Gallery

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Singleton Day Walk 24th October 2018

Pete did a well researched walk that left Singleton and headed uphill to Levin Down on a beautifully clear sunny day.   After crossing the road at The Drovers the walk went up through Wellhanger Copse, Puttocks Copse and Warren Hanger before  dropping into The Dean for a pleasant lunch. On the way a couple of injured birds were safely placed out of harms way. After lunch walkers took a stroll through the West Dean Gardens and the Weald and Downland Museum before finally returning to Singleton. Thanks to Isabel and Marian for the photos.        Total 7.3 miles,             In the Weald and Downland Museum is a flour mill, powered by a large cast iron water-wheel. The wheel did not come from the great industrial north but was actually cast at the Cocking Foundry, which was about 1/2 mile north of the nearby village. Crosses in the Cocking church cemetry are also believed to have been made in the Cocking Foundry.

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Farringdon Morning Walk 17th October 2018

Mary and Barbara led this walk from The Rose and Crown in Upper Farringdon, firstly to All Saints Church in the village.  This church once had Gilbert White as the rector - when he wasn't busy writing The Natural History of Selborne, supposedly the 4th most published book in the English language. The churchyard also contains one of the oldest yews in the country, somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 years old.  Next to the churchyard is a huge building built by a previous very eccentric vicar, now called Massey's Folly. The walk from Farringdon to Chawton included a coffee stop in a nicely decorated railway arch. Once in Chawton a visit to the St Nicholas churchyard was compulsory. Resting here are Jane Austen's mother as well as her sister Cassandra. Jane Austen did not publish in her own name but is considered by many to be the best female author of all time. Jane often visited friends in Upper Farringdon and it is likely that is the route our somewhat damp walkers took to get back to The Rose and Crown for an excellent lunch. Thanks to Barbara and Isabel for the photos.

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West Stoke Day Walk 10th October 2018

Marian, Linda, June and Maddie led this walk on a very nice sunny day. A good mix of agriculture, animals and some very pretty Sussex cottages. Also spotted were some standing stones but walkers were not fooled, they were the work of Neil Lawson Baker, a retired surgeon. Lunch was at the Fox and Hounds and the walk was around 6 miles in total. Many thanks to Marian and Isabel for the photos.

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Lavant Morning Walk 3rd October 2018

Celia and Miguel led us from Sheepwash Lane in Lavant up to the lower slopes of the Trundle in glorious sunshine. We went via Chalkpit Lane with shrubs still to be identified and also a very nice juniper bush carrying plenty of ripe berries. Coffee break was the car park below the Trundle with marvellous views as far as Bognor, Chicester and the Isle of Wight and perhaps a glimpse of the legendary Nab tower, marking the Eastern entrance to the Solent. We then headed over Hayes Down to join the West Sussex Literary Trail to take us back to Sheepwash Lane, although there was no water to wash sheep in the completely dry River Lavant. Lunch was taken back in The Royal Oak in Midhurst.

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Warnford Day Walk 26th September 2018

Isabel's walk started in the village of Warnford and with several buzzards and kites wheeling above, we headed up Wheeley Down, passing some incredible sculptures on the way. We stopped for a break on Beacon Hill, with great views over the Meon Valley. We had a whole day of sunshine and a temperature just right for walking. We spent some time admiring the view up on Beacon Hill, where we could see the Isle of Wight, Southampton oil refinery as well as the forts above Portsmouth. After descending via the South Downs Way we reached Corhampton.         The Saxon Corhampton Church is one of the oldest churches in Britain and was built in 1020 AD, using local flints and surprisingly stone which came from the Isle of Wight. This stone was almost certainly shipped to Droxford, a mile south, using the then navigable River Meon.     The Meon Valley was highly productive with flour and other produce being shipped south to Southampton and Portsmouth. The church is also home to some very old decorations dating back to around 1150 AD and represent scenes from the life of St Swithun, who died 300 years earlier.        We had lunch in  the excellent Bucks Head before heading on the route of the  Meonstoke Valley Railway, which used to run from Alton to Fareham. Use as a passenger line ceased in 1955 and the final goods service was in 1968. It was designed as a single track line with twin tracks at stations. It now makes an excellent walking route and took us back to Warnford. The walk was just over 7.1/2 miles

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