Cheesefoot Head and Fawley Down

Distance: 5 miles approx
Car Park: Cheesefoot Head Car Park off the A272 (signposted)
Map: Explorer 132

Park in the car park, get out of the car and look north. Already the view is outstanding!

This is a shorter walk but it has again some staggering views of Hampshire from another excellent vantage point and some of the lower scenery is pretty. It took me about 2 hours including stoppage time for photos and views.

Go back to the car park entrance and cross over VERY CAREFULLY – THIS IS A FIENDISHLY FAST ROAD!

Turn left along the verge to the gate. Here more spectacular views hit the eye. The Isle of Wight, the chimneys of Fawley Power Station across the Solent, Southampton sparkling lower down in the distance, the New Forest rising away westward and the rise and fall of downland. As you walk downwards you are walking the King’s Way. About half way down the way goes off to the left but it loses the view and you are better off continuing down the track (Warren Lane). I also saw a "crop circle" (it was quite an intricate pattern).

Don’t forget to courteously acknowledge anyone who may drive or ride up this lane as well. As you lose the view the track bends round to the right becoming Ox Drove. Keep straight on along the grassy track ahead and through the gate into Old Down Plantation.

Ignore paths to left and right and continue over the cross-paths further down into a shade of trees. There is a right of way footpath marked off this route but this is confused by there being other paths off which are waymarked that do not appear on the map. The one I chose is to the right (the direction you need to turn to follow my route) over a stile, waymarked by a yellow Hampshire arrow. Opposite this is a marked way through a green field. The field our route follows is through a field of beans left to go over.

Walk down this right hand side of the field with trees on your right until you come to a broad green way going right to left before you. Turn right along here, pass through a gap in the trees along the bottom of another bean field left to go over, and follow the path’s natural course round to the right. Just before this you pass a footpath sign pointing its finger back across the bean field but the path itself is lost among the beans. The path you are on is called Old Down Lane and on the map follows straight on from the footpath lost in the beanfield.

The Lane comes eventually to a field entrance. It is hard to seat first but the path turns right, between the hedge that borders the field and a windbreak of trees on the left. It is a little overgrown and narrow and there are trees bending low over the path but it is negotiable and you can look out over the fields which is pleasant.

The Lane comes out at a road and immediately turns left away from the road again. You may have to look carefully for the start but the path is clear and soon widens out a little. There is a view of houses to the left through the trees although the high hedge to the right blocks the view of the field. However the Lane is pretty enough and eventually comes out at Fawley Lane.
Take note of the MOD warning notices here, however the footpath that continues on ahead has an MOD notice on it which states that the firing range does not encroach on this path. If you choose to extend your way to skirt the firing range take heed of all warnings and advice and do not wander away from the paths.

To follow my route, turn right up Fawley Lane, past cottages on the right and continue between high hedges and masking trees, and continuing MOD warning signs. Eventually the hedges and trees clear and Fawley Down stretches away before you. Take the right hand path. The left way is not for public access. There is a little lawn of green grass and purple flowers here, in summer.
Put away your map and simply follow this path up towards Cheesefoot Head. To your right is the curve of the wheatfields you went down earlier. To the left is the expanding view of north and north west Hampshire and later you will see Winchester laid out in the valley. Behind, the view also grows to the spreading vista seen before from the top of King’s Way. It is worth stopping and looking around every 50 to 100 yards to see the changing view.

Ahead, you can cross the A272 (remember to take great care with this road) and turn right along the verge back to the car park, or choose to extend your route along the South Downs Way through the gate, to Exton. Alternatively, at the top of Fawley Down you can turn left and follow the beginning of the South Downs Way back to its starting point in Winchester.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park and Butser Hill

Distance: 10 miles approx
Car park: Queen Elizabeth car park (£1 fee)
Map: Explorer 120 plus Country Park Way Guide

My route but also see Jarrolds Pathfinder Guide No.12 Hampshire and New Forest (Walk 9) and the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Guide price 75p at the Visitor Centre

For the walk around the Country Park itself, I chose the Long Woodland Trail which is 5 miles, but there are loads of routes to choose from or you can make up your own meandering route, and extend your route outside the boundaries as both the South Downs Way and the Staunton Way pass through the Country Park.

Butser Hill is a good place to stretch your legs, test your vertigo, and get still more fab views.
You go out of the Country Park car park by the Visitors Centre and under the A3. On the other side, the path goes right, across another car park and down through trees to a gate, right. Butser Hill rises majestically before you.

It can be done without walking poles but why not make life easy for yourself. Besides if you choose not to be a mountain goat, you might well need them up the other side ...

So you go up and up and up and through a gate, then up some more. There is a circular route round the hill in either direction, however I went right and not so circular. At the top there are views everywhere! The Isle of Wight stretches out across the Solent pointing its way out to the English Channel and the Downs roll away on every side. East rise the woody slopes of the Country Park and more hills rear up beyond. To the north is a great valley where Petersfield sits and all surrounded by hills and hangers in every direction. This view accompanies you on the way round to the north side of Butser. Westward now is more downland with villages and farms nestled down. You go over a stile here. A little further on the waymarked route around the hill crosses your path.

In my journal I’ve written “hahahahaha! What am I? A mountain goat?” The path clings to the side of Grandfather’s Bottom, open to the invisible hands waiting to pull you off.

I admit to a touch of vertigo. Heights are fine; it’s steep drops I don’t like – at all!

So what am I to do?

There are a couple of walkers coming up from the direction of a place at the bottom of the hill before me called the Nore. This is the way I choose to go. According to the map it comes out on to a byway. The way goes down and is safely broadly sloped on either side. It goes down into trees the path becoming a steep and narrow chalk channel. I would not recommend this path in or after rain. At the bottom of the slope is a stile. Go over this and turn left up the byway. It’s marked as a bridleway. I would defy any rider to take their horse up this. The path is bare chalk, narrow and worn away into channels by rain. A walking pole for stability in places is a good idea. It is steep but not impossible. And there is the option about halfway up to go back over a stile on to a better path along the side of Grandfather’s Bottom again. I choose not.

I tend not to stop when I’m on a walk. In fact most of my walks can be like route marches. This one I had to stop twice to give my legs a brief respite. Eventually the path becomes a bit more stable underfoot, if still steep in slope, and eventually comes out to the top of the hill at a driveway which goes up to the Butser Hill car park. From here, turn left and follow the bridle path back down through the gate through which you came on the way up thesouth-west slope and return under the A3 to the Country Park.

Ivy Wood

Jarrolds Pathfinder Guide No. 12 Hampshire and New Forest (walk 20)

Distance: 5 ¼ miles
Car Park: Ivy Wood
Map: OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU315024

(Extension added by myself)

Another lovely walk around the outskirts of Brockenhurst to start, past the gatehouse to Brockenhurst Park, then up a gravel track to a beautiful little church seated aloof on a rise outside the village.

Along country lanes, open paths and woodlands with the chance again of seeing deer. This is the walk that taught me to always, always take my camera, as a fallow deer leapt down through a field right past me!

At Ditton Farm, instead of turning left along the bridleway before the buildings, I turned right to go around the building that side, across the farm track and following a right of way across a large field of cattle and horses to the edge of Beaulieu Heath. I was rewarded for my effort when I turned to look South. There were the hills of the Isle of Wight rising. As the air and the light were clear in the early evening, the detail of the Island view stood out beautifully. Regretfully my path lay north.

Once past the camping site and off the gravelled trail into the woodland, take care as the way can be very muddy, especially when the loggers have been up there. Another thing to watch for is the path through Ivy Wood back to the car park becoming indistinct. It doesn’t help if you get drawn to the River. However, if you follow the River with it on your left, eventually you will come out to the road and/or the little bridge you pass over at the start of the walk and then it’s just a matter of turning along the road back to the car park from there.

Lyndhurst to Brockenhurst (and back again)

Distance: 9 miles approx
Parking: Parc Pale car park, Lyndhurst
Map: OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU307079

(Diversion inadvertently created by myself)

This is a lovely walk, taking in some of the best of the New Forest. There is a chance of coming across deer, if you are quiet and do not stray off the paths or let dogs run off the lead. Be careful to give ponies and cattle plenty of space, and do not feed or try to pet the ponies.

From the car park, climb up the sandy bank to the trig point. There are scenic views over the forest to the south along here. Turn right here along a ride through gorse and ferns, which eventually becomes just gorse. Ignore paths to right and left until gorse blocks the way ahead. Turn left here to a parallel ride. When the way forks, take the right fork down to the road.

Head for the “Parkhill Hotel” sign. Cross the road and follow the track to the left of a red post box. Pass the path leading to Parc Pale Cottage and Stable Cottage, and over a stream to an open space. Take the right path alongside the caravan park and pass another cottage to the woodland beyond. Follow the fence into the woodland and keep this fence to your right as the path fades. Take care, as the forest floor here can be very muddy. In approx 250m cross over a wooden bridge and keep following the fence right. The woods soon broaden into a clearing and a gravel track.

Turn left along the gravel track. Ignore a right turn signed Brockenhurst and another to the left. Your way comes to a T-junction and open area. Turn right here through a gate and straight over the next two cross-paths. At a third cross-path, which is gravel to left and right and a grass path straight ahead, turn left down a gravel track signed to Brockenhurst. Be aware of possible diversions in this part of the Forest, due to logging. Ignore paths on the left, go straight over crossroads and straight over the Frohawk ride crossroads. The path shortly begins to head uphill to a sharp left bend, ignoring a grass ride on the right. Continue around the bend to a diamond-shaped area.

Bear right on to the grass track. In approx 30m this forks. Take the left fork along a pleasant track across the clearing. Follow this all the way down into the trees on the other side, emerging on to a gravel track. Continue along this and through a gate into Standing Hat car park. Follow the long gravel road to the car park entrance. There is a private road to the right. Either follow this and cross over a three-way stile into the Balmer Lawn Hotel car park, or follow the grass parallel to both just by the Standing Hat car park entrance. Either will bring you to the cricket ground in front of the Hotel.

You need to cross the road to pass through the pedestrian gate out to the A337. Turn right up this busy road until you reach the entrance to Hollands Wood Campsite. Cross the road here to go over a stile on to a path which forks in approx. 30m.

Take the left fork and follow the line of the river, passing a bridge. This woodland is where I saw a small herd of red deer on the day I followed this walk. This is idyllic New Forest woodland, with the river running through it.

A fence appears on your right. Follow the line of this fence to Bolderwood Bridge in about ¾ of a mile. The bridge will be on your left along the line of a gravel track. Turn right up the track and bear left on to a grass path before you reach the gate. Where the path forks, take the right hand path, continuing parallel with the river and with a fence on your right. In 400m you come to a bridge. Turn right before the bridge, following the fence line still on your right. This path can also be very muddy. Watch out for the strange “white” forest along here. There are also look-out platforms placed at intervals. These are for Forest rangers and not for public use.

In approx ¾ mile you come to another fence on the left. Continue straight ahead to a gravel track. Go along this following the sign to Lyndhurst.

(This next is the way you are supposed to go:

In approx 400m the gravel track bends left. The open area ahead is Butts Lawn. Bear on to a grassy track to the right on the bend to skirt the Lawn. The path leads over a stream into woodland, across another open space, and then into more woodland. Continue straight ahead eventually meeting a fence on the left just before a gravel track from Coxlease School.

Turn right away from the school towards the main road. At the road, turn left towards Lyndhurst and in 20m turn right through a gate by a cottage. Continue along the hedge to the cottage, then walk left around the hedge to the back of the cottage. The path leads down to the back of the estate, bears right at some green garages with houses to the left to emerge at another gate.

Go through the two gates crossing the track. In 400m the path forks. Take the left fork which bears left to two gates at Beaulieu Road. Cross the road and follow the path back to the sandy bank and down to the car park.)

Actually, my route didn’t go quite this smoothly, owing to a) my inability to tell how far 400m was (I know now!), and b) trying to take a short cut. I ended up at Pinkney Lane and turned back along the cycle track. I knew I had to go left, so I did along a grassy ride. I don’t know if I ever found Coxlease School, but I found a gate and went through it, found some cottages, went through another gate and eventually ended up coming down through the barbecue area of Foxlease Park. I made my way down to the entrance drive and at the end of this, crossed the road and down a lane between houses to the entrance to Clayhill Inclosure. I turned left through the gate and followed this path all the way up. From the written directions above I believe I’d come out where I should have been. The path took me to the gates and Beaulieu Road, where I gratefully followed the path back to the car park.

This walk featured in The Guardian –Life and Health – 12/09/04

Old Winchester Hill and Garden Hill Lane

Jarrold's Pathfinder Guide No. 12 Hampshire and New Forest (Walk 25)

This walk begins and ends with Old Winchester Hill, an Iron Age Hillfort. It is one of many excellent viewpoints in Hampshire, with 360-degree panoramic views over the county out as far as the Isle of Wight. In the immediate foreground to the west rises Beacon Hill above Exton over which passes part of the 101 mile-long South Downs Way.

If you are lucky you may see some smaller birds of prey hovering over the hillside.

The walk passes down through a narrow tunnel of trees, around the edges of cropfields and along an ancient route called Garden Hill Lane. This is extremely narrow and runs beside a stream of the Meon River. It can be very muddy in places, and becomes quite overgrown in the latter stages before you reach the bridge.

The Meon River is shallow and clear at this point as you come to the village of Exton.

The walk takes in pretty churches and country lanes and passes a pub in Exton called the Shoe Inn.

The second half of the walk (assuming the half way point as the pub) has a lo - ot of stiles and all heading uphill. Some of the fields are quite steep so at least one walking pole may be adviseable if you're not as fit as you'd like to be. As the way now climbs consistently it's a good idea to take it steadily. Eventually you leave paddocks and stiles behind and follow New Road to the top of this bit. It bends forms a crossroads with Watton Lane and there are more lovely views to be had as you climb and at the top. The walk goes over another stile and follows the edge of a large wheatfield heading down. Here you can see 2km across the valley to the steep slope of Old Winchester Hill. Across Stocks Lane is a path that becomes a bridle way further up through a gate. On the day I walked this, the farmer had put up information about the crops grown and how bread flour wheat is different from cake flour wheat, which I thought a charming thing to do!

And the walk climbs out of the bridle path. As the guidebook has it, the path "claws its way up the chalk hillside". Walking poles are of benefit here!

Eventually it reaches sensible ground and you turn right back towards the car park. There are benches placed at strategic points for rest, water and enjoyment of the beautiful views.