Gallery

Lodsworth walk on 28th September 2022

Isabel's walk started from the centre of Lodsworth and we welcomed two guest walkers John and Maureen. We headed up School Lane and then took footpaths towards Grevatts and Vining Common. The path turns north and we took the turning towards Ovis common, where we found an ideal drinks break spot with seating for everyone and a long view over the Low Weald ahead of us. Suitably refreshed, we joined the Serpent Trail and carried on through Redlands Farm where we found several friendly polo ponies enjoying the grass. We followed the Serpent trail for another half mile before leaving it to walk down River Lane, turning again to head back towards Lodsworth, passing Eel bridge on the way. From here a 13 year old Ranulph Fiennes and his sister canoed down to the sea at Climping. However the journey had taken 2 days and his mother was somewhat annoyed! We eventually reached the village, having passed E.H. Shephard's house on the way. Lunch was at the Royal Oak, where we were pleased to met up with more MFC walkers.

Gathering outside the Hollist Arms.

Private graveyard for the Farthing family

Towards Leggatts we saw this black and white horse paying dead. Very convincing for a while!

Touch of colour co-ordination for Lodsworth.

It was a good day for funghi. These bracket funghi are almost inedible when young and worse as they age.

Ideal picnic spot

With a view to match

Heading for the Serpent Trail

Redlands Farm

Ponies, keep walking, avoid eye contact!

They're just being friendly

and inquisitive!

Group shot near Salmonsbridge Farm

We're going that way!

Approaching the bottom of Lodsworth village

St Peter's Well, supposedly good water for eye complaints, but not recommended.

Early home of the Fiennes family

About 5.1/2 miles.

Chapel Common Walk on 21st September 2022

The walk on Chapel Common was led by Denis and Jean, starting from the lay-by near to the site of The Black Fox in Liphook. Despite a lot of wondering, we were no further forward deciding what the rebuilding work was all about. Taking the footpath towards the Liphook and Ripsley Cricket Club, we were forced to divert because of a fallen branch. This was not the last but we all survived the walk. After passing under the main Portsmouth to Waterloo railway line, we joined the Sussex Border Path to pass by Folly Pond at Forest Mere. Coffee stop near Hilly Fields Copse and then a walk through the woods where we passed over the route of the Chichester to Silchester Roman Road. There was no sign of the road at that point but this is the same road that passes through Milland. Silchester still exists as a small village north of Basingstoke, with some splendid remains of the Roman walls, built on the site of an Iron age settlement. After briefly walking part of the Shipwrights Way, we turned at Langley Wood towards Chapel Common with its wildlife and ecology protected by its Site of Special Scientific Interest status. Plenty of mushrooms and toadstools were spotted before we eventually got back to our parking spot and from there we made our way to The Jolly Drover for lunch.

"I'm sure there's a path here somewhere"

Definitely a problem

Under the railway

Woodland past the horse trial grounds

A road, at last! Only for one minute.

Spindleberry in the hedge.

Danger, low bridge!

Break time.

Lovely garden on the route

Supposed route for oak from Farnham to Portsmouth for the Tudor shipbuilders

Varied habitat on Chapel Common

The dog was so excited he forgot to bite our walk leader.

Now, what's growing here?

Poisonous, but sometimes eaten after boiling twice. Also hallucinogenic. apparently.....

More toadstools. In other places there were some aged ceps/boletes

Back to the start.

About 4.1/4 miles

Easebourne, Woolbeding walk on 14th September 2022

A combination of illness and holidays depleted the numbers this week, resulting in six intrepid wanderers for the day. We started at the Cowdray Café car park in the drizzle up the track past the polo pitches towards the Cowdray Ruins, turning right to come out on the main road at the roundabout near the bridge over the River Rother weirs. We considered scrumping some apples and plums but thought we would get caught red handed, so restrained ourselves. The route took us along the River Rother on the New Lipchis Way through the wetlands with poplar and silver birch trees, woods and fields. We debated the merits of rose hip tea and jam at a suitable bush, but could not agree on the best use of the crop. At the boundary of the National Trust land for Woolbeding we clambered gracefully over the large branch that had split off an oak tree before heading up across the hill. We spent some time amusing ourselves to find the sight line between the folly at the edge of Whiphill Wood and the Tulip Folly on the lawn of Woolbeding House ,designed by Phillip Jebb, this classical temple folly is named after a tulip tree that fell in the winter storms of 1987. The drizzle had all but stopped walking through Whiphill Wood and down the hill with views of the meandering Rother and the new Woolbeding glasshouse with one leaf open. Crossing the Petersfield Road we sauntered into The Severals wood to pick up part of the Serpent Trail towards Midhurst Common where we climbed a small hill to have a coffee break on the seating overlooking the common. Fully refreshed we descended back to the Serpent Trail following it through Midhurst Common, past the rusted remains of a BMW that we wondered how it got there over 20 years ago so far from the road. On leaving the common, we took the South Pond path to the pond, crossed the footbridge and made our way to the Wheatsheaf for lunch. After lunch the remaining stalwarts returned to their vehicles along the carriageway to the ruins and the track beside the polo pitches. Many thanks to Bernard for stepping in at the last minute to do the walk this week.

Easebourne car park starting out

Nobody stole an apple, fortunately. As we know, they are forbidden!

I name this flower - raincoat!

Just checking the route

Shall we go for rose-hip tea or jam?

That broken tree looks a wee bit ominous

A fallen branch - small saw needed - or maybe a chain-saw.

Hurdles over, easy walking once again

Really? That's the sightline between the follies

Heading for the A272

"Thanks for letting me wade through the mud before opening the gate!"

Sun is out, time for a snack on Sunset Hill

Careful!

"Right, let's find The Wheatsheaf before it starts to rain again"

Lodsworth Walk 31st August 2022

The pre walk entertainment commenced with pretend windfall apple scrumping with the owner’s permission. We left the car park at The Holist, Lodsworth, headed up Gills Lane and School Lane before taking the footpaths off towards Redlands Farm. Jay was sorely tempted to live his childhood dream of driving a tractor. The route picked up The Serpent Trail heading east through fields, and Limekiln Rough woodlands. Some wild blackberry tasting started near Lodge Farm with regular grazing all the way to River. A herd of cattle watched us crossing a field, decided we looked unsavoury and walked off together to adjacent fields. Our welcome coffee break was at carefully placed tree trunk seating at the end of Westland’s Copse lane. A large oak tree caught our attention as we made our way to cross River Common. Dropping down to River Lane we picked up The Sussex Diamond Way to walk a short part towards Lodsworth of the 60 mile long route that was created by the Sussex Ramblers in 1995 to mark their 60th anniversary. The stream at the bottom of River Wood was crossed at Eel Bridge followed by the climb the hill to Oldpark Copse before returning to The Holist for lunch.

Hydon's Ball walk Monday 29th August 2022

A group of six walkers led by Catherine set out to achieve the 8 mile walk that was cancelled 10 days ago because of rain. Today the weather was perfect for us. We met early in Hydon's Ball Car Park, just south of Milford, before the car park filled up with Bank Holiday folk. First a 20 min short walk before we reached Winkworth Aboretum and decided a coffee was in order to discuss wasps and weirdly shaped 'Alien Acorns' that were falling around us. We walked on across the Aboretum and into the lanes where interesting old houses and horse sculptures kept the conversation going! A picnic lunch followed by the pond in Hascombe after which we peeped inside the church - much admired by the Daily Telegraph, so it appears! 'One of the thousand prettiest churches in England...' We walked some of the Greensand Way with beautiful views of the South Downs and then climbed the last hill of Hydon's Ball, bought in memory of Octavia Hill (by her sister and friend), one of the founders of the National Trust before a welcome downhill path to the car park.