Gallery

Lord's Piece walk on 1st November 2023

Sally's walk started out from the Lord's Piece car park. There had been heavy rain overnight but with the words of Dr Michael Mosley in our heads on why we should embrace the rain, we set off over the heathland heading in the direction of Bignor Park. Lord’s Piece is well known for having reintroduced field crickets to boost the near extinct population - we will have to wait for the summer to hear them.

Early on in our walk we came across a large carved piece of oak. Created by the artist Jon Edgar between July 2021 and completed in 2023, the wood came from a centuries old piece of tree from the Barlavington Estate. Crossing the road we walked along woodland paths luckily giving us shelter from the showers unaware that we were heading towards Bignor Mill and not the house - somewhere a left turn had been missed! No problem our technical team located a new route to get to our coffee stop at the bus shelter in Sutton by continuing along our path and onto the road leading up to Sutton. Missing the House and the Roman Villa and the village of Bignor was disappointing, but there’s another walk there for another time! Perfectly placed bus shelter for our coffee break opposite the smart White Horse Inn refreshed us before our return lap back to the Car Park. Taking a right down School Lane we headed along muddy paths and over rustic bridges with plenty of water flowing to a pedestrian gate where we encountered deep water. Unable to cross the streams either side because of barbed wire, the adventurous amongst us went into overdrive problem solving mode. Broken branches from trees were thrown/placed either side of the gate in the water and with the swinging gate we all rose to the occasion and reached firmer ground on the other side. Over the field and an easy stile onto a lane and then back into the shelter of the woodland track we arrived back at the road and an entrance gate to Lords Piece for a quick ascent up to the Car Park. Onto The Badgers pub where we had a delicious lunch with great service and were joined by a few of the short walkers. A very enjoyable 4.6 miles created and led by Sally.

Just a small puddle in the car park....

Look, blue sky up above

Lord's Piece common - is that a cloud over there?

Striding along, not a care in the world

Some very skillful chainsaw and chisel work on display

Some paths were better than others

Sadly our litter-picker was not with us.

Best coffee spot ever!

Autumn colours at Cedar Cottage

Wonder where all that water is going?

Ignoring this helpful signpost, we carried on.

Ah so that's where all the water was heading

With the help of 6 logs and some dainty footwork, we all survived.

Enormous Parasol mushroom spotted in a wood, delicious fried with breadcrumbs

Delightful to see some other members already in The Badger

Cheers!

About 4.6 miles

Rogate walk on 25th October 2023

The 5 mile walk lead by Pauline and Linda, supported by locals started in the car park of the recently reopened White Horse with one of the largest turn outs of the year and we supplemented our numbers as we passed the front door of a couple of members. There had been torrential rain overnight leading to lots of puddles and mud but it stayed mostly dry for our walk. We took it gently down the main road heading towards Fyning with the traffic slowing down to avoid splashing us. The gentle ascent started on Fyning Lane continuing onto the footpath across wet fields to Terwick, crossing the lane again and across Fyning Common, turning right onto a busy backroad. A bridle path took us up to Rondle Wood, sliding down hill on the mud and wading through the standing water onto the Serpentine Trail where we had our coffee break before reaching Borden. Crossing Gatehouse Lane, we picked up speed downhill on Cumber’s Lane stopping to admire the polo ponies and alpacas. The current A272 was crossed to get onto the old A272 towards St Peter’s church where we trod carefully on the slippery and boggy fields. We made it back to the main road where some walkers went for a pose in a pumpkin field. Our lunch was at The White Horse in Rogate where the Fish and Chips received a special mention as everyone enjoyed them.

Not quite up to full strength yet, others waiting round the corner

Brief sunny interlude in front of St Bartholomew’s Church, Rogate

Ferns adding colour to autumn

Adders? I’m not going to let them subtract from my walk!

Mini lake district

Ah, that's better

We may have taken a wrong turning, but there’s always someone who helps

Down hill slide in the mud

Our leaders showing us the way

Coffee break on the go, standing room only

But a few found seating

Giant fungi, soup for a week or sleep for eternity?

Polo ponies looking for contact

I knew these wellies would come in handy

Here we are gathered together

Squelching across the field

The pumpkin bowls team

Fish and Chips gets our vote

Probably over 5.1/2 miles

Sheet Walk on 18th October 2023

The plan was to have our Annual General Meeting at The Half Moon in Sheet after a short 4 mile walk led by Denis, based on his local knowledge. The route had also been pre-walked by other members and coincidentally, by a Hash Harriers group who had left piles of sawdust at convenient points.

Everything went to plan as we assembled in The Half Moon pub car park, fastened ourselves into our showerproof gear and headed up Mill Lane, taking time to look at the diminutive River Rother. The footpath off the lane took us across freshly mown fields, past a swing that we felt obliged to try out and having passed the stress test allowed us to move on across more fields beside the hedgerows and over the Portsmouth to London railway line. After crossing a busy golf course we reached Farnham Lane and walked under the A3 and at this point we turned off the road, taking the footpath down to Ashford Stream. We then looped back onto Shipwrights Way, up to Downgate Farm, through a copse, crossed Ashford Stream, passed Steep Farm, skirted Northfield Wood where we had a coffee break, and then onto Church Road.

Turning off past All Saints Church onto Hangers Way we walked along the boundary of Bedales School where we learned of some of the alumni before recrossing the A3. Tilmore Road and Reservoir Lane took us back to the railway and a level crossing (some walkers who had got ahead of themselves went to cross the line before being called back!) so we could walk along Long Road and use the level crossing on School Lane. Passing The Church of Saint Mary Magdalen and The Queens Head we turned into the Recreation ground as a short cut back to the rear of The Half Moon for our AGM and buffet lunch.

Showerproof gear on and ready to start

Sauntering across the first field

Leader walking backwards to check his flock

Enjoying the scenery

The tricky stile

Horse whispering?

Look, it’s The White Horse, but we’re going to The Half Moon!

Stretched out across the fields

Style over stile

You put your right leg in….

Ashford Stream

The Coffee break on one obliging tree trunk

Now that’s what you call a ‘pollard’

All assembled on the Recreation ground

It’s unanimous!

Just over 4 miles

West Marden walk on 11th October 2023

Maureen and John led the 5.6 mile walk from The Victoria Inn at West Marden where we pre ordered our lunches. We were blessed by the early morning drizzle finishing before the walk to leave us with warm, dry weather, albeit cloudy. Having parked up, counted us all there, we headed up the hill taking the first path north on the edge of Lostlabour Copse, through Bottom Copse and across the fields. We were promised great views, even with a peek at the Isle of Wight, but were only rewarded with local rolling landscapes and wispy mists. A couple of walkers enjoyed the benefits from the carved seat on the corner overlooking the scenery. We made our way to Hill Barn and turned across the field into Robin Wood where we had our coffee break under a broad tree. Continuing through the woods passing seamlessly into Markwells Wood we eventually broke out into the open with views of the railway and across to Idsworth House until we came to South Holt Farm where we turned for home. Crossing fields again we returned into Markwells Wood, then back into the open to Horsley Farm and then the down hill with gravel and clay underfoot back to the main road. On returning to The Victoria Inn, no sooner had we collected our drinks than our lunches arrived thick and fast.

One of the walk leaders getting excited about starting

Tree mirror imaging roots with canopy

The edge of Lostlabour Copse

The art of trimming overgrowing path hedges is concentration and tools, lots of tools

A purposeful lead

Definitely the Isle of Wight on the horizon

Taking a break on the bench carved from a tree trunk

The walkers

Harmonious leaders, united on the way forward

Coffee break with added humour

Are you sure? I could have sworn it was shorter down there!

Well, the Isle of Wight could be over there!

No, it’s that way

Looking back on Old Idsworth valley

Leaving the wood for a glimpse of overseas?

Yes, if I squint I can just see The Isle of Wight

Spindle berries in competition with blueberry nails

Almost finished!

About 5.1/2 miles

Halfway Bridge, Lodsworth walk on 4th October 2023

As we gathered in the car park of The Halfway Bridge Inn, we spotted a lone walker from another group that had cancelled their walk and welcomed him in, with a quickfire introduction of all our names that he had no chance of remembering. Luckily, we all respond well to ‘what’s you name again’ as we have to do that ourselves occasionally! The 4 mile walk started from what was the original front of the pub, up the hill past cooking apple trees which were confirmed by the taste method, followed swiftly by extruded tongues with a slight delay, to then enjoy the benefit of a hewn seat with great views south to the Downs. Church Street led us to The Street where we turned south, enjoyed the brief vibrant red hue of the Virginia Creeper before taking to the footpaths and the first two of our five stiles. The team photo opportunity was taken in the field overlooked by Lodsworth House followed by our third stile and fields to cross Heath End Lane before descending through woodland and skirting fields to another branch of Heath End Road. Turning onto the north bridle path on the edge of Heathland Copse we stopped off for our coffee break and birthday celebration chocolates while decoratively draped on a fallen tree trunk. The bridle path took the refuelled walkers up to Heath End Farm for the short road walk back to Lodsworth, down The Street before turning down Vicarage Lane to St Peters Well, a field and across Eel Bridge where we turned again to follow the Lod back to the Halfway Bridge. A relaxed atmosphere at the Halfway Bridge with an enjoyable lunch finished off our adventure.