From the Hampshire village of Beaulieu to the town of Lymington, the Solent Way proceeds south then west. At first it follows the bank of the Beaulieu River to Bucklers Hard, where many of Nelson’s fleet was built. Two unique terraces of Georgian houses survive. The path then head inland to St Leonards Grange, Sowley and Walhampton, with its oversized monument. The walk finishes in maritime Lymington, with cobbled streets and historic quay. It was surprising to see the wild (if owned) donkeys of the New Forest right there on the streets of Beaulieu. While much of this stage is on tarmac, the lanes were quiet even on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Hampshire
Weekend Walk 38 – Hythe to Beaulieu – Solent Way
Continuing east-west along the Solent Way, from the ferry at Hythe to the Hampshire village of Beaulieu. This is an inland stage once leaving Southampton Water, entering into the New Forest through Fawley Inclosure, Beaulieu Heath, to Hilltop, then down into the village itself on the banks of the River Beaulieu where I was sort of attacked by a goose. Disappointingly, most of the walk is along roadsides, or very near the road. I’d really like to see an alternative route for the Solent Way to the East of Beaulieu.
Apologies for the dirty image. It’s not on the lens but inside the camera.
Weekend Walk 35 – Lee-on-Solent to Warsash (Solent Way)
Continuing the Solent Way after a break for winter, this is the fourth stage. I started around 10am from Lee-on-Solent, past Hill Head, Titchfield Haven, Meon Shore, Brownwich Cliffs, Chilling Cliffs, Hook, and on to Warsash. From just north of the village, the Solent Way goes via ferry to Hamble, but I stopped today on the eastern shore. On the way I saw dogs (many), jetskis, birds, helicopters, the Isle of Wight, the nature reserve, erodind cliffs, fawley power station, oil refinery, and the village of Warsash.
Hampshire Architecture – Petersfield: College Street, Dragon Street, Sussex Road
Petersfield is a market town 18 miles north of Portsmouth and about 20 miles east of Winchester. Today I explored the eastern side of the town centre from the old college in College St, past the western end of the High Street onto Dragon Street and further east into Sussex Road which leads to the heath. Most of the listed buildings here are C17 and C18, with some C16 and C19. Many have older sections behind the newer facades, evidenced by the uneven roofs. Compared to Winchester, the increased amount of space for building is apparent, with many of only two stories. Petersfield grew as a coach stop on the Portsmouth-London route and due to its market. The Red Lion is a large in on this historic route. The pictures below are all of Grade II buildings, with the exception of Dragon House and Heath Lodge, both II*. Pictured first, my favourites today are Fir Cottage, The Masonic Hall, and 24/26 Dragon St. I am grateful to the owner of Wych Elm Cottage for allowing me onto her property to take that photograph.
Hampshire Architecture: St Cross
Is St Cross a Winchester suburb or is it a village? St Cross is one mile south of central Winchester next to the meadows of the Itchen, underneath St Catherine’s Hill. Away from the main road there is the feel of a village, in the Back Street and around the medieval Hospital founded in 1130, along with some old cottages. On the busy St Cross Road it’s very much part of the city, with groups of C18 and C19 town houses, Georgian and Regency. The group of buildings of the hospital is described in the Listed Buildings section of English Heritage as “One of the most beautiful groups of buildings in the country”
Favourites today are 6, 7 and 10 St Cross Back Street, and of course the mini-cathedral of St Cross Church. These are ordered first in the photographs below:
110208 Alton to Selborne
Yoga when I woke up, then breakfast before driving to Selborne. From there I caught the bus to Alton so I could walk the first part of the Hangers Way back to Selborne. The path is 21 miles long and heads south and east from Alton to Queen Elizabeth Country Park south of Petersfield, so today’s walk was a third of the total. I expected the bus to be a mostly empty Tuesday morning rural bus, but no, it was full of teenagers headed to the college. That feeling of being watched as I looked for an empty seat, only one spare because the kids were sprawled over a couple of seats each. The first part of the walk was fairly boring, through the industrial part of town and over large fields. As it got hillier, it was more fun. It took about two and a half hours walking, with a couple of short breaks, sitting in the late winter sun. New growth pushing up in the woodland, the leaves of the bluebells. Keep it rural! Here’s the walk video I made:
Weekend Walk 24 – Alton to Selborne – Hangers Way from Duncan Toms on Vimeo.
This afternoon, resting, editing the video which takes an hour or so, plus export and upload time. Otherwise continuing looking at TVs and buying a Playstation 3. But this morning during yoga I saw through all this entertainment and constant occupation, to something simpler, purer, more in touch, real, whole. It’s a question of right action and what to do with my time on this earth, what to do with each day. At the end of it: ‘Oh, I saw some fine movies and played some games, rode some waves, made some good friends, loved and was loved, worked a lot.’ Well, maybe that’s what there is, but something else is touched upon when deep in a stretch or in relaxation. I can’t force it, but I can allow it to come. It’s not something more, but unrelated to all that I know.
…
Steps stepped: 14,706
Weekend Walk 12 – East Meon to Buriton (South Downs Way)
The fourth stage of my South Downs Way hike, from the village of East Meon up to HMS Mercury, Butser Hill and the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, finishing in Buriton, Hampshire.
Falling Awake 