Gallery

Milland Morning walk 20th July 2022

The Milland walk was a little slow starting as we had a delay placing our food order in The Rising Sun. However, we eventually got under way and headed up Wardley Lane, then turned to walk through the delightful Hatch Copse. We took a detour before we reached the road to have a look at a large house that has seen better days, supposedly once a haunt of very famous film stars many years ago. The trip up the narrow Milland Lane was achieved without incident before we turned towards Maysleith, once home to Hugh Gaitskell, one time leader of the Labour Party, a great friend of John Betjeman but probably not a great friend of Ian Fleming. It was at this point we stopped for our break and for some dog information from a passer-by. We then headed south, crossing the road to skirt Marsh Wood, then taking the footpath through Chorley Common, not to be recommended for its stiles! Lunch was taken by many in The Rising Sun, where the food was very tasty.

Heading out along the Fernhurst Road

Wardley Lane

Conditions were sunny but not too hot

First stile to be conquered

Some people just take a single bound!

Re-hydration stop in Hatch Copse

A nice shady glade

A quick diversion to look at a large house in need of some TLC

Gardener needed, needs to have own ladder

Still wondering if we should club together and make an offer.

Nice shady spot near Maysleith

Maysleith, now a Grade II listed building.

Gazing at Maysleith from across the field.

Crossing the stream in Chorley Common

Well fed, awaiting the coffee.

Cocking Walk on 13th July 2022

With a heatwave throughout the south-east, Pauline wisely took the decision to start our walk at 9.15am. After parking in the Blue Bell in Cocking we crossed the road and wandered down Mill Lane, not quite being able to peer through the hedge enough to get a good view of the amazing sculptures in the Sculpture studio garden. From there we were crossing fields, many with Broad Beans which seemed to be begging for water. We eventually reached Leggs Farm and Heyshott Church before heading for Marsh Pond where a very long seat was good for a stopping point for a drinks break. The temperatures had been rising a little and from this point we were mostly in the shade of trees after turning at Walkers Farm and heading towards Cocking, via Hoe Copse. Back in Cocking, the Bluebell was a little cooler and we very much enjoyed some excellent food at excellent prices, glad the portions were not too big as we ended up with some Birthday cake that mysteriously appeared. A great walk with our Birthday Girl, about 4.1/2 miles.

Any claim for a broken foot will be countered with a tyre abuse charge.

Setting off at 9.15!

Nice topiary down Mill Lane

The broad bean fields had great areas of daisies in them.

Broad bean field (or more correctly, field beans).

Quick stop in Hampshire Copse for a water check.

Luckily we have a horse whisperer amongst us who can chat to the locals.

Ancient yew at Heyshott Church

Marsh Pond, Heyshott - what's that over there?

Just a huge carp taking a cruise in the shallows

Time for a drink break and a photo

Having a stroll past Walkers Farm

Marbled White, great lovers of purple flowers

Heading back to Cocking through Hoe Copse

Inside the Blue Bell - artist of the month is----Barbara Jensen!

Happy walkers ready to eat their lunch

Someone got ambushed by one cake - and then another one!

Oh well, it's not every day you're 21!

Ebernoe Common, Balls Cross Walk 6th June 2022

The walk started out from The Stag Inn. Jay led us through Langhurst and Ebernoe Common, not the easiest of paths to follow and with a surprising number of fallen trees in our way. However this area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, partly as 14 of the 16 native species of bat live in it, many dependent of loose bark being available. After a few detours we arrived safely at The Holy Trinity Church in Ebernoe for a deserved drink stop. This church was built in 1867 at a cost of £1200. Another loop took us around Ebernoe House and then back to the area of the church where we found an oak and a beech tree living in apparent harmony in the same spot. The beech seems to occupy the lower spaces, whereas the oak was generally much higher. From this point our route was generally across farmland. A minor road eventually returned us the The Stag Inn, for a very pleasant lunch in the garden. The walk was about 5.1/2 miles.

On your marks

Langhurst Common

Synchronized tree leaping - still needs a bit of practice

Then a wood dance to avoid another tree fall.

This tree fall was in fact where 3 huge trunks had decided they couldn't get on any longer

Nice posing spot

This is the way!

Wood you believe it?

The Holy Trinity Church

with an orchid in the graveyard

Time for a break

Ah well, we must press on.

This is the oak/beech tree

Beech on the left, with one branch firmly hugging the oak tree on the right

Either a Small Skipper or a female Essex Skipper, but only another butterfly would be particularly interested.

Lunch time

Sadly this lady's moving away for a while, let's hope it won't be too long. You'll be much missed.

About 5.1/2 miles

St Ives Holiday Land's End to St Just walk 1st July 2022

Catherine and Andy had carefully planned this last day of our holiday. However, the bus driver had taken a sickie and we had an hour to spare in St Just. This all worked out very well in the end with a pleasant coffee in the village and a lower tide on the shore for our walk. The sightseeing bus took us to Land's End and from there we walked past the Iron Age fort at Maen Castle to Sennen Cove, full of sand and several surfers. We were able to walk a mile along the beach before diverting up to the South West Coast Path which carried along for another 2 miles. The route was mostly along the cliffs of Gurland and Nanjulian with quite a few remains of ancient mine workings along the way. After a delightful walk in beautiful conditions we eventually got back to St Just after about 6 miles of excellent walking.

The walk started in the St Just coffee shop, supposedly a bus will come sometime..

So we formed an orderly queue

Aha, here it comes!

Back on track we found the site of Maen Cliff Castle.

This is all that remains - the only entrance to the Iron Age fort

Dropping down into Sennen Cove, we found this boat winding house, now an art gallery.

Sennen Cove, a mile of sand, with a few rocks, puddles and stones to negotiate.

"I can do it!"

After the beach, the route got a bit more difficult

Careful!

All made it, let's head north.

Old mine shafts riddle this area

Six spot burnet moth

View back to Sennen Cove

This is not the place to learn how to dance

We never did decide what the purple fields were made of - it was neither lavender or flax!

Well, I think we agreed about that direction.

Some more gunnera on the way up to St Just.

About 6 miles

St Ives Holiday Porthcurno Walk 30th June 2022

Starting from Treen village we headed down to Penberth Cove, a tiny hamlet still home to a few small working fishing boats. A steep climb up and we were on the cliff top at Cribb Head. The South West coast path took us along to the site of the Iron Age fort of Treryn Dinas. Here we stopped for a drink and to try to decide which rock may be the famous Logan Rock. This 80 ton boulder will rock a little if pushed but was some way away and we weren't too sure which of the rocks it actually was. Further on towards Porthcurno we came across a white stone pyramid. The cable hut that originally stood there from 1870 was replaced by one lower down in the valley, but fishermen had been using the hut for navigation purposes, so the pyramid was built in its place. Once we had descended into Porthcurno we had a look at the cable hut that has the largest collection of transatlantic telegraph cables in one place. Further up is the Porthcurno Museum and this is where we stopped for our leisurely picnic. The route back to Treen was across the fields and considerably shorter than our morning route. It would have seemed churlish not to go to the local hostelry called The Logan Rock, so we succumbed after a moments hesitation.