January Walk

Dave said it might be a bit muddy if it had rained earlier. They said the same thing to the new troops going up the line at the battle of Somme.
Despite the mud it was a very good walk for the 24 and one dog who turned up. After the initial muddy start the terrain improved and coming back we were able to return on a dry route. Weather though cold was dry and the rain only started after we were home.

December's walk

What a morning, really wet and windy and most of the group cancelled but five of us turned up at the car park to meet Dave and we bravely went ahead as the rain had eased. We were not the only ones as several other walker were in evidence most of them accompanied by their dogs. It was fun splashing through the puddles. Half way we did have to take shelter behind a gorse bush to get out of the way of horizontally driven rain but it did not last long. The sun came out for a while which was pleasant. In all a very good walk and we felt quite good for making the effort.

December walk

November's walk in the sunshine

Although most of us, the nineteen who came for the New Forest walk, were dressed for November the weather was as sunny as a summer's day with a temperature to match.Despite repeatedly stopping to investigate all the fungi which was plentifully in evidence we made it back at 12.15. It was a very good walk we all including the 2 dogs enjoyed it. One picture of Brian is him showing how tall the grass was so that the height of the deer we had just seen could be estimated.

November Walk

October's Cheriton Walk

I'm told the walk was very good as we arrived too late to meet up and not having tracking skills we unable to trace the twelve who arrived on time. We made several attempts to see where the party went. We went one way until players on a tennis court said nobody went past them. We then saw what seemed a lane but subsequently turned out to be a private entrance to a walled house and garden. Before we turned back the occupant came out and said now we had come this far we could go through his grand estate to follow the right of way path. He said he was tempted to meet us again at lunch but didn't. After that pleasant meeting we then went for a good walk alongside newly planted fields and then back to the village. Where we met a newly married couple staying at the Flower Pots Inn in a separate building, sitting on a bench seat in the front garden. They told us how they enjoyed staying there and how good the food was.
After that being early we went back into the village which is extremely well laid out with a war memorial in the centre and a small brook running past the post office.
Back to the Inn and along came the walkers looking forward to a much deserved meal which we enjoyed sitting out in the Marquee.

October walk

September Walk at Brockenhurst

Seemed strange not to have Dave leading us but Mike did a good job of guiding us on our Brockenhurst forest walk. Cloudy to start, with the threat of rain but this soon changed. We, all nineteen of us plus one griffin (a minature dog) kept to well made up shingle tracks. Not too amused when we were passed by large log carrying lorries and with nowhere to go we were enveloped in dust. We crossed over the rail track and the way was mainly through woods.It got very warm and coats came off as we appreciated the shade from the avenue of trees.

September Walk

1st August walk St Catherine's Hill Winchester

Another glorious morning for our walk this time in Winchester off Junction ten. A convenient carpark alongside the river from where we fifteen walkers followed the narrow bank before skirting the steep hill. We then crossed over the motorway passing the stone memorial inscribed with the names of Maggie Thatcher and some of the cabinet who granted permission to cut this savage slash through a beautiful area. Then we made a careful crossing of the golf course, alert to the sound of "fore". Completing the circular walk we arrived back at the river where we observed a nesting moorhen family.