Gallery

Viewing galleries from June, 2019

Wittering Morning Walk 26th June 2019

Because of the warmer than usual conditions, Peter chose a seaside walk and it was very much the right decision. We started out from the car park of the Old House at Home and headed for a view of Chichester Harbour. From there we took the Lipchis Way for half a mile. The Lipchis Way is supposedly a walking route from Liphook to Chichester but the planners obviously overshot and only stopped when they got to West Wittering. From the end of the Lipchis Way we took a circular route around the East Head before walking along the sands at West Wittering, keeping a keen eye on the Nab Tower.    If you want to know more about the Nab Tower , click here:- Nab Tower. At the car park entrance we headed inland to the Old House at Home for an excellent lunch, well served. The walk was just slightly less than 5 miles.

Tichborne Day Walk 19th June 2019

This walk led by Denis started from Cheriton Playing Fields car park and headed towards Tichborne, passing along the beautiful River Itchen with its source only a mile away near Hinton Ampner House. The Itchen is one of the world's finest trout streams, with fishing rights jealously guarded for centuries. After walking through some of Tichborne Park, we spent some time trout spotting in the Itchen before heading uphill past a huge poppy-field before descending again to The Tichborne Arms for a much deserved lunch. Well satisfied, our next destination was Tichborne Church with its original box pews dating back at least 400 years. Next was the Allan King Way to Gander Down before finally descending back to the playing fields of Cheriton.

There is much to be written about the Tichborne family which must rank amongst the great families of Hampshire. They can claim a heritage that is documented as far back as the C12th. All through the Reformation, the Tichborne family clung to their Roman Catholic faith. So did many others and were persecuted for it. Any hint of Catholicism in parish churches was removed and that is why the Tichborne Family Chapel is an extraordinary thing. The chapel is a rare Roman Catholic chapel inside a pre-Reformation church. It’s survival is incredible and there are only another two in England. To survive the Reformation, the family must have been in high favour with their monarch. Sir Benjamin Tichborne, High Sheriff of Hampshire 1579 – 1580 showed great loyalty to his monarchs and was granted a concession in 1621 by King James I, in appreciation of Sir Benjamin’s help in securing Hampshire for the king at his accession in 1603. Thanks to www.hampshire-history.com for this information.

Sutton Morning Walk 12th June 2019

The walk led by Jean was potentially wet but we survived the morning without any seriously wet weather. After parking in Lord's Piece car park we trod gently over Lord's Piece common. This common was the only home in the country of the Field Cricket and fewer than 100 existed in the 1980's. After a lot of work there are now another 5 areas in the UK that are now home to this insect  but it is still internationally endangered. We then headed down a path known as Park Lane to reach a truly well built bus shelter in the village of Sutton.  Refreshed, we headed back towards Lord's Piece along the Serpent Trail to the car park. Lunch was in The Badger where good-humoured discussions took place about several subjects, including who should be the next Prime Minister. 

Isle of Wight 8th June Departure Day

After packing bags we left Harrington House and the ever helpful Tony, the house manager. We had been well fed and the weather had mostly been very kind to us. Some went back via the Crab and Lobster and had a good lunch before catching the ferry at Fishbourne. For those who wondered what the 14 tall yellow posts were doing in the Solent, the answer is - not very much. They are actually lights to guide the new Queen Elizabeth Class carriers safely into Portsmouth harbour.  The lights are powered by a combination of solar panels and batteries and will only be lit when the carriers are either approaching or leaving their berths at Portsmouth.   Many thanks to Marian, Jane and Peter for additional photos.

Isle of Wight 7th June 2019 Rest day

All week the forecast had been poor for Friday 7th June so we decided it should be a Rest Day. Some went to Osborne House whilst others went to the nearby Quarr Abbey. For lunch we headed for Arreton Barns but sadly the Dairyman's Daughter pub on the site felt that buying a drink did not qualify us to eat our food on their empty outside tables. However, we did find seats elsewhere. There are a lot of retail opportunities on site but the more interesting part was an industrial unit a short stroll away where The Isle of Wight Sudio Glass have an extraordinary museum and workshop. Several of us were fascinated by the slow transformation of a red hot blob of glass into a beautiful vase. Well worth another visit. Also nearby was the 12 century Church of St George with a remarkable Burma Star window. We returned to Harrington House for the last time and this night was the big raffle night, a painting produced in front of us on a previous evening being one of the prizes.

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