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.
Last year a group of 20 visited the hills and paths around Eastbourne - the
location of the seven sisters white cliffs. Breath taking views and a
lively town!
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.
Start at the Kings Arms pub where there should be easy parking in the car park. This has recently been re-opened and it will form a fine target on which to end this grand circular amble.
Set off up Pains Hill towards Critchell's Green - one of Lockerley's four greens - and progress to Top Green thence, across the rail bridge to Lockerley Green. At the north west corner of this green the path takes you between two houses and, for a short distance though may not notice it, by the side of the canal. Turn into Holbury lane passing the fine Holbury Mill on your right and continue until the road turns sharp left. Take the signed path going east gently down hill to meet East Tytherleyy road where you should turn left and progress to the Star Inn.
Cross the car park and take the path by the side of the pavilion and skirt the fine cricket pitch going pretty much eastwards. Have faith in the direction because the stiles are where they should be and you should end up in Dummer copse, then passing Cadbury farm to meet the Dunbridge to Houghton road which you will cross and take the well marked path - thoughtful farmer - towards Mottisfont. For a short way follow the road and take the path up Hatt lane - now pedestrianised.
About halfway up this take the path to your left across the fields and down to Dunbridge station and the Mill Arms. You could tarry here as well but we suggest that you continue going southwards up the slope and through the woods over the farmland and then down hill to meet the Awbridge Lockerley road. Cross this road and after a short distance take the footpath turning south just past the houses. After about 1.2km you should be passing Wood farm and you should take the path by the side os relatively newly built housing to enter Newtown almost opposite a building which used to be a pub until recent times.
About 200m further ontake the path going almost due west for about 1km. You should pass an impressive building which has been set at the bottom of an old quarry pit and you may marvel at the extreme landscaping which has been undertaken. You should come out onto Doctors Hill, so turn right and take the straight track to your left. At the fork you could take either right or left option (the right is shown) and cross the fields to come onto Mount lane almost opposite Chapel farm - note the array of old gravestones. Go up hill for about 200m and, at the sharp bend, take the path across the fields, passign deep disused limestone pits and then down to meet, once more, Mount lane. A gentle amble down this lane for about 1km should return you to the Kings Arms and there you may refresh yourself with good ale and good food.
Let us know if you enjoyed this walk.