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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