Acres Down to Lucas Castle

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

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

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

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

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.