Lockerley walks …
Lockerley has a very active walking group whose routes cover nearly every public footpath in the area.
Members of the walking group research walks for their interesting views and the chance that few will have wandered along them recently. Some walks, such as those on the Wiltshire downs or the Dorset coast, require a little travelling to reach the start point. There is an annual weekend away walk organised by members and this year was located around Swanage and the Dorset coastal paths.
This year a group of 20 visited Lyme Regis on the famous Jurassic cost. We climbed the highest coastal point - Golden Cap - but, regrettably, sea mist was rolling in so the view was, how to say it ... limited!
The series of monthly morning walks is usually held on a Monday or Wednesday and will take between two and three hours including any travelling. The series of monthly weekend walks is organised for a Saturday or Sunday and will usually last until late afternoon - typically, but not always, with a midday break at a public house. In the summer months there is a brief series of evening walks. Check out the diary page or read the newsletter to catch up on the schedule.
There is a set of favourite local walks which can be offered for the visitor and many of them feature a break in a pub on the way. All of these walks are described as setting off from Butts Green where, outside the village hall, there is some readily seen off road parking. Other starting points are, of course, possible. Most routes are easy to walk though there is a number of stiles some of which are not in good condition.
Some routes lack clarity in signing and you may find that an up to date copy of the landranger map (map 131 and see also www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk) for the areas will be useful.
You may wish to notify the parish footpaths and stiles officer, Roger Fawcett, if any path is obscured or a stile is in parlous condition. The distances are approximate.A map of the fotpaths within the Lockerley parish can be seen in the Lockerley Memorial Hall.
Please respect the mores of the countryside, let wild life prosper, keep dogs under control and close gates after use.
This month's walk ...
The map below uses an image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. The image is reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. The links are http://www.getamap.co.uk, or http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ If you liked walking in Hampshire then you might like to visit http://walkandcyclehampshire.co.uk for other walks.
Follow the rough road by the side of the green going almost west and you should find a path right iin the corner which runs by the side of a garden. Over a stile and across a field toward the side, as it happens, of the old canal. This field is quite often damp even in dry weather. You will reach a stile which leads on to Holbury Lane - when we walked it in June 2010 there was a small tree lying almost across it. Go up hill, almost due north and keep going along a drover's track for about 1.5km. At the end of the track keep straight on keeping coniferous woodland to your left for some 200m. Go through the galvanised steel bar gate and into what looks like parkland. We've never had any problem with bulls or cows but be judicious. You should have deciduous woodland to your right and, if you are quiet, you might see some of the deer which roam hear abouts. We've frequently seen hare here. Over the double stile - not in too good repair - and , in theory aim for the tree in the middle of the field - the farmer has not considered marking the foot path and you may consider it judicious to go round the field to meet a couple of swing gate stiles. Still walking roughly north you shoould see East Tytherley church ahead and you will leave the grave yard to your right. Just over a narrow bridge turn right to go towards the East Tytherley road. The church is worth a visit -take a look at the roof beams.
Go straight across the road pass by a small pond (on your left), cross the field over a narrow bridge - two stout planks, towards the corner where there is yet a further pond. Moving on ... follow the made up road and bear right after about 330m along the edge of Blackpits Wood. Turn right after about 500m and go roughly south west towards a coppse passing by a stile marked by two oaks acting as sentinels. Make a bee line for the corner of the wood known as Dummer Copse and turn to go almost due west for about 1.5km passing, en route, the East Tytherley cricket ground - a beautifully maintained pitch which is well used on summer weekends.
Drop by the Star Inn for a pint - Leslie keeps up to four guest ales from which you can choose. Refreshed, or pressing on, turn right form the car park and down the road for about 200m - ignore the bridle path almost opposite the pub. Cross the stile and the path is quite direct ... it takes you to the top of Hobury lane where you turn left and retrace your steps back to Lockerley Green.
Here's the map:
Let us know if you enjoyed this walk.