Chalton Day Walk 22nd July 2022

The long walkers met up at the Queen Elizabeth Park car park eager to get going and enjoy the sunshine without the searing heat of the previous two days. We walked the Shipwrights Way up the South Downs Way where we encountered a sheep extolling its virtues, but Paul thought it would be a bit tough, even with mint sauce. The descent to New Barn Lane was a relief followed by another hill with the chance to buy some flapjacks that looked tempting but nobody carried any cash to buy any. Our route turned south down through Head Down Plantation exiting onto a golden barley field with a buzzard soaring over the Newbarn Hanger. The bridle path that left the road next to the London to Portsmouth railway lead us to St Michael and All Angels church and The Red Lion in Chalton. The church was built in the late 11th or early 12 century to a typically Norman design. The pub is believed to be one of the oldest in Hampshire, dating from at least the 16th century. The pub, refreshments and food were all excellent. During the relaxed repass we decided to change the route back and instead headed up Windmill Hill to climb the steep hill and admire the views. A local farmer corrected our paltry knowledge about cereal crops on our way up. On the way down another minor detour found us in the Butser Ancient Farm visiting the stone age, bronze age, iron age, Roman and Saxon experimental archaeological buildings that they have built on the site over the last fifty years. The buildings are based on archaeological finds in the surrounding area. We received a fascinating insight into the making of oak roof shingles from the volunteers. The walk was 9.62 miles and we climbed 1669 ft (500m).