Brockenhurst to Ashurst

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

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)

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

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

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!