Gallery

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Stansted Park walk on 17th July 2024

The walk through Stansted Park, led by John and Maureen, started out from the Castle Inn in Rowlands Castle. Crossing over the road we were soon into the woods of Stansted Park, before emerging onto the Monarchs Way, a wide grassy area, originally cut into the woodland in the 17th century. In the distance was Stansted House, rebuilt (after a fire destroyed the original) in 1903 in the style of Christopher Wren. The Park has had many royal visitors including King John, Richard I, Edward VI and the house has been visited by the Queen Mother and  Princess Anne. However the MFC walkers chose to turn left and plunge into the ancient woods instead of muddying the carpets of the main house. After some easy walking on a wide track, we took smaller paths to eventually exit the Park onto Staunton Way, with a distant view of the main Waterloo to Portsmouth railway line. Whilst the forest had been easy walking,  the vegetation was suprisingly challenging in a few places on this footpath. However after our 4.3 mile walk we all survived to reach the Castle Inn in good spirits where everybody took the opportunity to re-hydrate before being served an excellent lunch.

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Grayshott Walk on 10th July 2024

Drizzle on windscreens on the way to Grayshott was not a good sign. However the rain stopped and whilst we had clouds, we also had sunshine. The walk started from the Fox and Pelican and took a journey through the backstreets and paths of Grayshott. One excursion was unfortunate as it only went as far as a nursery school, at which point we were told the old access past the school had been closed! Luckily it wasn't too large an error and we were soon on our way.  We crossed the road to Headley Down opposite the Grayshott Hall Health Spa (once home to Lord Tennyson) but now sadly closed, a victim of the Covid epidemic. We walked through Ludshott Common, now an important area for several endangered species. Used by the Canadians during WWII for tank training and despite all the glorious heather being turned to mud, it has recovered well. We eventually reached  Summerden, the residence of the National Trust warden and just below it, the wishing well with the poem on a plaque composed by Lord Tennyson. We then walked the length of the three Wagonners Wells ponds and spotted a few large carp and many ducks enjoying this  tranquil area. From Croaker's Patch, a path took us to Stoney Bottom from where we turned up Hill Road and so back to the Fox and Pelican for a good lunch. The walk was about 4.8 miles,

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Midhurst walk on 3rd July 2024

Pauline and Linda assembled us in the North Street car park before we took the Causeway down to Cowdray House. Cowdray House was visited at different times by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Edward VI who were better received than Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury, who was imprisoned for 9 months. The House was destroyed by fire in 1793.   From the House we turned and took the path towards Easebourne, managing to avoid large lorries delivering polo ponies for the Gold Cup Qualifiers matches. We then took a turn up Easebourne Lane and had a look at some excellent allotments, carefully nurtured by MFC Walkers, one of which was the plot looked after for decades by the now retired June. Carrying on up the hill we eventually reached our drinks stop in Whitters Copse. Refreshed and replenished we took a different route back down the hill, reached the road opposite Budgenor Lodge. Once a poor house, Budgenor could house 180 imnmates. Bread and cheese for breakfast and supper, luckily lunch could be mutton and pork, trimmings, oxheads and bacon, and coarse beef. However we didn't stop there for lunch but carried on to the route back past the polo ponies, our final stop for a very pleasant lunch being in the Lions Den Cafe in North Street. The walk was around 5.3 miles.

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Stroud walk on 26th June 2024

Many thanks to Jay for stepping in to do this walk around Stroud. We started from the car park of the Seven Stars and the temperature was heading towards the hottest day of the year so far, with 30 degrees recorded at Heathrow later in the day. However we took care not to exert ourselves too much and we took advantage of all the shade that was available. We headed for Mustercoombe Copse before crossing fields to reach the village of Langrish. From here the path went across a field, up steps through a wood and then another field and the uphill work did at least give us a marvellous view across to Butser, Petersfield and beyond. We were now at Cold Hill (very inapropriate name for the day) and another rise took us to Ridge Lane above Great Hanger. The pile of logs previously chosen as an ideal drink stop was in fact being redistributed into lorrys in anticipation of a cold winter so we carried on to the junction with Lythe Hanger. This being the highest point on our walk, a drink and a short rest was much appreciated.  The descent to Lythe Farm was achieved without incident and we paused at a memorial seat (for a local marine who died in Afganistan in 2010) before carrying on past Lythe Farm and eventually reaching the Seven Stars for lunch. It was cooler inside and the water and lunch was much appreciated. The walk was a little under 4.1/2 miles.

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Walderton Walk on 19th June 2024

Denis chose to walk in Walderton, partly because of the superb chips served in the pub! However, beforehand we needed to explore the nearby countryside. After a wander down to Manor Farm, we doubled back and took the Monarch's Way towards Inholmes Wood. The route was through fields of rapeseed but the yellow flowers had now turned to numerous seed pods, which we brushed through, grateful it was a dry day. Small clumps of red poppies had evaded the farmers "cultivation". At the start of Inholmes Wood we turned down towards Piglegged Row and then up again to find a great picnic spot high above the Watergate Park, with views of the sea around Hayling Island. The fields were full of daisies, with an occasional orchid for further decoration. After passing Watergate House we crossed the road to enter Watergate Hanger, re-crossing the road into Watergate Park for our final walk through the fields to Walderton and the welcome sight of the Barley Mow. The walk was just over 4 miles.

 

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