It was a bit of a stroll too. Left Clare at home as she was out last night
at an all girl dinner ( I was a good boy and did the Taxi business for 3 of
them) and she wanted to rest at home. (Bless her)
Anyway, I drove over to Exton Village at 1030 this morning and parked up
close to the River Meon as it flows under the Alton road. The sky looked
great on the short drive from Denmead, blue with the odd white cloud ....
until I reached Exton. It then instantly clouded over and became a little
windy. Still good walking, though the photos would have looked better with
the previous version of sky.
Well, the walk took me over fields and up to near Beacon Hill, west of
Exton. Even poppies still in the fields near Beacon Hill. I passed around
to the west of Beacon Hill, with a short walk through Beacon Hill Beeches
wood, before dropping down to Wheely Down Farm. It was now a mile or so
road walk through Warnford village before I returned to farm tracks and
footpaths. Still no change in the weather. Leaving Warnford, it was up Old
Winchester Hill Lane, then turning off right onto the track down to Lower
Peak Farm. (I try to avoid roads on my walk plans, but this section could
not be avoided.) Anyway, back on soft ground now on the way to Lower Peak
Farm. Had a little entertainment from 10 young horses in a field on the way
down. Very friendly, but having fun galloping up and down the field. Now
on the Monarch's Way, I headed up to below Old Winchester Hill. Had
considered visiting the top, but the weather to the north started to look a
little wet. The first spot on rain on my face convinced me, it was down the
South Downs Way and back to the car. Although it looked like there was
going to be a good down-pour, the rain never did arrive. Glad, as I
couldn't be bothered to stop to get my jacket on. The temperature had
dropped by a couple of degrees though since the start 3 hours earlier. Will
winter eventually arrive in the south!
A slide show of photos from along the route are at web address below.
--
sandy saunders @ www.thewalkzone.co.uk
'Mountains or Mole Hills ... summiting still
brings the same excitement'