfield. Turn right along this field and come to a path that cuts through the crop. The farmer here is obviously sympathetic to walkers. Please respect this courtesy. Walk along this path to the gate and stile.

The path comes out of a copse into a field beside Tichborne House on the left. And here I saw a deer which cantered gracefully across the field to the fence and managed to squeeze through into the garden of the House.

There were pheasants and skylarks everywhere today!

There are now two more fields to traverse before emerging on to a bridleway. Pass Vernal House and over the River Itchen and across the road to a field and path rising steeply.

The reward for the climb is a seat placed at the top of the slope and the view to the north, over Vernal Farm and over New Alresford which can be seen to nestle in the Itchen Valley. The view is extensive and, in my opinion only, much better than the one recommended in the AA book.

After a bite to eat and a long drink, my legs were ready to tackle the next bit. More fields but with more interest to them as you pass beside a small bluebell copse and then along the right side of the next field with Tichborne Church's Norman tower positioned on a hill among a grove of trees before you, with the village cottages tucked down below it. This is Hampshire at its oldest and best. The church of St Andrews is 11th century. Tichborne House is to the left, and the manor has been the seat of the Tichborne family since 1135.

If you want a respite at the Tichborne Arms please note that the opening times are 11am to 3pm and then 6pm to 11pm.

There is a very narrow and long climbing lane from the road up to the church, with high hedges on both sides and tall trees ahead so that you can't see the church until you reach the end of the lane, which is entirely charming!

From the church come back down to the road and now walk along the road for about a mile, past cow pasture (there were new calves today) and alongside the River Itchen, past farms, and a cottage where I thought rather peevishly that it was a pity to have all that quiet countryside and then a blaring stereo. It wasn't. It was a group of, presumably, young people playing live instruments which somehow makes a big difference. On past this to Cheriton Mill and up a path past the Mill and a cottage on to what looks like someone's lawn. There were daffodils in bloom beside the river and beehives on the opposite bank.

This is the Wayfarers Walk once again and passes through large fields which were thankfully for me free of cows. There is a double stile to cross and then a single stile into a horse paddock with about half a dozen horses in it. I could have gone back. I didn't. There was a large white horse right beside the narrow zigzag walkers gate out of the field ahead, and it was blithely attempting to pull the wooden fence down with its teeth. It looked at me, but was more intent on destroying the fence that was keeping it from its tea. I had to get between it and the gate, and although it didn't move, it did let me pass.

And now I was back in Cheriton coming back down towards the little river where a drake was alternately trying to mate with a duck and fight another drake. Further on, past the post office to the village green, a mother duck was getting aggressive with another that had taken a peck at one of the former's ducklings (floating fluffballs!). I bought a Mars bar at the post office and returned to the car to finish my water and eat the Mars bar before heading for the A272 and home.

Sweet Wood and Open Plain

2009-04-15T11:01:00.003+01:00

14th April 2009

The sun showed his smile and the air was warm, even across the breezy plains of LongCross and Fritham.

I parked at LongCross Plain. The walk was pleasant along a green lawn track across the Plain and then down through trees alongside the fenced fields of Fritham to the Royal Oak. Through the car park and out on to Fritham Plain along a good gravel track past Green Pond and with lovely views on all sides. There were skylarks singing from the sky over both Plains, and twitchers out on Fritham Plain having a great time.

Down into Sloden Inclosure where they've let in the ponies to graze the new grass under the green-tinted trees. Here I was beguiled by grass tracks (the white dashless lines on the map) and glad I was! I'd stopped for a quick break and as I gathered my accoutrements about me again I looked up and there was a doe, still in her winter grey, staring at me from the edge of the trees. I started slowly along the path as she was right where I was heading, and in the end it got too much for her and she bounced away up the track ahead of me.

It was quiet and peaceful and woodpeckers were chatting in morse code across the Forest. I was having a great time.

It got better.

Through a gate and across what I think is a pony drove, a long and wide green track that runs between Sloden and Amberwood Inclosures. There are pony pens further down the track towards the end of Sloden Inclosure which I think might be used during the annual Pony Drift between August and November.

Now into Amberwood Inclosure. More deer. This time a young stag with two does grazing at the edge of the trees by the path. They saw me coming and trotted off, stopping now and then to look back to see what I was doing.

This is the "sweet" wood in the title. Despite the lingering browns and duns of reality between winter and spring, in my mind this place is green, that kind of warm green that is special to old woodlands. The wide track is grass and not as muddy as one might expect. The way undulates through the woods and comes down to a fast-running river with an excellent shallow ford. Today there was a tree fallen across the path - I hope no one ever moves it.

The peacefulness is something I find hard to describe without using a lot of empty cliches. The trickling of the water and the songs of birds, and that's all.

And so onward and upward to a gate where the path branches. However, both forks end at the cycle trail further up. I chose the right hand path, up through another gate and out on to the cycle trail which I've trodden many times with great pleasure. Westward it runs out over Hampton Ridge to Frogham and Godshill.

After being passed by a couple of cyclists ("Hello!") peace descended again.There was a moment standing on a footbridge over the river again where I was so tempted to stop and sit beside the water and just be in the peace and quiet with the sound of the river and the birdsong. Due to the sun starting to fall in the sky I reluctantly walked on and came back to Fritham.

Back up the track beside the fence and instead of going back across the Plain northward, I turned right along a path not shown on the map, to a little stream which is crossable via an obliging tree that grows at a 90 degree angle over it. And so up to the road and the fingerpost at the fork. Across the road, past a beautiful grey pony and then two brown ponies being stalked by a pheasant and watched by a small yellow cat. Further on in a thicket of trees and gorse were two huge pink pigs grubbing and grunting contentedly.

Looking back west across the Plain the 7pm April evening light showed me why it becomes easier to walk from this time of year onwards until the winter comes again. It's a whole different light level. We know it on an intellectual level, but to see it happening gives the concept much more understanding. The Plain still looked so inviting.

And so past a palomino pony with a thick blond fringe and back to the car park. Three hours of wonderful walking, my feet and the backs of my thighs just starting to complain very slightly, and my mind at rest.

Acres Down to Lucas Castle

2009-04-08T00:38:00.007+01:00

7th April 2009

The east side of the A31 corridor today.

Ever since I misjudged the timing of my previous walk to Lucas Castle back in the autumn I've wanted to come back and do the whole thing in daylight. Today I did, following a slightly different and reversed route.

The sun shone fitfully out of a sky full of bubble-clouds eventually becoming quite overcast until late afternoon when the clouds fled and the sun beamed down on everything. Through it all blew a bracing wind that still has a chill edge to it.

I met a lovely lady just returned from walking a Westie on Acres Down. She walks the dog for someone else and also "grooms" for another lady who carriage drives a pair of ponies. The lady I was talking to also drives her own pony. She told me how lovely it was up on the Down. In all the times I have come to Acres Down car park I have never been up there. Today, my route would bring me back over the Down on my way back.

Having said our goodbyes, I headed off, not into Highland Water as I always have done but back round past Acres Down House and up to Stonnard Wood, from where I achieved a small ambition and followed the green fingerpost declaring "Murray's Passage" down and across Withybed Bottom. The valley made a lovely funnel for the wind.

More windy encounters up the far side of the valley where the path comes out at the unnamed lakes near Andrews Mare car park. Another path runs SW to NE past the lakes and SW was my direction following the rolling English "road" down from the lakes, up to Lucas Castle, down from Lucas Castle, fording a couple of streams and up Mogshade Hill. On the way, I saw tractor tracks that came from nowhere and went nowhere; there was about four feet of tractor track and then, nothing, just undamaged ground (??)

Near the top of Mogshade Hill I crossed to another path which eventually returns to Stonnard Wood. I wanted to check out the ford and footbridge in the "bottom". Across the footbridge my way went uphill and then right through an open gate into Highland Water Inclosure - how could it not?

I changed my mind about my path a couple of times in here which meant I could get off the cycle track and explore along more interesting grassy tracks. My choice turned out to be enhancements of an already beautiful walk. Eventually I came back to the cycle track for a little way in Holmhill Inclosure before passing through a gate and heading up a woodland path to the top of Acres Down.

The view from here is breathtaking, by Hampshire standards. This time for the view south. There are swathes of New Forest stretched out and yet the horizon is dominated first and foremost by the great Downs of the Isle of Wight, the entire east-west stretch of which is, whether by accident or design, framed on either side by the trees of the New Forest on higher ground. West of the Island you can also quite clearly see Sway Tower rising up like a pointing finger into the sky.

From the east side of the Down there is a view quite clearly towards and over Southampton to the downlands that march behind it.

Now I wonder at myself again that in all the times I've been to Acres Down, this is the first time I've actually gone up it.

Linwood Bog-Dancing

2009-04-07T23:45:00.006+01:00

3rd April 2009

As I gathered my gear for a walk I thought to myself, "I'm going across Linwood Bog, shall I take my gaiters?"

For future reference, the answer to this question, or any question with the word "bog" in it, is always "Yes!" "No, I don't think so", is the wrong answer!

The sun was bright although the air was a little hazy.

Starting out from Broomy Walk car park I followed the cycle trail along the ridge and down past High Corner Inn. The track continued round past Nices Hill and at the T-junction I turned left past a ford and footbridge to pass between farms out to Black Barrow.

The barrow is large and crowned with a small copse of trees. I'm guessing the "Black" might come from the thick cover of dark heather which in autumn must be a spectacular carpet of purple going right up over the barrow.

Along a narrow path between farms again, through a little ford with an interesting little stone footbridge beside it, and out to Black Moor, still on the cycle track. There is a lovely view along a shallow valley to the east that looks towards Webb's Copse and Amie's Wood. Ahead, over a rise, a campsite shimmered in the haze. My way lay west past a barrier and over a footbridge, out into wide rolling moorland making for lovely valleys and views as you go up the steep sides of the moors outside Linwood.

Now I've met a bog before. It was an honest bog that gleamed openly wet in the sunlight. It didn't hide itself and it was passable by jumping from one firm-ish bit to the next, tested and proved with boot or pole first.

Linwood Bog is different.

Linwood Bog lurks. On the map the clearly marked path goes across it. Across it, my boots! Into it more like. I could see wet ahead and (I thought) firmer ground around the wet bits.

Ahead of me the way continued through a zigzag gate, past a yellow way-marker and on a good solid path into the trees. In the way was an area that wobbled squelchily under my feet with not a firm place to tread. What looked solid or appeared to resist my probing walking pole turned out to be mostly sinking squelch. Nowhere was there a passable bit of ground.

I was slightly anxious - I had no idea if there was a bottom at all to this place! - and not a little annoyed. Not with the bog. A bog is what it is and does what it does. I was annoyed with the map showing me a path through the bog that does not go through the bog. It disappears into the bog and continues on the other side with no visible means of bridging the gap. The annoyance was founded on: if I really couldn't get to that path on the other side I would have to go back on myself.

I am nothing if not tenacious, even in the face of possibly bottomless bogs. I did not want to go around. I picked the narrowest bit I could find ... and ran.

After fighting my demons, I passed through the woodland mostly on crude footbridges made of old railway sleepers it looked like, and wound my way up the hillside towards the road. On the other side of the road lies Rockford Common which, although it lies within the New Forest, is a designated National Trust area and must be investigated one of these days.

I had planned to go through Appleslade Inclosure and the north of Red Shoot Wood, but as bog-dancing had taken up about 15-20 minutes and I was tied to time, I walked back along the pathway beside the road, finally returning to the car park along a broad, grassy ride.

It was a lovely walk and one I shall do again (with a detour around the bog!). There are many other interesting paths to investigate. It looks like I may return there soon.

Three Ponds

2009-03-17T21:14:00.004Z

17 March 2009

For route details click here

The three ponds in question are Janesmoor, Cadman's and Green. The one pictured left is Janesmoor on the plain of the same name.

In the glorious arrival of spring heralded by the silent yet blaring trumpets of the sun over the last few days, how can anyone ignore the call of the wild - or in the case of the New Forest, the semi-wild.

With boots on and jacket left behind (it started getting chilly about 5pm as the sun began to wester), I stretched my legs blissfully along the lovely lawns of Janesmoor Plain, past the pond and towards the road.

Now, the pink ice cream van was parked where I wanted to cross, and the afternoon was warm, and I haven't had an ice cream van ice cream for AGES and I had money in my pocket - what was I to do? I had an ice cream - with a flake and raspberry sauce.

Ice cream in hand I crossed the road and headed sunward past the Bentley Inclosures towards Cadman's Pool. There are two islands in the water and a colony of Canada geese. It was all very sunny-gold and peaceful.

From here I wandered off away from the cars and into the woods, following a vague path through leaves and over tree roots down to a pathway as marked on the map. This is Anses Wood and proper woodland, not Inclosure. There is a pretty river runs through it which has to be forded and although there is a specific place marked on the map, it's possible to cross in various places.

From the ford and up Freeworms Hill to Fritham Plain. As you come out from the screen of the woods to the left, a panorama opens out across Rakes Brakes Bottom and takes your breath away as it takes you by surprise.

On up to Fritham Plain, along the right path of the fork towards Green Pond beside which there is a little copse of trees. And there waiting for me was a small group of 6 or 7 deer. I managed to get a shot of them, and later another as they wandered away towards Freeworms Hill.

Turning east now, I passed one curious object in the ground a way to the right, then came upon another right alongside my path. It turns out that these are wells! I opened the one I was passing - the lid is extremely heavy, I suppose so that children can't lift it and fall in. The well is quite deep, enough to be a danger to a child, and although the water looked crystal clear, I wasn't brave enough to try it. I replaced the lid, took a couple of photos and moved on.

The borders of Fritham. Right here, past a very thin-looking grey yearling pony. I hope they soon start to fatten well on the new spring grass!

I chose to cross the footbridge further along and follow the track up round between the fence of North Bentley Inclosure and the fences of Fritham's farmland. I wish I'd gone into the Inclosure instead! The track is a cow-way and you can imagine the churned up mess of the ground. Not so bad today as there hasn't been much rain recently and as long as I stepped between the holes the cows' feet have made, the mud was reasonably firm.

Once off this lot, it was back out to the Plain and a concrete path. I know little about this area and can only surmise that this is something like the concrete paths of Beaulieu Heath, further south, and had some connection with air transport during WWII. As I was walking along, I heard a sudden shout of "Come back here!" and looked around to see a lady emerging from the Inclosure and two black labs charging ahead to find out who I was. They were very friendly and soon lost interest in me.

And so back across the road eventually and to my car, where I realised I was thirsty (I did have water with me in my "holster" so it wasn't difficult to get to!). 5.30 pm, on a Tuesday ... rush hour ... actually the traffic was fine coming home but I didn't like the look of the queues going out of Southampton, I must say.

Busketts Lawn

2009-03-07T19:12:00.005Z

7 March 2009

For route details click here

This walk was adapted from one of Nicholas Henderson's Walks Around the New Forest, Walk no. 8. It takes in much of the route he describes from the Busketts Lawn car park, from where I began my walk. Mr Henderson's begins in Ashurst. Please click on the link above for route details.

Today's experience might have been more successful, or rather more enjoyable after a longer spell of dry weather to dry out the bridleways. Of course, these get churned up something terrible. Boots and gaiters really came into their own, and are now more mud than footwear! Having said that, despite the mud the paths chosen are clear and unimpeded, including the little path from Rossiters Lane to Lanes Bridge, which can apparently be choked with nettles. Some wise soul has been in there and hacked the blighters back.

Starting from the car park, there is a big, noisy alsatian at the house at the end of the track you start you along. However, this beastie is very well trained and although the gates were open, it did not try to leap the cattle-grid into the woodland where I was walking.

Along the path from Nicholas Corner to Goldenhayes there is an eyesore of broken and rusting corrugated iron which has been dumped. Bits of it look like they might have been part of a pig hut. The very muddy bit of this bridlepath at the Nicholas Corner end can be skirted along a narrow, dry footpath winding among the trees to the left. Eventually, the bridlepath becomes more gravelly and the going is good right to the end.

The occasional bit of road that has to be navigated is very quiet and wide enough for walkers, horses and cars to pass each other.

If you thought the previous path was muddy, Rossiters Lane (another bridlepath) requires some work with a stick to wield affectionate brambles out of the way as you try to skirt around the churning. However, this soon settles down after a while and becomes more passable, and a pretty little stream runs alongside the path on the right.

The next little path, the nettly one mentioned above, is accessed over a stile and is not too bad to pass along although it becomes a little narrow beside the paddocks and stables further on. There is another river that runs alongside this path - or it could well be the contuation of the one previously. Over a stile (made of concrete bricks and scaffolding poles) at the other end and diverge here from Mr Henderson to follow my route.

He would have you pass the Gamekeeper Pub and take the footpath after this. I chose to turn down a Close before this establishment and pick up the next footpath at the sign. This comes down to a stile and broadens out into a wide greenway, again a little muddy in places, but mostly good walking. At a junction, the way immediately ahead becomes tarmac; the actual footpath continues inside the hedge along the edge of a large open field and over another stile into a copse.
Be aware that this is not simply a copse that comes out to the next bit of road at the far end. It is part of a large paddock. The path through the copse runs alongside the river, and I was flummoxed by the horse-shoe marks in the mud, as there is no way for horses to get out at the place I came in. The mystery later resolved itself when I emerged from the copse on to a wider, tractor-tyre marked path. Ahead of me I thought were haybales, wrapped in black tarpaulins. These turned out as I got closer to be three young ponies all sitting down in the mud in dark blankets.

As those of you who have read previous posts on this blog will know, I am not partial to domestic livestock - cow or horse - as they are more unpredictable than their semi-wild counterparts.

I had a choice. I could go forward between the ponies, or back and go around. I could see the gate and the road ahead.

Having assessed the situation, I chose forward. I wanted to get to the road. As I approached, one of the ponies got to its feet and stood looking at me sort of expectantly. I wished it a "good afternoon" and walked on, nonchalantly. The other two remained seated. I attained the stile and looking back, saw that two of the ponies had followed me and were now looking at me rather morosely. I went back to the gate and the darker pony came to have his nose scratched.

Elated by my personal breakthrough I continued on my way along Fletchwood Road, which is a lane that becomes a bridlepath. It isn't very interesting apart from the large modern houses and cars along the way. At the end of this path is Woodlands Road which comes up from Ashurst and winds up to Cadnam under various names.

Across Woodlands Road is the New Forest and Busketts Lawn Inclosure. Very popular with dog walkers, the path right across from where Fletchwood Road emerges is a cycle track and easy to walk.

The bridge and ford across the river is picturesque, as the photo above shows. The river isn't labelled on the map within the Inclosure, but further out it is called Bartley Water.

I turned off to the left shortly after this and keep straight on through a gate to Yewtree Hill and the lawn beyond. Across from me here was Little Stubby Hat and further on Great Stubby Hat. I followed the little undesignated stream round to the right along the lawn, skirting the muddy places although the ground is actually quite firm underfoot where there is standing water. This route brought me back to Bartley Cricket Ground and thence through the barrier at the western edge of the car park.

The sun had shone for much of the way. However, coming along Fletchwood Road the wind turned very cold and the clouds became denser. This was a pleasant walk, although I could have done with a little less slippy clay underfoot. Give me the good, honest black stuff any time.

Shave Hat

2009-03-02T17:21:00.006Z

28 February 2009

For route details click here

This is a lovely walk. The route I planned wasn't very long because I didn't have much time. The paths leading awa from the car park to Shave Hat itself are shown on the map as undotted white paths indicating that there is a definite path but it's less distinct so you do need to keep an eye on the way ahead.

The way was pretty good going considering the time of year until arriving at the undesignated stream further up. The area is a bit boggy. However, testing the solid-looking bits of ground with a tentative boot or a good poke with a walking pole will soon tell you where it's safe to step without losing your leg! The area around the fording place was fairly churned up so I found another way around and soon came to more firm ground again.

Shave Hat is a sudden open lawn amid the forest. It has a peaceful, friendly feel and I can imagine that at dawn the place is probably full of deer.

I did see quite a few deer on my walk. Actually I heard them before I saw them crashing about in the bushes before dashing off in any direction except mine. I get the impression that this place is generally quiet as it is quite off the beaten track (sorry!) of the main attractions of the New Forest.

From Shave Hat my way continued along well-laid out and rarely muddy paths through Shave Green Inclosure where I heard my first woodpecker of the year. Spring is definitely coming apace!

Eventually my route led down to the road opposite Hazel Hill car park where I turned left to head back to my car. There was an interlude of lawn along the way bathed in the warm late afternoon sun. Soon the way came back to the road and across to the other side that led across a peaceful little glade to the car park. As always, hot tea and jaffa cakes to finish.

Itchen Valley Country Park again

2009-02-26T23:05:00.003Z

21 February 2009

As I didn't have a lot of time I elected to test a circular walk that would take in the Water Meadows of the Itchen Valley Country Park and the Itchen Way which runs along what used to be the tow path of the old Itchen Navigation Canal.

Gorgeous weather. All sunny and early spring warm with still that deep late afternoon golden glow just before the the sun goes down. The meadows are lovely - without the the cows - and will be more so when the green comes to tree and field. The cows will be back by then ...

My route took me from my front door to the Country Park (about 1 mile) where I went into the Visitor Centre to buy some honey (as I'd run out) and out the back door to walk down the slope to the bridge over the River. Rather unfortunately, the pathways alongside the River are "Private" and would make wonderful waterside walking. Oh well, there is another water course that runs through the meadows with footpaths over them. The ground is flat and the paths are well-marked out. Do be aware that beef stock are turned out into the meadows over the summer until October, and as well as being curious beasties they can churn up the ground. Wear good waterproof boots and gaiters, or wellingtons.

On this day, the ground had been rested and the going was very good. When I got to the far side of the Meadows from the entrance I had the choice of continuing around the perimeter of the Meadows or climbing the stile and walking along the Itchen Way. I chose the Itchen Way as that was my intention, and I was glad I did. Looking down into the Meadows from the Way, the signs didn't lie about the mud and standing water along the path.

This part of the Itchen Way runs past the airport, although you can't actually see into it. There are some little areas where the watercourse is level with, or even slightly above the lie of the path which can make the way a bit muddy. As long as you have good footwear, this is barely a mild inconvenience.

I am planning to walk the Itchen Way from Riverside Park all the way to Winchester one day in the summer. It's signposted as being 12 miles. The Way does extend a little further at either end, having its beginning in Cheriton, which is the source of the River Itchen, and ending in Woolston in Southampton.

There is a single irritation about the Itchen Way at this point where it runs alongside and under the M27. However, it is soon over and the motorway can be left behind by climbing over a stile into the water meadows on the other side and following the path through, and over the bridge pictured above. The White Swan pub is visible across the expanse. At the further end is another stile back out on to the path. By following the path round, over another bridge and through a smaller field, under Mansbridge Road and over the old stone bridge, you turn back on yourself this time on the other side of the river and the path will take you straight to the White Swan. They also have an excellent carvery.

After calling at the White Swan, the walk continues back under Mansbridge Road, past the old bridge and into Riverside Park. Home for me from here is about 1/4 mile.

The walk was very pleasant, if a bit gloopy here and there and will work as an excellent longer local walk - if I can brave the cows ...

Pipers Wait to Telegraph Hill

2009-02-26T22:21:00.007Z

20 February 2009

I have obtained a fab little book full of great little walks that can be combined and turned into great big walks. I have listed it in the sidebar, but for present reference it is called "A Walk Around the New Forest" by Norman Henderson. It is a "Walk Around", too, around the perimeter of the National Park, a perambulation if you will, made up of 35 circular walks. The walks are not always within the boundaries of the National Park, as it now is. Some walks take in outlying footpaths, bridleways and by-ways within Wiltshire and Hampshire.

Where I have used this book for my walks, I will not include directions except as they pertain to my personal experiences recorded here, as the directions contained in the book are concise and I could be guilty of plagierism - no thanks. The walks in the book also detail the map references for car parks where applicable.

The view above is from Black Bush Plain overlooking the hangars of Bramshaw Wood near Pipers Wait Car Park, looking over Plaitford Common towards Romsey. As far as I can tell.

The car park at Pipers Wait is fairly small and the space was further hindered by a great pile of old lorry tyres which had been dumped there, whether by design or fly-tippers I don't know. I do know I had to move one to be able to turn my car around.

The walk is approximately 5 1/4 miles circular. As well as Pipers Wait and Bramshaw Telegraph it also takes in Eyeworth Pond and the plains of Longcross and Black Bush.

It was a beautiful sunny day at first, possibly the first day of Spring, and walking in the sunlight it was tempting to remove my fleece to just leave my T-shirt. I was glad I didn't as I came up through Claypits Bottom as the clouds came over the sun and it became a little chilly.

I did see a deer, which shot across my path near the stream in Crow's Nest Bottom. At the top of Pipers Wait there is a strange-looking hill covered in gorse and trees that doesn't look quite right. In fact, it's a rather cleverly disguised reservoir. Rabbits seem to like grazing the lawn around the base of the hill.

The walk across the open plains was lovely, as the sun deigned to show herself again for a while and the views across them to the further surrounding countryside of Wiltshire and Hampshire were always changing as now sunlight, now shadow passed over, mottling the landscape. In the picture above, the blue cast to the further view is due to its lying in the shadow of clouds at that moment.

Back at the car park I was accosted by a hopeful yearling. Disappointed, it mooched despondently away to munch sadly at some holly leaves after which it wandered away down the path into the woods. I was left to hot tea and Jaffa cakes.

Not a walking entry - an apology for absence

2009-02-07T15:43:00.006Z

7th February 2009

My last walk was the day before yesterday, cold and grey and a blessing after the last fortnight. I followed a local route which I extended for a little way along the Itchen Way up towards the airport. Owing to the late afternoon and the light starting to dusk I turned back and found a delightful path across the water meadows which are part of the Itchen Valley Country Park. It made me feel very much that I live right on the edge of the countryside. Why would anyone choose the rat canyons of the city centre to living in the suburbs? I really feel my good fortune!

Now, you may be asking: where are my snow pictures? The recordings of the snowy walks I should have taken?

Well, thanks to the deterioration of the main cable carrying my telephone line I have been unable to access the internet. A nice man from the telephone company came and moved my line to the newer cable and now I'm back on track.

As for the snow pictures, I missed the opportunity for walking and photography due to frozen roads, accidents, sliding to a halt and then the "fun" (not!) of playing bumper cars with the traffic at 7 in the morning. The road became blocked (by the way, this is about 400 yards from my front door) by skewed cars and a stranded bus, with the emergency services having the same difficulties and only attending accidents where people were injured. What was quite interesting was my being the liaison between the police and the public, as I had called 999 and was in contact with a very pleasant woman who relayed information to me as she got it. In the end, those of us able to leave our cars at the side of the road were advised to do so and head on to wherever we were going.

The next day and driving through a blizzard coming home after work again at 7 in the morning, I ended up at my parents' house because they don't live on an "up and down" road that turns into a ski run at the slightest hint of snow.

So, why did I not get out to walk in it anyway, even around the local area with its parks and woodlands? I'm a night owl so my sleeping is during the daylight hours, and when not sleeping I was waiting for telephone calls and engineers.

Thank you for listening to my tale of woe. I am now on holiday and looking forward to getting out there again.

Whitefield Moor and Rhinefield

2009-01-13T22:54:00.004Z

13 January 2009

For route details click here

Another self-plotted walk taking in some lovely views, as you can see from the photo, lots of mud, open plains, lots of trees and a lesson in fitting gaiters to make them properly waterproof.

The weather varied from very dark cloudy to bright sunshine and managed to choose to rain right when I chose to stop for a sandwich and a flask of tea. How does the weather do that?

I parked at Whitefield Moor Car Park. Be aware that there is a donation requested at this car park as at Blackwater with again a minimum suggested amount of £2. I was determined to go over White Moor this week so go I did, and an excellent walk it is too.

The land undulates along narrow paths between heather and bracken, currently asleep for the winter, passing between gorse bushes and alongside small copses. The first of several streams along the route is Silver Stream where the water is so clear it's like looking through clear glass to the stony bed. All the streams were swollen from yesterday's rain which made for a bit of fun later on. However, there is a good footbridge over Silver Stream and then the path rises up to pass either side of the copse on Holm Hill. From here are beautiful views such as the one above.

This path will eventually carry you on to Wilverley Plain but my way turned back on itself northwards leading down to another unnamed stream, which is crossed via some strategically laid logs. Here is where a walking pole comes in handy if you're none too sure of your balance. Ahead the path looks muddy but is pretty firm underfoot. Today there was a little streamlet formed along one of the little pathlets and at one point a tiny waterfall into a tiny pool.

On into Ferny Knapp Inclosure which has a lovely green path along the eastward path my route followed, between tall pines on the left and "Christmas" trees to the right. Out of the Inclosure once more and down across moorland to a river and a bridge ... umm, well, the bridge is sort of in the river ... The water has so overflowed the banks that the grassland around the bridge is flooded. Fortunately the ground is firm underfoot and a way to the bridge can be found if you are wearing good waterproof boots. The bridge itself is excellent being extended across the wide reach of this river which appears to be unnamed also.

On the other side of the bridge the path resumes, climbing uphill to a gate into Clumber Inclosure from where the route passes Rhinefield House Hotel and follows the line of the fence. There is another fascinating red brick building in the grounds about which I have not yet been able to find any information, but which I think may be Tudor in origin.

The path comes to Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and follows this a few yards to the cycle track that passes Rhinefield Cottage. The map I have is either out of date or in error, showing fences where they are not in Rhinefield Sandy's Inclosure and not showing fences where there are such. However, the ford is where it is supposed to be and with the Black Water being full from yesterday's rain the ford was running quite high. Confident with my gaiters on I strode forward. And water dribbled into my boot. Thanks to my lovely socks, the damp didn't last long as I walked on.

The sky was becoming ominously dark at this point but I'd decided I was going to stop for a break in Blackwater Arboretum. So I did, at a picnic table beside a Leylandii. And it began to rain ... Fine. I drank my tea, picked up my sandwich and strode on, nothing daunted, and ate as I walked.

Across the Drive and Blackwater Car Park and into Poundhill Inclosure, on to a cycle track heading south east and soon left on to a grass track down to a gate into a small enclosure of lawn and gorse with areas of strange grass mounds. I don't know what they are either or what causes them. I thought they were to do with water, but they were firm underfoot. Maybe they're fairy dwellings ...

At the south east corner of this field a bridge goes over Fletchers Water and the route passes between trees and gorse out to Fletchers Green, a lovely expanse of heathland popular with ponies. It seems that people other than "the commoners" turn their ponies out into the Forest. I met a woman with halter and food in a bucket. She asked me if I'd seen any ponies. Umm ... well ... There were loads of ponies all over the place. What was I to reply? So I said, "There are some ponies over there". Apparently, the ones she was looking for weren't any of those. And so we parted.

I cam to another stream, got more water in my boots (grrr! beginning to curse my gaiters!) and dropped my map in the water. What with that and the holes and tears already formed through much use, I really must buy another one - maybe one of those nice all-weather ones.

And I must learn to trust my compass! I was not supposed to end up on the track through the caravan site, even though it was easy enough to find my way into Aldridge Hill Inclosure from there, because it's Aldridge Hill Caravan Park. I should have turned immediately right after the bridge before the stream I dropped my map into and got my feet wet in, and headed due south to pass the cottage that way. Heigh ho!

The walk through the Inclosure was pleasant and even the side path down to Ober Water was good underfoot. As I was not quite finished with my walk yet (I could have gone over the bridge and straight up back to the car park) I decided to follow the lovely, purposely-laid walk around Ober Water. By this time the clouds had scattered and a lovely warm late afternoon sunshine was gleaming through the trees.

At the end of the walk, I crossed over Puttles Bridge and walked up the gravel path winding up to Whitefield car park from the west. To my left the ground was heather-thick and there amid the heather was a female roe deer in her winter grey. She was hard to spot, only her white rump gave her away. Even harder to spot was the male, a young buck with new velvet antlers, standing in front of a grey-barked tree, watching me as I walked up the path. Him I only spotted by his white muzzle and black nose.

And so back to the car, where I fiddled around with the gaiter stirrups until I had a good fit that pulled the bottoms of the gaiters right down to the heels, instead of sitting on the top edge of my boots where the water got in.

Then boots off and another cup of tea with a satisfied sigh and a Mars bar.

Winter Days Diary - My Back Yard

2009-01-11T18:22:00.001Z

Winter Days Diary - Telegraph Woods in White

2009-01-11T18:00:00.005Z

10 January 2009

I have written about this lovely woodland previously (please click on the label at the bottom of the page for more about Telegraph Woods) so I thought I would simply upload some pictures. It was a little milder, by about a degree, and the heavy frost made the whole world look absolutely stunning.

Winter Days Diary - ... it is (still) very cold

2009-01-07T22:24:00.006Z

7th January 2009

And out again! Greyer than yesterday, apparently a degree or two above freezing but felt colder, yet the day had a good feel to it. I'd actually planned a different kind of day, although those former plans had included a walk. Instead, I phoned my parents and invited them out which they accepted.

First of all into town again to get Dad some new walking shoes while Mum phoned the local council to sort them out ... again.

After a bite of warm lunch and armed with a flask of coffee and gingersnap biscuits, we set off.

All the walks I'd tried to plan were all about 5 or 6 miles, a little too much for someone who's still convalescing after heart surgery so in the end I decided the Tall Trees Trail (aborted from yesterday) would be ideal, with a look-in at the Blackwater Arboretum.

We parked at Blackwater Car Park, where you are encouraged to make a donation (£2 is suggested). There was no wind under the trees and despite the sharp air it was a lovely walk through towering conifers with their branches drooping under the weight of their dark green "skirts". There is a bomb crater towards the end of the first part of the walk (assuming the start north from the car park). During WWII this part of the Forest was used as a munitions store. Presumably it was a small bomb or grenade that blew accidentally rather than the result of a bomb dropped from the air as it is not a terribly big crater. There are also great bushes of rhododendrons along the path.

Just after this, you cross the road for the return path. The trees are closer here and the Forest beyond the Trail to the right is more densly packed with fewer paths leading off. The Trail winds along a narrower way with a hedge of dark-leaved rhododendrons shielding the path from the road. It is quite a romantic walk, and I am looking forward to seeing it in the spring when the rhododendrons are in full flower.

About half way along this part of the Trail, a wide ride heads off on the right and is flanked on either side by two giant sequioas with huge red trunks and tops tapering into the sky high above anything else near them. They are not the tallest tree on the Trail, however. There is a redwood a little further on which is as tall as two Nelson Columns.

The path winds on to a pretty wooden bridge and bends around and out through wooden railings. Here, you can turn left back across the road to the car park, or turn right up to the Arboretum which is accessed from this side by a beautifully constructed wooden gateway. The Arboretum contains many different trees and is a sensory garden. That is, you are encouraged to touch and smell the trees as well as look at them. I have seen the Arboretum in all its summer glory, and although it seemed a little sad under the cold grey sky with leaves strewn on the ground, it is still my ideal for my own private garden with a little cottage attached that has dog-roses growing around the door, and numerous cats running about the place.

My Dad saw a sign by one tree with a hand-sign and the word "Bark" - so he did ... *sigh!* Can't take him anywhere.

As Dad was now starting to get tired, we left the Arboretum and returned to the car for coffee and biscuits. Mum and I went down to the little river, either Black Water or Fletchers Water, and took pictures of the ice-lined water with ferns and Forest beyond on both sides.

After which we headed for home and I made a mental note that for my next excursion I would come out to White Moor and go exploring over that intriguing bit of countryside the very next opportunity I get.

Winter Days Diary - A New Forest Walk

2009-01-07T21:52:00.005Z

6th January 2009

It was a beautiful sunny day and cold. Yesterday, I went into town shopping for more warm winter walking gear and thanks to the sales found some excellent bargains. Today was a day for trying some of them out. Therefore I dressed appropriately, chose a walk and off I went.

My destination was Anderwood, approximately mid-way between the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary to the north and Rhinefield Ornamental Drive to the south. My aim was to walk first to the Deer Sanctuary and then down along Bolderwood Ornamental Drive into Rhinefield OD and around the Tall Trees walk with a quick visit to Blackwater Arboretum. This would have taken the best part of a day.

I was late leaving home ...

Anderwood itself is a pleasant place for picnicking and ambling around pine trees. There is a picnic and barbecue area, and a public convenience. Being the middle of winter and temperature around 0 degrees C, however, the only people were hardy walkers and cyclists.

The walk began promisingly enough, up through the trees beyond a gate to the north. Before reaching the cycle track further on there was an interesting path (aren't they all?) going down through the trees to the cycle track visible below. A Forest stream, Blackensford Brook, crosses the path and is easily forded which is always more fun than being provided with a bridge, although I am partial to bridges over water as well.

I turned right along the cycle track intent on getting to the Deer Sanctuary.

I hesitate to describe any part of the New Forest as dull, but if there is such a place this is it. The track is dead straight through a pine inclosure with little relief except perhaps the promise of more interesting things along paths to right and left. On closer inspection it would seem that the side paths promise wading of near knee-deep proportions. I don't mind a bit of mud, it can be a lot of fun these were clearly more bridlepath than footpath. To my disgrace, I turned around back the way I had come and returned to Anderwood Car Park. I'd walked three miles judging by my watch and it seemed like barely one.

Nothing daunted, I decided to stop for a cup of tea at the car and try again. Fortified by this and a biscuit, I ventured across the road to another gate heading south. Apart from another wide mud-river that led to a wire fence, presumably to keep people from crossing the A35 at this point, this was quite a pleasant walk around Dames Slough Inclosure. (By the way, I fell over jumping a ditch off the afore-mentioned mud river - that is, I fell up the side of the ditch. The mud missed my gaiters completely and covered the knees of my trousers ...) There was another stream, Black Water, to ford which I managed without falling over, getting wet or in any other way mucking it up.

I didn't attain either of my goals - the Deer Sanctuary or the Tall Trees Walk -but I did get two hours walking out of the afternoon and a successful test of my new winter wear.

Winter Days Diary - The air bites shrewdly ...

2009-01-07T21:20:00.004Z

5th January 2009

A grey day with a bitter north-easterly wind. I'd promised Dad a walk in the New Forest and he chose Hatchett Pond with a walk around the disused airfield on Beaulieu Heath. Hatchett Pond was QI being partially frozen with ducks and sea-birds stood on the ice all looking cold and disgruntled. A pair of swans were making "feed me" gestures at a chap who was just getting out of his car. Swans are huge beasties when they stretch up their necks - they were nearly as tall as the man.

We set off along the B3055 (to Brockenhurst) for about 3/4 mile to the entrance to the concrete flattened diamond path which is now used by walkers, horse-riders and cyclists. Faced with a choice, we turned right.

Note to self: when in doubt choose the rule of the labyrinth - always turn left!

It was very open and very raw, and unfortunately further than we had both thought. Had we turned left, the way would have been shorter with the wind more behind us.

It was when we turned along the south path of the walk that the wind in all its unpleasant strength and chill factor did for Dad's stamina. He decided to park himself in the lee of some thick gorse while I as the stronger walker went hotfoot (that's a laugh!) back up the B3054 to fetch the car from Hatchett Pond car park.

After much cursing the wind, my recalcitrant legs that wouldn't walk fast enough (I don't do the "r" word) and ponies in the path alongside the pond that looked rather mournfully at me, I got to the car, at last. In two minutes I had picked up Dad, who had been cheerfully watching bunnies playing in and out of the gorse, and we sat and drank hot coffee and munched on caramel snack bars before heading for home.

Misty Sway and the Railway

2008-12-30T16:24:00.005Z

30 December 2008

For route details click here

There have been few chances to get out over the Yuletide what with family and work. Today was my day off and earmarked for a good tramp around the countryside to walk off some of the effects of the Greedy Guts Season.

The morning didn't look all that promising - just grey and cold, no fog, no frost, not a glimmer of sunlight. I went anyway, determined on a walk gleaned from the December issue of Country Walking although I deviated a little from the text, choosing to park at Longslade Bottom Car Park (which is not where it says on the map!) rather than at Sway train station and following the route from there.

The route follows part of a disused railway which begins between Burley and Bransgore in the west and ends at Brockenhurst in the east and cuts through some of the loveliest area of the New Forest.

The sun did manage a gleam or two and occasionally the high mist cleared to show blue sky. The air was very cold but I was wrapped in thermals, two layers of socks, sweatshirt, fleece and all-weather overtop, beanie and baseball cap, and neck gaiter to cover my nose when necessary. After about 10 minutes walking along the disused railway my circulation was pumping and my poor fingers had finally warmed up.

The path across the higher moor coming down into Sway looked muddy in places but the overnight frost had hardened much of the ground and there was always a way around. Sway itself is a pleasant village. The Hare and Hounds pub is pretty especially with the Christmas lights twinkling around the windows. The village is one that has been visibly expanded over the years with pretty little character cottages side-by-side with modern brick houses of large and rather square proportions.

I met lots of nice people again. Several horseriders and among the many dogs out and about was one crazy lurcher-cross which apparently was incapable of moving around at less than top speed unless it was dancing around a person. It was never still and must be one of the happiest dogs I've ever come across. Yet for all its liveliness it was incredibly obedient; in complete contrast to the border collie that was not ready to go home yet and was chasing about the lawns near the car park, deaf to all entreaties to "come on" from the various members of its rather frustrated family.

Ahhh, it's good to be out again. Now, where to next time ... ?

Winter Days Diary - Clean Boots & Christmas Daffodils

2008-12-19T16:33:00.007Z

19 December 2008

I need some fresh air before a busy shift at work so I thought I'd take a quick walk "round the block". It's all rather chilly and grey, but pretty where the Christmas lights are twinkling. What I did not expect was to see daffodil shoots poking through the soil as I walked under the trees along a rather nice street near the local park.

As for the clean boots - mine had got rather muddy (!) on Wednesday after the bog-hopping and I haven't got around to cleaning them yet. I knew the efficacy of beach shingle for removing caked-in mud from the deep treads of boots. It seems that some long, wet grass and a good, rough gravel path will also do the worst part of the job for you. All I need now is to wipe off the remainder and rub in some waterproofing. Excellent!

Deerleap and Fulliford Bog-hopping

2008-12-17T22:57:00.008Z

17 December 2008

For route details click here

Clouds, fog, rawness and rain all fled and winter-brilliant sunlight poured down from the sky. What more encouragement could any walker want to get those boots on and get out?

I chose this location because it's just beyond the city and I had other places to be later in the day, and I've been meaning to try it out for ages. Incessant roadworks and traffic tailbacks stopped me before; but the roadworks like the gloomy weather had desisted for a day.

Once at the Deerleap Car Park it was evident that the beautiful weather had enticed everyone else and their dog or pony out as well. And the lawns and heathlands were dotted with the commoners' ponies and cattle.

The terrain varies from close-cropped lawns to inclosures of pine and more ancient woodland, heathland and bog. The walk from the car park to the railway crossing was pleasant on the lawn, and there is also a cycle path along it. There was a girl on a grey pony having a fabulous time cantering around, until the young rider had to rein the pony in to pass people and dogs, at which the pony protested vociferously and shrilly. It was a small pony but it had a very loud opinion!

Over the railway bridge and the river beyond to Fulliford Bog. There is a clear footpath which runs through the heathland and the surrounding squelchy bits and where I wanted to go off to the right, well, I could see the line of the path ahead. Some way ahead. Beyond an obstacle course. I have now been bog-hopping and it's actually quite fun. Somewhere under all the water and mud was part of the path ... I made it and now know that I can actually jump quite far when I need to.

The drier bit of the path formed a sort of gully for a short distance and then branched off to a small earthwork of what I presume to have been an ancient and very small settlement. There is a tumulus not far away. The earthwork itself is now marked by a line of bracken.

Ahead is a wooden bridge over a Forest stream. To the right, land belonging to Ashurst Lodge and to the right were deer grazing in the distance.

Beyond the bridge the terrain is more lawn-like for a while but wet, although firm, underfoot and a winding way needs to be taken around the deeper muddy bits to regain the path, which again disappears into mud and water. So another diversion needs to be found. This is not in the nature of complaining. It's lots of fun! For me.

Around the tall, pale wooden fencing that surrounds Ashurst Lodge so no one can see it and then to the drive and the trees begin to close in. Over the drive and down to the next railway bridge which has a pretty feature of pale blue iron work. Beyond the bridge is the gate into the Inclosure. I chose the cycle track up to the gate that leads out on to the lawn avenue between Deerleap and Longdown Inclosures as before, as I'd had enough of mud and heavy going. The cycle lane through Deerleap Inclosure runs quite close to the railway and it was fun to see a train racing through the trees.

By the time I was coming back to the car park, someone had been out with the hay truck and ponies and cattle had appeared in herds in the shadow of Longdown Inclosure to eat at and argue over the hay piles.

It was a beautiful, clear day, chilly but not raw and the light was perfect for taking photographs. And I was glad to get back to two hours tramping around the New Forest to really get the legs and lungs working. This will be my last long-ish walk before Christmas. I'm looking forward to new horizons in the New Year.

Winter Days Diary - Local Park

2008-12-13T16:14:00.003Z

13 December 2008

Not a terribly adventurous walk but it got me "out of the house" and into some fresh air. It was grey, damp, a little bit boringly milder than it has been recently and all the fun of sheeting rain and howling gales had blown itself out sometime during the morning.

The River Itchen was in spate full to overflowing and was in a tearing hurry to get somewhere; probably away from the slightly sewerish scent that wafted across the footpath now and then. I'm quite sure that wasn't coming from the River though. The land about gets waterlogged and some of the more permanent pools of standing water have an oily look about them sometimes.

A couple of moorhens stood looking rather glumly at the water until a human got a bit close and then the water obviously seemed a better option than the footpath. Of ducks and swans I saw not a one. They had more sense than did I and the plethora of dog walkers who'd been waiting for the weather to clear before doing their duty.

From the park, I came back round a steep crescent which every year puts on a fabulous Christmas light show. This year, the show is a bit later but from the unlit evidence it looks like they could light up our post-Christmas dinner stroll again this year.

Oh well, not a very bright or inspired walk but it cleared the airways and stretched my legs for half an hour. I even took some photos. I'll be glad when the afternoons start stretching out again...

Winter Days Diary - Frosty Day

2008-12-08T20:58:00.002Z

7th December 2008

At last, whiteness! There was but one place I could go to catch the last of the sun. I went back to Telegraph Woods. Had lots of fun playing in the mud again. This time I was on a mission to get photographs of the views from the edges of the woods and of the main features - the beacon, the earthwork, the lake and the clearings. Fortunately, the frost was still lying on the sheltered open ground around the lake and in the foresty clearing a little further on, and also on the golf course and the open spaces around the Rose Bowl.

I met a mad boxer dog that seemed intent on getting this one branch detached from its tree; apparently this was no youngster. This hooligan is 10 years old. The chap and his daughter with the boxer also had a dear little wiry terrier which came and sat at my feet, gazing up at me with one paw lifted. What could I do? She was very happy to be fussed.

Later on, I met a young black labrador. As I said "Hello dog" to it (as you do), around a clump of shrub and trees I came upon the owner in jeans and white shoes staring rather forlornly at the thick, black mud. I advised him that the way improves uphill. That didn't help his present predicament but he thanked me anyway and began to rather gingerly pick his way around the goo. I had thick boots on (no gaiters - hurry up, Santa!) so I just waded through.

It was a lovely, cold walk with a dusting of frost to make a pleasant change to the usual drabness of the damp and the sun golden and heatless sinking into the west.

Winter Days Diary - Telegraph Woods

2008-12-06T16:56:00.003Z

6th December 2008

For a sunny late afternoon I chose a lovely muddy tramp through one of my favourite places locally. Telegraph Woods is beautiful at any time of year. In the winter it has a sparse beauty with a forest of pale beeches facing tall dark pine trees across the wide main path through the woodland.

I chose to follow one of the more indistinct paths which winds through pine trees into more ancient woodland of beech and oak. The trail is one of the type that is not clearly marked and often looks as if it's coming to a dead end, but is always there and the apparent dead end is a tight corner in the narrow path leading you on.

It was very muddy and so, of course, great fun. The path ran down behind a small woodland lake and up again to emerge beside a fence that separates the woodland from the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground. However, as you come down to the radar gate on to the footpath that runs down beside the golf course, there is a clear view down into the cricket ground and then a fabulous view out over the countryside to the north.

I came back to the main path and soon diverged off it to descend a stepway to a lower path which runs around the base of the ancient earthworks and rises again to a fork. I took the right-hand fork back to the main path. I only cleaned my boots a couple of days ago; they're covered in mud again!

Near the main entrance to the woodland from Telegraph Road there is a perfect circle of open space which has a low wooden barrier running around it to mark the position of an ancient Beacon, one of a chain fired to raise the alarm that the Spanish Armada was approaching the coast of Britain, during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Just inside this entrance, nailed to a tree, is a sign: No fires are to be lit in these woods ...

Winter Days Diary - Walking and shopping

2008-12-06T16:40:00.004Z

4 December 2008

I was out for an hour and a half today. I needed some more fountain pen ink and another extension lead. Some of the time was admittedly taken up with looking around but it was a fair couple of miles on a late winter afternoon, a cloud-and-sun day with a sharp breeze blowing.

To the local Hobbycraft for the ink, the trail goes along a quiet lane between the edge of an estate on one side and school grounds on the other, both sides screened from the lane by trees and high brambles (good blackberrying in September). From Hobbycraft (eventually), the way goes alongside a busy road with views out over watermeadows to the north and into wet woodlands on the south side, and into Riverside Park. At the two-way traffic bridge at Woodmill, I turn right along the narrow pavement and over the railway bridge, then left and come to the local B&Q store for the extension lead.

The way home is back over the railway bridge and back through Riverside Park.

Winter Days Diary - A walk around the block

2008-12-06T16:21:00.005Z

2nd December 2008

I managed to get in two short walks today, one in the afternoon for a photoshoot; one this morning just to get out - itchy feet!

There is an open common space nearby called Frogs Copse and has recently been signposted as an area managed to encourage wildlife, which is excellent news. This has become quite a major project in this city. There are four such sites near me.

From Frogs Copse through the quieter back streets, across the main road and along the path beside the river through Riverside Park, then back along the cycle track and up round Broadwater.

This rather nice area has been a Christmas treat for several years, with nearly all the houses being done up with lights and seasonal ornamentation; it has become quite a tourist attraction! My family always takes a walk round there after Christmas dinner.

With the current environmental situation, however, I'm not sure that this pretty tradition will be repeated this year. It could be that the residents might leave putting up the display until nearer the time.

It was a cloud-and-sun morning and quite cold, but with thermals and a good fleece jacket and hat, it was very pleasant.

Winter Days Diary - Photoshoot at Itchen Valley Country Park

2008-12-06T16:00:00.005Z

2nd December 2008

I'm not giving away too much yet, but some interest has been expressed in a small article I put on a walkers' forum about my first time walking. However, the "interested party" wanted a photograph (oh lor'). So my Dad being a photographer and the Itchen Valley Country Park being the starting point for the whole thing, we set off to get some shots.

It was a pleasant, if cold, afternoon. We got a pleasant walk around the Forest Trail and some decent pictures out of the excursion. I sent one of the pictures to the "interested party" and as I haven't heard anything back, I'm hoping it's OK.

Fritham to Godshill

2008-11-25T23:06:00.002Z

For route details click here

The sun glinted from the blue sky, a sharp wind blew from the north and it was cold enough that many of the large water holes in the New Forest had a film of ice. There were even ice crystals in the grass in the deeper shade. Nevertheless, swaddled in three layers beneath a good fleece jacket and thermals under combats, with woolly socks and a woolly hat, I was toasty and got really quite warm during the afternoon as I tramped about the New Forest for three and a half hours today. Even my hands, although I'd forgotten my gloves, stayed surprisingly warm.

The scenery was about as varied as it gets in the New Forest starting from a tree-lined and muddy car park, past an open lake called Iron Wells Chalybeate and through a brake of trees out into green lawns dotted with faded heather and soggy underfoot. Over hills, through "bottoms" and out on to the copper bracken plain edged with the dark eaves of Islands Thorns Inclosure. An army helicopter zoomed low over my head, chuttered into the south, and a few moments later came round again from the east and across westward behind me, where it dived into the shallow valley of Black Gutter Bottom. I didn't see it again after that. Somewhere northward someone was shooting things.

Heading towards Leaden Hall I was passed by a lady on a tall grey gelding. I commented "That's a lovely way to spend the morning", to which she replied, laughing "It would be if the cold didn't make my face ache." Leaden Hall is a strange area of sand and gravel that looked like it should be under several inches of water to form a lake. The water must just sink into the ground here. Although fairly soggy it was firm enough underfoot. From here across Little Cockley Plain and down Cockley Hill through little groves of trees, across a shallow bridge over a stream where I tried to wash the mud off my boots, and up to Godshill. I found a pleasant spot with a good view and had lunch.

From my lunchspot, I walked along Godshill Ridge and then down towards Pitts Wood Inclosure on rutted green tracks and fording the stream again. There are no gates or fences to the Inclosure and it looks like the trees have been taken back so that the stream that used to run through the Inclosure now runs in front of it. There is a wide walk up through the Inclosure, today covered in brown oak leaves which covered a soggy secret. This lovely-looking walk was like a mire under the leafy carpet. Further on however, the mud gave way to good gravel track heading upwards and soon joined the cycle track along the top of Hampton Ridge. As I walked up through Pitts Wood there were some semi-wild cattle complaining loudly about something somewhere to the north of the Inclosure. They didn't half go on about it, too.

As the clouds began to roll down from the north and the sun to fall into the west, the track wound down into Amberwood Inclosure. All I heard was the faint thrumming of a distant aeroplane and then only birds. I spotted a doe watching me from the trees and managed to get a photograph of her before she bounded away.

And so back to the car park after a lovely walk full of variation and surprise.

Acres Down to Lucas Castle

2008-11-24T11:19:00.005Z

For route details click here

As the afternoon turned out to be the pleasantest for some time, I was lured out to the New Forest once again. I decided to return to Highland Water within Minstead CP as it has lots of paths going off in all directions, making for interesting shortcuts and diversions off the cycle track. However, going off the well-surfaced, all-weather tracks was made more interesting by the inevitable mud. Despite this, it is possible to find good enough footing, as long as you are wearing sturdy waterproof boots.

It was also interesting to see a place once thick with leaves now bare and "see-through". You can see where the paths run after they turn, which is hidden amid the summer foliage, and look back through the skeleton trees at the bridge crossed some minutes before.

What else struck me was the sound of the wind through the tree tops. Down amid the roots of the trees, hardly a breath of wind stirred, but the sound above and around was as if the sea was in the sky. Strange but lovely to hear, especially with no other sounds, except now and then that of water when passing the river.

There is a little lake before emerging from the Inclosure out on to the moor. Very pretty and peaceful and I shall look forward to seeing it again next spring and summer.

When I came out on to the moorland, the paths that cross it are of the "lawn" type, very green and close shaven by the ponies. Better than any lawn-mower. Behind me the sun was westering and cast a deep autumnal light on to the slopes ahead, giving them a copper glow, in contrast to the deepening shadows in the shallow dips between.

A short, sharp shower came over suddenly and changed the landscape completely, giving it a more brooding beauty.

The path I was on came down to another part of Highland Water which has to be crossed and at this point there is no bridge. It must be jumped or forded. In places it is deeper than my boots, in others shallower and running fast. I decided to cross where it branched into two streams where the water was narrower and shallower, but the opposite bank looked deeply muddy. I picked a landing place that looked more solid than the rest. I was wrong. My foot sank deep in a hole and I fell forward, fortunately landing on my hands. Mud everywhere nonetheless!

The walk took longer than expected, probably due to time spent taking photographs, stopping to look at the scenery and negotiating streams and mud.

I climbed up from Lucas Castle to where there are two lakes. I only passed the one which was ruffling in the wind. From here I failed to find the start of the path to cross Withybed Bottom. As it was now starting towards dusk, I decided on discretion and made for the nearby car park (Albert's Mare?) from where I could walk to the road and turn right along the verge back to the crossroads near Acres Down. My main worry about walking in the dark? Bumping or being bumped into by a pony or cow. Apart from this I quite enjoyed the novelty of wandering around in the twilight. Something I wouldn't as happily do in the city.

Oh, and I saw deer of course, four fallow does grazing on one of the paths I was about to walk along in Highland Water Inclosure. They soon spotted me and after staring undecidedly for a minute they trotted off.

Back at the car at last, having sloshed through another ford, there were tea and jaffa cakes waiting.

When the daylight fades too soon

2008-11-09T16:01:00.004Z

What with the mad hours I work and the lessening daylight hours it's getting harder and harder to stick to my idea of getting out everyday. The gloomy weather isn't helpful, either.

However, around my home town of Southampton there is some very pleasant walking to be had.

These are my woodland favourites, for between 1/2 and 1 hour of greenery, fresh air and stretching limbs cramped from long hours sitting down.

Telegraph Woods - located at Telegraph Road, West End. In any season this is a lovely place to walk on good surfaces, although these paths can still be quite muddy after rain. There is good roadside parking on laybys both on Telegraph Road and Moorshill, and access is gained from these through radar gates (disabled access gates).

The environment consists of ancient woodland and more recent pine forest. There is a small lake to be found in the northern part of the woodland, and two pleasant open areas.

Information panels at the main entrances detail a circular walk through the woods and other paths, and also a viewpoint to the south east.

As this is close to home, it's my absolute fall-back when I have very little time but I simply have to get out.

***

Holly Hill Woodland - Again, a walking place for all seasons. The big attraction of this area is the series of lakes not far from the car park on Barnes Lane. There are manmade waterfalls, and wooden bridges over the narrows of the lakes where they spill into each other. The lakes are dotted with little islands of trees and shrubs.

The paths are well-laid out. However, be sure to wear suitable footwear if it has rained recently. There are paths to and around the lakes and out towards the Hamble River and Hook by Warsash nature reserve.

There is a specific car park for those with restricted mobility a little further along Barnes Lane from the main parking area, leading on to well-appointed easy access paths.

There is an information panel giving details of the history and nature of the woodland, with marked-out walks and viewpoints. The entrance from the main car park is through a charming green-painted iron holly arch with a leaf gate.

This place will take a good hour of your time and is well worth it. I have yet to see this woodland in Spring, but autumn seems to paint some of her brightest colours here.

***

West Wood, Weston - Another extensive walking area also accessible to cyclists, this not only has beautiful woodland to wander in, but also an open picnic area and access out on to grassland with extensive views out over the surrounding countryside and across the Solent. There is a small lake about 200 yards into the woodland from the entrance at Weston Shore. This woodland does undulate quite a lot so is good for working the legs. The paths are well-appointed and there are steps down to the lake. It is also possible to spot fallow deer in the woods, if you are very quiet and very lucky.

Parking is on Weston shore front. There used to be a car park on the woodland side of the road but this has been blocked off. There is a narrow path that leads around the lefthand side of the blockage for access across the car park to the woodland entrance.

Old Sarum & Salisbury

2008-10-28T17:51:00.006Z

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

2008-10-20T23:05:00.004+01:00

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

2008-10-16T17:04:00.017+01:00

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

2008-10-12T16:15:00.005+01:00

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

2008-10-10T16:28:00.008+01:00

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!!

2008-10-04T16:23:00.005+01:00

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

2008-10-03T17:11:00.003+01:00

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.

Spearywell Wood to Mottisfont

2008-09-30T23:36:00.016+01:00

29 September 2008

Distance: 3 1/2 miles
Parking: National Trust Car Park - Spearywell Wood
Map: Explorer 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley
Map ref for car park: SU316278

This is another lovely walk in the Test Valley through woodland, past pretty cottages and lovely river views. There is a railway to pass under and to cross - with care! The walk takes in the village of Mottisfont where there is an Abbey and Gardens. The Mottisfont Estate is run by the National Trust.

To start the walk, pass beside the barrier at the back of the car park into the woods on a good track. The path passes through old woodland and then down through conifer trees. Bracken rises up the slope to the left, while the ground to the right is carpeted in green. There is a strange feel to this part of the woodland, the feeling that people once dwelt here.

The path comes to a grassy T-junction. Turn left here by a way marker stone and head uphill. Where another path crosses at the top, bear right and follow the way round to a staggered junction. Here is a short-cut sign to Mottisfont Abbey. Go left, then right on to a track down through woodland, past a T junction which goes over a plank bridge into a fields and continue to a junction and turn left. Where the paths cross ahead there is a gap in the hedge, left, into a field; ahead the way continues into another field with a missing gate; to the right is a wide way, which at the time of walking this route, was cleared back hedges and a grass path running down the left side of a wide dirt track rutted with tractor treads. Go right along the grass path to the trees. There is a stile which you can climb over if you feel like it, but the path also skirts around it.

The footpath follows a fence, right, for some distance. There is a view to the right over a large field and trees to a hill in the distance. In the foreground, the spire of a church can be seen rising just above the tree tops. Keep following the path round, bearing right past a muddy stream, until the way passes under the railway and comes to a bridge over the river Dun. There are pretty views both ways along the river from the bridge; however, the route turns left through a metal kissing gate just before the bridge.

Follow the path through a meadow and rough, marshy pasture. There are two plank bridges which manage to miss the mud at either end in both cases, however it only means a short jump to the planks. Keep along the path to a double stile by oak trees. Turn right along the field edge to another stile and continue through a copse. The path passes a spring to the right and a little further on is a beautiful little cottage on the left, tucked in the trees and totally isolated. Past the cottage, the path continues through a gate and along the left-hand edge of a field, past an electricity junction and through a gate beyond which is the railway. To the right, Dunbridge Station is visible. Take note of the warning signs beside the gate. Stop, listen and look for trains coming before crossing the planks to the opposite white gate. Follow the path beyond this gate between hedges and past a defunct stile to the B3084 - a road sign opposite reads "Hat Hill Mottisfont".

Cross the road to the gate and follow the path up through cow pasture to another gate at the top of the field. The path continues through arable land. Towards the further end of this field is a low fence bearing a sign that the path has been diverted to avoid an old oak tree invaluable for conservation. The tree is large, quite beautiful and almost symmetrical from this angle. Continue along the path, through the fence and turn right along the lane beyond. This is Hat Lane, now closed to motorised traffic, and comes down past a grey phone box on to the main road through Mottisfont village. To visit the Abbey and Gardens, turn right here past the 12th Century St Andrews Church on the right and pretty Hazel Cottage on the left.

To continue the walk, turn left with the pub and then the wall of the Abbey grounds on the right. At the road junction turn left up Bengers Lane and take the path right which goes across a field (be careful not to turn up the driveway of a house which is the first path on the right!). Pass between two oak trees and through a windbreak of trees over a plank bridge, and across another field to a gate in the far corner. Pass around the gate and out on to the road which, turning right, comes back to the car park. There is a grass verge on the left side of the road past the cottages. However, I should mention that I was subjected to verbal canine abuse from one of the gardens, which made me jump! The verge eventually ends and the car park is just a few yards ahead.

Timsbury to Mottisfont Circular

2008-09-24T18:40:00.005+01:00

24 September 2008

Distance: 8 miles
Parking: Hunt's Farm Sports Ground, or parking at the side of the A3057 heading south to Romsey
Map: Explorer 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley
Map ref for car park: SU347251

(I am indebted to Test Valley Borough Council for the original directions for this walk.)

This is a pleasant walk from start to finish, as the paths are clear and well-kept and usually a comfortable width. The only domestic animals I encountered today were sheep at the Church at Michelmersh and they were in the graveyard keeping the grass down. Much better than a lawnmower.

This walk starts from Hunt's Farm Sports Ground in Timsbury, entrance off the A3057, but the parking area mentioned above may be more convenient.

From the Sports Ground car park, return to the entrance and turn left on to a grass verge, or cross the road (it is fast and can be busy) to the pavement opposite. On the left side of the road turn up Heron Lane (this does not have a road nameplate at the moment) just before the parking area at the side of the road. The village hall is tucked behind a hedge to the right at the start of this lane.

The lane soon becomes a bridlepath. Keep following this round past houses and Hunt's Farm on a new tarmac road to a Y-junction. Take the left hand fork on to the road. Follow this road with care into the village of Michelmersh. On reaching a crossroads and a roadsign turn right and then left on to a track after the houses. This track goes up between fences, through two gates and passes to the left of a reservoir. Come to a gate and cross the small field ahead to the Churchyard. Go through the churchyard past the entrance of this lovely church and out through the gate to the road.

Turn right and cross the road to a footpath heading down beside fields until a footpath sign pointing in all directions. Go right here, uphill towards a copse. Take a few pauses to enjoy the unfolding view across the Test Valley.

Go through the copse with farm buildings to the right and out the other side to another field. Pass through the gap in the electric fence and head diagonally across the field to a sprung gate into woodland. The path downward is quite steep. There is a handrail for a little way but it continues steeply after the handrail finishes. Keep following the path down to a stile into a field. A hill rises steeply to the right. Continue down to the road beyond another stile.

Cross the road with care and pass through the fence-gap and over a bridge with lovely views along the Test River on both sides. Keep along the tarmac path to a stile beside a gate into the flat field beyond. There is a sign on the post advising walkers to follow the white posts. This path leads across to another bridge, which has a step-over rail.

Turn left after the bridge along a gravel drive past pretty cottages. Pass over another bridge. Look for a kissing gate on the left in the hedge. This leads into the Mottisfont Estate which the Test Way continues through. Today, there were notices of a diversion of the Way; however, it appears from the map on the gate that this may be a permanent change as it is the same as the Explorer map route. Cut diagonally across the field through a break of trees and continue towards a footpath sign in the middle of the field next to some more trees. Turn a little right again and head slightly uphill to the gate to the road. On the left across the field is Mottisfont Abbey.

Turn left along the road, past the walls of the Mottisfont Estate and keep left as the road bears. Choose to continue along the road, past Hazel Cottage on the left and the 12th Century St Andrews Church on the right to visit Mottisfont, and return to the Church after the visit.

To continue the walk, turn up the road right with the Church on the left. The lane soon becomes a long path. Follow this to a stile into a conservation area. Dogs are requested to be kept under close control here. Cross the field along a well-defined grass track to a bridge over the River Dun. The view to the right is pretty.

Continue through the gate on the other side of the bridge. The path climbs steeply between fencing and woodland to another tall gate. Go through this and over the railway bridge. Follow the path along until it reaches a crossroads. Turn left here and descend gently to the road.

Turn left over the level crossing into the village of Kimbridge. Kimbridge Farm Shop is on the left. The shop sells, among other things, miniature bottles of flavoured wines which also come in normal sized bottles as well. There is a tea shop called Annie's within the building. There is a lovely wooden, covered bridge over an ornamental pond to the entrance, and a huge willow tree stands before the building. It is all very picturesque.

From the Farm Shop continue along the road through Kimbridge. This road is surprisingly busy for a minor road and there are verges to step onto out of the way of the traffic. Follow the road all the way along until it reaches the A3057.

On the other side of the road is The Bear and Ragged Staff pub. The walk continues, when you are ready, up the lane which passes to the right of the pub. Just before a crossroads on the outskirts of Michelmersh, turn right along a footpath which runs alongside a house. There are two gates to pass through, the intervening space is the garden to the house, so please be respectful of this space.

Through the second gate, the path skirts the edge of a cornfield over a stile and continues right. Keep following the path along. It goes over an entrance to the claypits and on the other side of this track follows the edge of the claypits/brickworks and down to the brickworks yard. Turn right to pass buildings out into the road and turn left.

On the right side of the road is a footpath sign. There is a gap in the hedge but the stile is no longer there. Pass down through the field and into woodland; there is a stile but no fence. Follow the path down to the tarmac road and turn right down to the main road. Turn left and follow the road back to the Sports Ground and car park.

Hut Wood circular

2008-09-24T01:02:00.002+01:00

16 September 2008

Distance: 31/2 miles

Parking: Off-road raised area on B3043

Map: OL22 - New Forest

Explorer Map ref for car park: SU426183

I don't have any photos of this so I shall have to walk it again to get some. This is a very easy ramble between Chilworth, Chandlers Ford and North Baddesley - barely outside Southampton and about three miles from my front door.

It's a walk I would recommend for any pleasant day, but not mid-week for parking because of overspill from the nearby industrial park and some inconsiderate parking methods.

The weather was pleasant and the woodland glowed golden when the sun came out. I stepped into a deep puddle because I was watching the trees for the source of interesting rustlings.

The walk starts in Hut Wood going from East to West along a wide track, from which you have to find a barely defined footpath winding up over an earthwork up to a right of way (footpath). The route turns north on to a bridlepath right of way up to Castle Lane where you cross over to follow a foot-and-cycle path alongside a private woodland until you cross over again to walk south along Misslebrook Lane to Botley Road (which goes to Romsey).

Cross Botley Road to the safety of the pavement, then recross in front of the Chilworth Arms to a bridleway which doubles as a tarmac drive past houses until the tarmac bears off to the left and the bridlepath continues as an earthen path. Eventually the bridlepath intersects with the footpath, as before. Turn right along the footpath and look for the bit of woodland you memorised earlier to find that little indistinct pathway down into the woods again.

Follow the main track back to a T-junction shortly and turn down the left-hand track and just keep following this back to the metal gate and parking area.

I spotted a small black lizard scuttling off path into the undergrowth. It was about three or four inches long, including the tail.

And being me, I saw a deer. She was standing in a small glade between trees. She stared for a moment, then she bounced away and ran across the path about twenty feet from me.

And all this so close to home.

Stockbridge to Danebury Hill

2008-09-16T21:02:00.011+01:00

16 September 2008

Caveat: Parts of this walk are not suitable for children or dogs, and great care must be taken with the two fast roads encountered

Distance: 7 1/2 miles approx
Parking: National Trust Car Park The Lions Den (free)
Map: Explorer 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley
Map ref for car park: SU357347

Today, I headed for Stockbridge in the Test Valley, overlooked by Stockbridge Down to the East and leading, via part of the Test Way and a well-maintained Restricted Byway, to Danebury Hill, or Danebury Ring, the remains of an Iron Age Settlement.

I parked in the National Trust car park called The Lions Den and accessed via a very narrow country lane which runs parallel with the A3057 from Kings Somborne.

Two gates lead on to a Common popular with dog walkers and marked on the map as access land. Between the two gates runs the Test Way. My way turned right from the gate towards Stockbridge.

There are some peculiarities with this walk. Part of the Test Way runs along the verge beside the A3057 after the roundabout at Stockbridge. On the map, it shows the Way going through the roundabout. I think this inadvisable; probably best to do what I did – go left, cross at the island and follow the way safely along the verge from there.

Other oddities of this walk will be revealed, as in every good tale, as I come across them.

Eventually, the Test Way goes off on its safer course parallel to the road but separated from it on a proper footpath.

I’m heading for the lane that heads west to Longstock. As I walk along, I see an interesting path cutting up to the left. I pass it, though wondering where it goes. And a few yards further on I see a large green bridge affair passing over the path ahead. Now I know where that other path leads. The large green bridge affair is the road I’m after. The Test Way runs under it. To get up on to it I have to go back and up the other path.

This road is bordered by lots of streams all gushing, bubbling and trickling, and woodlands of birch trees and nettles. There is no way through those woods. As the lane continues it becomes more and more charming with little fishing huts, and a small weir and the river running alongside the road.

And then into Longstock itself. Hampshire can pride itself on its little villages and hamlets and Longstock is a very pretty example with its thatched cottages, lovely old church set on its own little hill and The Peat Spade Inn which designates itself as a “rooming house”.

After stopping to take photos, my way lies up Church Lane which eventually leaves tarmac behind becoming a restricted byway. Some of it lies between hedges which can become a little tedious, although the way is clear and firm underfoot. I amused myself, as I was heading for Danebury Hill, imagining I was some Iron Age traveller wayfaring to trade with Danebury. At the top of a rise, beside what are designated on the map “new buildings” and really aren’t! there is an open area with views out on three sides. Eventually, the byway ends at the junction of two undesignated roads.

Here is another peculiarity of this walk, and a not very pleasant one. Eventually the way lies across the road along the continuation of the byway; but if you want to get to Danebury Hill, there is no provision for walkers except this very fast road, on the road. The verges are overgrown, and never meant to be footways as far as I can tell. I did it, there and back again, because my goal for my lunchbreak was Danebury and having been there before (albeit by car) I was looking forward to being there again.

There is a public convenience, which is clean and well-maintained but rather strange. It is in the form of a roundhouse, although brick and tile, rather than wattle and daub. The ladies, at least, is a white quarter circle chamber with a high window, one toilet and washbasin. There is a notice on the door that warns “Do not lock the door, it doesn’t unlock.” I used my rucksack to hold it closed.

Lunch on the ramparts was pleasant, as the sun came out. Helicopters were flying back and forth out from Middle Wallop Airfield just over the way to the northwest. I had a wander around the Fort, taking in the atmosphere, and as a cold wind began to come up I departed to play with the traffic and start the return journey.

The second part of the walk continues along a byway on the south side of the road. This was muddy at the start today, but soon became dry underfoot, if a little rutted for some way. It runs between hedges as before but with gaps to left and right so you get views of Danebury to the right, and an arable field bordered today by a mass of scarlet poppies. The ruttedness soon calms down and becomes a clear track.

At the corner, where the byway becomes a lane, there is a footpath marker with a yellow Hampshire County Council tag over a stile. This is the path to follow. I must say the farmer has done a better job of keeping his bit of the path clear than HCC have their bit, but for all that it is perfectly passable – just don’t wear shorts.

The views begin to expand again until you turn southeast to follow the footpath along the edge of the now resting cropfields. Into the second field, the path begins to lose some of its clarity but it is still passable. The view drops away as you drop downhill but there is a treat in store.

Not immediately, though.

The footpath goes through the corner of a hedge, hard to spot but it is there – you just have to trust me! DO NOT RUSH THROUGH! The hedge is right on the edge of the A30. No verge, no pavement, nothing but fast traffic to play with. I rather enjoyed the idea that as people roared past they caught a glimpse of someone standing in the hedge.

In a break in the traffic (it does happen) get across the road and over the stile on to an indistinguishable footpath. Just keep the hedge on your left.

There is one further stile and on the other side the most beautiful green greenway I have yet encountered. It is tidy and quite a lovely place to walk. There are nettles on both sides but not overgrown, and enormous dock leaves. Someone other than nature has gone to a lot of trouble here. And soon Stockbridge is just visible between the trees ahead as the path descends. The byway comes out on to a road by a school. From here, it is a simple matter of following the road down and round to the right and along the main street of Stockbridge.

This is an old stamping ground of mine – I should say “singing” ground. I used to sing in concerts in St Peters Church some years ago with a small group of enthusiastic amateurs called Opera Dever. As I had not done so before, I took photos of the Church both outside and inside.

Continuing on towards my reward of tea and chocolate, I went back along the road by the roundabout I came along towards the beginning of the walk and met a small, black, hairy friend; a very friendly cat that seemed to think the middle of the road was a good place for a fuss. With laughing from onlookers, I eventually managed to coax the cat off the road so the oncoming car could get going again, and it was pleased to be fussed over for a few minutes. I had to leave my little friend and continued back along the few yards of the Test Way back to the gate and the car park, where I had tea waiting in a thermos flask, and a small bar of chocolate.