Misty Sway and the Disused Railway

Date 30 December 2008

Distance: 6 miles
Parking: New Forest Car Park Longslade Bottom
Map: Explorer OL22
Map ref for car park: SU269002

This walk is taken from the October 2008 edition of Country Walking magazine with a slight adaptation regarding the start point. Please see the publication for further details.

For the route I took, there is a bridge beyond the car park. Head towards this and climb the path left of the bridge up on to the disused railway trackbed. Soon come to another bridge with an electricity substation to the left. Just before the bridge descend the path to the right and follow the trail across the heathland and as it curves up through another car park to a barrier and the road.

Cross the road and take the left of two paths heading across more heathland. The path passes diagonally across the heath and in the distance to the south is seen Sway Tower. Keep heading towards the Tower. Outlaying houses of the village begin to show to the right. Come to and cross over a live-railway bridge and follow a grass track to the right into the village.

Pass the Hare and Hounds pub on the left. At the bottom of the slope turn right by the car sales showroom into Church Lane. Follow the road up, past St Luke's Church to a T-junction. Turn right here and keep along this road, past the railway station and where the road forks further on, take the left fork which is Mead End Road.

Continue up Mead End Road and turn right into Adlams Lane. The road becomes a bridleway and slopes down to two gates, the second of which enters Set Thorns Inclosure. The route follows the cycle trail. Where the trail forks in the earlier stages keep to the left hand path, ignore all other paths to right and left. Pass one cleared area, at the next cleared area where the path splits to either side of the point, follow the right hand, and better surfaced, way. Coming round past rising ground and pine trees on the right, the path slopes downward towards a caravan park. Pass to the left of the caravan park and through a gate up into open heathland. Ahead is the elevated line of the disused railway. Follow the path round (it is quite rutted in places) with the line of the railway on your right. Pass in front of the bridge and soon the path rises to access the railway trackbed. Turn right to cross over the bridge. Follow the track past the caravan site and under two bridges, the first is a footbridge, the second carries a road.

Emerge from the trees and ahead is the bridge started out from. Just before the bridge, descend the path to the right and return to the car park.

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Deerleap and Fulliford Bog-hopping

Date: 17th December 2008

Distance: 4 1/4 miles
Parking: Deerleap Car Park
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU353095

It is possible to negotiate the boggy areas as they are mostly firm underfoot but some athleticism may be required to jump over the wetter and very boggy puddles. Good waterproof walking boots are adviseable. If you are not confident about jumping about in a bog, it may be better to choose a circular route through Deerleap Inclosure along the cycle tracks, marked with red dots on the map.

Park in the lower area of the car park and face south east to see the lawn. Walk out on to the lawn and turn left heading south west, either along the footpath along the lawn or choose the better surface of the cycle track. The avenue keeps straight on between Deerleap Inclosure on the right and Longdown Inlcosure on the left. Soon go down into a dip and over a wide footbridge. Follow the path (you will now be on the cycle track) uphill past a gate on your right and pass through trees to the railway bridge. Cross over the railway bridge and come down to the stream through Fulliford Bog. Cross over the bridge and take the right hand track at a fork not shown on the map.

Soon pass a large pond on the left. Matley Wood is ahead. Continue towards Matley Wood until a path goes off to the right. The first part of the path may well be under water and surrounded by bog, although the line of the path is clear about 100 yards beyond. There is firm footing to be found although you will need to jump over some of the deeper and muddier water-logged areas. Treat it as a bit of fun and soon gain the better footing of the path ahead.

The path forms a sort of small gully uphill and then flattens out. Ahead is a line of trees beneath which runs a stream with a footbridge across. The path leads down to the bridge past a tumulus and a little further on, a small earthwork marked out with bracken.

The ground immediately after the bridge tends to be muddy but it is possible to get around this. The lawn beyond is wet but firm underfoot and the line of the continuing path is clear. Coming back to the path it follows the line of the fencing surrounding the land belonging to Ashurst Lodge, although towards the end where the ground rises, it may be necessary to divert off the path to find a firmer footing. Keep along by the wooden fencing and follow the path round into trees.

Ahead is a low barrier and a tarmac drive. Cross the drive and continue down through trees on a good path which bears round to the left. White-painted fencing lines the path further on where the path rises to a bridge over the railway. The metalwork on the bridge is painted pale blue and makes a pretty and unexpected feature. The white fencing continues down the other side and then stops. Ahead the path turns right through a gate into Deerleap Inclosure and on to well-surfaced cycle track. With basic map-reading skills, you can choose your own path through the Inclosure, but I'd had enough of mud-hopping by this time and chose to follow the cycle track that runs parallel to the railway line. This track eventually rises to a gate out to the railway bridge end of the lawned avenue between Deerleap and Longdown Inclosures. Just before the exit, the cycle track turns sharply left back up into the Inclosure. Beyond the gate, turn left on to the cycle track which runs back across the wide footbridge and uphill along the lawn, leading back to the car park.


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Fritham to Godshill

Date: 25 November 2008

Distance: 8 1/3 miles
Parking: New Forest Fritham Car Park
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU231141

It is a good idea to plot the route on your map carefully before setting out for this walk as I found one or two of the paths indistinct or requiring a diversion due to saturation of the ground.

Walk back towards the entrance to the car park and turn left down the tarmac lane. In about 500 yards arrive at Iron Wells and the entrance to another car park. Walk up through the car park and past the barrier through trees. Leaving the trees find the indistinct path that goes uphill on pony-shaven lawns through heather and bracken after fording the stream that runs along the bottom of the rise. At the top of the hill is a wider path which forks, take the left hand fork and walk downhill from Homy Ridge to Claypits Bottom. Ford the stream and continue uphill towards the car park at Studley Head.

From the car park, take the wide track which skirts the western edge of the trees. Where another path goes off to the right, turn along this and follow it round to the right towards Leaden Hall, a wide shallow area of gravel, sand and grassed areas. Cross Leaden Hall and follow the wide grass track from the north west edge heading south west to Little Cockley Plain. At the T-junction turn right and continue along this track as it passes through groves of trees, goes down Cockley Hill and over the shallow bridge at the bottom to climb again the other side up to Ashley Walk car park at Godshill. If you wish, this is a good place to take a break.

As you face the road (Roger Penney Way) turn left and walk along Godshill Ridge until the cricket ground is reached. Bear left here and find the path running downhill again to Ditchend Bottom. Keep left wherever the path splits off and after fording another stream, enter Pitts Wood Inclosure from the north west, heading south east up a wide grass track. At the top of the track turn left on to a wide walk. Be careful in winter as the track is very muddy under the leaves that cover it. Where the path forks bear always to the right until the track becomes firm gravel and heads more steeply uphill to emerge on Hampton Ridge, merging with the cycle track. Turn left towards Amberwood Inclosure.

Keep along this cycle track, excellent underfoot in all weathers but does undulate quite a lot, and quite steeply in places, and will bring you back to Fritham car park.


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Acres Down to Lucas Castle

Date: 23 November 2008

Distance: 51/2 miles

Parking: New Forest Car Park Acres Down

Map: Explorer OL22

Map ref for car park: SU268098

Leave the car park and turn left on to the gravel cycle track. Where the track bends round to the right owards a gateless gateway continue straight ahead through boundary posts. There are two grass forest tracks heading into the trees, keep to the right hand path, which is the one marked on the map.

Go down into the trees and over a wooden footbridge. Where the path divides after the bridge keep right, heading west. Pass into Holmhill Inclosure and at a T-junction turn left, heading south. Go through a wide wooden gate and follow the track uphill and down the other side to another cycle track. Turn right to be heading in a westerly direction.

At a fork take the right hand track down to another gate. Pass through the pedestrian gate and bear round to the left to cross the bridge over Highland Water. Keep following the cycle track round until the exit gate to the Canadian Memorial and road is seen at the top of the rise. Just before the gate turn off along a grass track between trees and gorse. The track passes beside a small lake and shortly after this comes to a small gate out on to moorland.

Through the gate take the second grass path right from the gate. This path goes downhill with lovely views of open moorland and forest on all sides. Where the path passes through a narrow strip of copse there is a bridgeless stream which has to be jumped or forded.

Past the stream the path climbs up to Lucas Castle and then climbs again to two lakes. From here, the plan was to find the path across Withybed Bottom to Stonnard Wood but as it was beginning to get dark and the path proving harder to find than I had thought I continued along to the car park.

Pass through the car park, or follow one of the paths around it to the main drive into the car park from the road. Arriving at the road, turn right and walk along the road, or verge, for approximately 1 mile until a four way sign post marking Stony Cross, Minstead, Acres Down and Emery Down is reached. Turn right along the driveway signed Acres Down, past Piglets Corner and other buildings, across a ford and uphill past Acres Down House. Bear right with the drive and then left past the hand-painted sign for Acres Down Car Park nailed to a tree, and arrive back at the car park in the shadow of the slope of Acres Down.

Within Highland Water Inclosure I took a couple of shortcuts along paths marked on the map as white, undashed lines. For the sake of clarity I have not included these shortcuts but with basic map-reading skills such shortcuts are easy enough to follow. Be aware though that these paths are grass and can be very dirty in winter and after heavy rain.

If the light had not been failing and I had gone across Withybed Bottom, the route would have turned left alongside Stonnard Wood and passed around the trees of Ringwood Ford Bottom, eventually turning right to pass over Ringwood Ford and then left to come back to Acres Down from the north west.

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Old Sarum & Salisbury

22 October 2008

Distance: 61/4 miles
Parking: English Heritage Car Park Old Sarum
Map: Explorer 130 Salisbury and Stonehenge
Map ref for Car Park: SU141328

From the car park, take time to walk around the earthworks and enjoy the views out over the countryside and the city of Salisbury. There are an inner and an outer moat still retaining their impressive depth and sheer sides, and several information panels located around the site. An entrance fee is charged to wander the inner castle ruins.

To leave Old Sarum, pass back through the original gateway in the earthworks, along a short length of the lane leading up to the car park and through a gate on the right where the lane bends round. At the bottom of the path there is another to the right with a signpost to Stratford-sub-Castle. Follow the line alongside the hedge and pass through a metal gate beside a signpost pointing to Phillips Lane. Keep left beside the hedge and at the corner pass through the hedge and turn right along a path hedged on both sides.

The path ends at the bend of a road. Pass in front of a cottage and continue straight ahead. Soon cross the road and at the next bend in the road turn left on to a cycle path. After passing some small paddocks, go right on to common land and follow the path down and left alongside the River Avon. This path continues to and across a wooden bridge over the Avon. Turn left after the bridge.

The Walk continues all the way down beside the River into the city centre, occasionally crossing narrow roads en route. Pass under a very low bridge and then a brick railway bridge. There are some lovely town houses on the opposite bank, and lots of ducks and swans to be seen on the river.

At the car park keep straight ahead, despite a signpost pointing right to “city centre”. The pedestrian way continues ahead still alongside the river. Soon reach the shopping areas. Follow the way over the river at the far end and turn right into the centre of the city. Ahead, beond the traffic lights, is the small Bargate and beyond is the Cathedral Close.

There is a charge to visit the Cathedral. Around the Close are other places of interest to visit.
When your visit to the Close is finished, return back through the Bargate – be aware that the gates are closed and locked at 11.30 in the evening! Cross over the first road then turn right along Silver Street. This soon merges with another road. Continue uphill under a bridge and on uphill to a Y-junction. Cross here and follow the Clarendon Way along a footpath between buildings. At the end of the footpath turn left along the pavement, leaving the Clarendon Way at this point. Continue to the main road and cross over to Cow Lane.

Cow Lane can be muddy in its latter stages. Pass under two railway bridges at the far end of Cow Lane and arrive soon at a main road. To follow the route I took, turn left here and cross the road as soon as possible to St Mark’s Church. Go around the corner in front of the church and up St Marks Lane. Where this lane bends round to the right a gravel track passes up through an open park area. This is the multi-access track back to Old Sarum. Keep along this, past the reservoir on the right, and eventually come down to a lane. Turn left along here, keeping to the cycle lane, and continue down to the main road. Cross at the island to the right and head along the path into the playing fields, but soon turn right through the hedge and switch back through this field to the gate at the top. Ahead of you rises the mound of Old Sarum and the car park.




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Wickham - Meon Valley Trail and West Walk

18 October 2008

Car Park: Hampshire County Council Free Car Park

Map: Explorer 119 Meon Valley, Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham

Map ref for Car Park: SU575117

To reach the car park, if coming along the A334 into Wickham, turn at the lights to drive through the village square and follow the sign for free parking at the far end. If coming into Wickham from the A32, turn west into Wickham under the railway bridge opposite the Church and turn right at the free parking sign at the top of the hill opposite the village square.

At the T-junction, turn right and the car park is on the left.
From the car park cut through to the Trail past an information panel. To the right the Trail goes over a bridge above the River Meon and heads south to Knowle Junction where it stops in a dead end. Turn left, therefore, along this easy, flat walk between wooded slopes. It is a good idea to wear sturdy footwear as the path can be muddy in places.

Occasionally the Trail passes over the River Meon as it meanders its way south to the Solent; and under the red brick road bridges partly hidden by trees.

At the second of these bridges, pass through and on the right hand side find a steep path curving up to a lane. This is now the Pilgrims’ Trail. Turn left here past houses and woods to the end of the lane beside a pub. The road ahead is the A32. Keep to the left side of the lane and where there are white squares painted on the A32 cross to the entrance, almost concealed, to a footpath between the trees. This is the continuation of the Pilgrims’ Trail through West Walk and winds through the trees, helpfully waymarked in several places.

Eventually arrive at a five-way crossroads. Earlier this year, this was all wooded. Now, however, the loggers have been in and cut down a swathe of woodland to the south.

Turn along the broad track left. In about 150 yards take the path left which goes downhill and round to the right over a woodland stream. Climb up towards a zigzag gate but take the path to the right about halfway up. This goes down and across the stream again before climbing once more. As the way progresses the path can become extremely muddy. It is possible in places to go around the mud up on the low banks either side, but the small tracks tend to come back down again. The edges of the track may be less boggy than the centre; again, good sturdy footwear and an indifference to getting muddy are needed here.

At last, the path reaches a crossroads with a broader way. Cross over and continue straight ahead. This track is much better underfoot. Follow this to the next crossroads, which will be the Pilgrim’s Trail again. Bear right and then left along the left hand edge of the cleared area seen previously from the far end at the five-way crossroads.

This path can also be muddy but not as bad as before. Ignore all turns to left and right. Leaving the cleared area behind, the path climbs up through pinewoods and at the top of the slope comes out into an area of bracken and hedgerows girdled by trees. Looking back from the grass track here, the pines rise majestically to the sky; on this particular day, the sun was westering and the light was warm, autumnal gold that gave even the dark green pines a touch of gilt.

Keep along this good, grass track which comes down to the road again. Pass around the barrier and turn left along the road on a good grass verge. Pass a low grey building on the left and ahead see a sign for Chiphall Lake Trout Fishery. Cross the road and head along the lane to the fishery. The lane crosses over the Meon again, with pretty views along the river into the trees. It was here I saw stoats in June and a deer passed behind me.

Cross the bridge and pass the entrance to the Lakes heading towards farm buildings at the top of the lane. At the farm buildings bear left to pass behind one bearing a notice regarding no through traffic, and that the bridleway is open. Pass left of a metal gate and see the railway bridge ahead. Cross this bridge and on the other side there is a wooden fence with a gap in it. Beyond are two paths down to part of the Meon Valley Trail walked earlier.

At the bottom of whichever path you choose, turn right to pass under the same bridge and head back south towards Wickham and the car park.

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Acres Down to Bolderwood

15 october 2008
Distance: 6/4 miles
Parking: New Forest Acres Down Car Park
Map: Explorer OL22 New Forest
Map ref for car park: SU268097

Go back towards the car park entrance and turn left through beside a gate and past a signpost reading "Bolderwood 2.3 miles" on one side, and "Minstead 1.5 miles on the other". This easy to follow cycle track wanders through Highland Water Inclosure, passing over Bagshot Gutter and later, Highland Water itself. Ignore all turnings to left and right, including cycle trails coming down from the left in two places - keep right. Being autumn, the trees at this time are just beginning to show their Autumn colours.

Bolderwood Walk in the latter stages of the first part of this walk leads up to a gate beyond which is the Forest Road. Just before the gate look left over the tops of young Scandinavian pine trees for views beyond, southward over the Forest.

Once through the gate, turn left to see the Canadian Memorial. There is a small gate into the enclosure.

Cross the road to a gravel track with a signpost reading "Burley 5 miles" and a warning sticker of a steep hill ahead for cyclists. Pass beside a gate and head down this track which passes along the back of the Deer Sanctuary. Keep dogs on leads and pay attention to Deer Sanctuary notices along the way.

The Deer fields are to the left. At this time of year, the stags are in rut and if you are lucky, as I was, you may hear the stags roaring.

Through a gate, take the first turning to the left along a grass track to another cycle trail. At a junction, take the left hand track, and at a subsequent junction bear left again. This path winds up through the trees to the platform at the top of the Deer Sanctuary.

When you have finished taking photographs turn uphill to the road, Bolderwood Ornamental Drive and cross over to the car park. Pass through the car park (there is an information centre - open during peak times - and a toilet facility) and cross over the next road to a gate. Go through the gate entering Highland Water Inclosure once more.

Head straight down this cycle track and follow its course sharp right to turn back parallel to itself. Continue along this track ignoring all paths to right and left. At a five-way junction of paths, keep to the cycle track bearing right and ahead. Where a later cycle path comes down to form a Y-junction, keep straight ahead through Holmhill Inclosure. This is an area of fenced off trees to right and left. From the Y-junction just encountered, ignore the first crossroads and look for the second, clearly defined crossroads as marked on the map. There is an apparent crossroads where paths seem to run right and left beside inclosure fences; ignore this. The path required is beyond the end of the fences to the right. With a bridge in sight about 100 yards ahead, turn left up the grass path.

In about 200 yards, come to a small gate with a path beyond. The path at first seems indistinct; just keep walking straight ahead from the gate, bearing neither right nor left.

This path is muddy in places at all times. With the use of a long stick or walking pole, test the ground through the muddy parts to find the firmer ground. In places, small branches have been cast on the ground to give a foothold. In many places there are ways around the mud.

Later, where the path seems to split in two, bear left and follow the clearer way. Pass across a footbridge over a stream and keep ahead now until a small barrier of uprights appears and then the cycle track which, bearing right, returns to Acres Down car park.

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