Grand National Champions and a Pair of Sore Shins; Weekly Walk #21

Desperate for a well-worn, scenic walk after my recent overgrown, confusing trail from Pepperbox Hill, and in need of a longer walk than last week before work, I turned to my Hampshire and New Forest guide for a walk from nearby Rockbourne, Fordingbridge. I discovered a famous training stable at Whitsbury Manor and didn’t get lost, which was a plus, although I still had to wade a nettle-ridden path in my shorts (and hide the pain of throbbing legs all night).

Once in the village, I parked on the road as the hall and its car-park were in use, and met a fellow walker who'd just enjoyed a similar route. I set-off confidently along the track past a farm and followed a local as he bounded his way past sheep under the blissful sun of the open field. I could've easily cracked a cider and had a picnic, but instead continued my way through gates to a cool, tree-lined path.

 

I walked past a stud before crossing the road to Whitsbury Manor Stables, which are famous for training Grand National champion horses Red Rum and Rhyme‘n’Reason. I’m not a big fan of horse racing, but there was a definite air of professionalism and respect as I skirted the grounds. I continued a path overlooking fields and descended to the bottom of the valley.

I turned right onto a wide track and walked quite a distance past two farms, before turning right again through a gate and heading uphill. I was planning on taking lunch a little further up, but the sun took its toll and forced me to take a breather. Once refuelled, I continued uphill before entering woodland and taking a sharp left down a muddy, forest path.

I emerged from woodland near another farm, turned left down a country lane and right into a field. At the end of the field I found what was meant to be a narrow path, but was little more than a jungle. A pair of walkers and their dog met me halfway; their arms raised high as they waded through thick bushes where the path should’ve been.  “How sensible,” I commented, as I looked between their trousers and my now red-raw, bare shins.

Finally, the path (and the pain) ended at a stile on the left into an open field with horses, which led me back to Rockbourne and my car. All in all, this had been exactly what I wanted from a walk; a good six miles, scenic and straightforward to follow, though it's seems I'm currently doomed to take on overgrown paths, but I suppose they only add to the adventure.

This walk was taken from the Hampshire and New Forest Walks pathfinder guide.

Click the link to read more about Whitsbury Manor Stables on the website for Marcus Tregoning Racing.

Weekly Walk 13 - Dinton Park and the Fovant Badges

Another historical walk this week on a five mile loop from Dinton Park, home of Phillipps House, a National Trust property built for politician William Wyndham, and past two picturesque Mills around the River Nader, with a view to the iconic Fovant Badges.

Dinton is an award winning village nine miles east of Salisbury, and the many beautiful stone buildings and inviting pub made this clear when I arrived. I parked at the free National Trust car park opposite the village green, and set off down Snow Hill along the main road to a footpath on the right opposite a junction. I followed the path over the railway line and along a stream to Dinton Mill.

I crossed a bridge to a track beside an open field of sheep and ducks, when a farmer arrived to feed the sheep, which I guessed as the sheep flocked around his Land Rover bleating hungrily. Before long I was in Compton Chamberlayne, home of grade I listed Chamberlayne Park House, which was huge and almost looked like a fortress behind its steely gates.

I took a steep uphill path and stopped for a quick tea break, when two ladies passed, happy to chat about the beautiful weather. To the left, I had a view across the valley to the Fovant Badges, royal badges etched into the hills similar to the famous Wiltshire chalk horses. They were quite striking, though more striking were the sheep that flocked to me as I stopped to take a picture, perhaps expecting their lunch.

I continued across an open field to a narrow passage skirting the edge of Fovant Woods, where I saw a deer dart between trees, and another two as I descended towards the road. They must be high in numbers as I’ve seen one on just about every walk I’ve taken. I walked along a minor road before a sharp right across a path to a field. I crossed the field and another road through a series of kissing gates, and finally left downhill to a stile and Mill Farm. I stopped a while at a peaceful spot beside the stream, before continuing the path along the river to the Farm.

I took a tunnel under the railway and emerged at the edge of a field, and followed it around to a batch of trees. I passed through to a field, and crossed past a barn and a few fields to a road. I crossed into Dinton Park and caught my first glimpse of Phillipps House, which could easily have been the set of a period drama, and beside the lake made a nice spot for lunch. The house is open at weekends, and perhaps would’ve made a nice end to a morning’s walk.

Research courtesy of the 50 Walks in Wiltshire Guide.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dinton-park-and-philipps-house/