Eastleigh Ramblers

Regular walkers in Hampshire should sign up Hampshire County Council's system for reporting problems on the rights of way network and add details of any issues that need to be attended to. You need to provide email and telephone details but they will only contact you to let you know when the problems has been fixed or if they cannot find what you have reported. If the problem is not on this system it will not get sorted by them. Around 200 issues get resolved very month so it is worth you making an effort to report it. You can also see if it has already been reported. Go to https://www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningande n…/…/reportaproblem

13 February 2020 - Nine walkers arrived in the Tilery Road Car Park at Brockenhurst to find a sea of puddles and flooded moorland. Pam leading her first walk had wisely sorted out a 5.5 mile route along the gravel paths (photo) through to Denny Lodge and back. With the storm due at the weekend it will be a while before the New Forest dries out. Saturdays walk is already cancelled.

https://youtu.be/Q8y-Ex-lQ_o

6 February 2020 - It was 1c when seventeen arrived at Cheriton Recreation Ground for a six-mile walk via the Mill, around the battlefield site for a coffee stop near Cheriton Woods (photo) and back via the village, It was a lovely clear day a pleasure to be out and during the mainly sunny morning it rose to 12C. At the end the majority of the party adjourned to The Flower Pots for lunch. Nice one Martin!

1 February 2020 - The cameras were clicking on the 9-mile walk from Hambledon up to Chidden and on to Chidden Down (photo) and back via the Cricket Ground and Glidden Farm. Visibility was good although the wind was blustery but the mild weather continued. There were twelve who had to clean their muddy boots after yet another excellent walk led by Cyril.

30 January 2020 - Lured by the promise of cake at the Whitchurch Mill café a dozen ramblers travelled up the damp A34 to Freefolk to walk in drizzle for most of 5.8 miles in a circular route via the hills to the northeast of Whitchurch and back along the River Test. A rainbow heralded better weather as the party finished crossing the sparkling river flowing strong and clear (photo).

23 January 2020 - Upham is always a popular start for a walk and seventeen turned up for a walk lead by Cyril via Woodcote Farm, Green Hill, Woodlock's Down, and Lower Upham. Although overcast there was no wind or rain and it felt mild. The Brushmakers Arms was popular after and their web site contains further suggested walks

2 January 2020 - The new decade started with a 5.5-mile walk from Keyhaven along the sea wall where the twelve who took part had the wind behind them down to Pennington and then it was back along the lanes inland. Not much colour in the landscape this time of year but it was nice to get some fresh air and even more congenial to get lunch in the Gun Inn. Part Two next Thursday.

https://www.theguardian.com/…/winter-wa lks-uk-pubs-cafes-re…

https://www.theguardian.com/…/charles-d ickens-london-walk-w…

26 December 2019 - Six set out in the driving rain from Abbots Well Car Park at Frogham with Richard leading a route around historical sites and locations including a Bowl Barrow from the period 2400 - 1500 BC (photo - taken in better weather). Dodging standing water and crossing storm filled streams the undeterred ramblers completed the 5.7 mile walk with a certain sense of triumph at having got out of the armchairs and survived!

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-w…/find- a-walk-or-route.aspx…

The Solstice walk on Sunday 22nd December
https://youtu.be/uKkNvDL9Wug

It was more like summer than winter as Ronni led 16 of us on pre Xmas 5 mile circular walk featuring the Itchen Navigation and starting at The Otter, Otterbourne

Martin led 15 of us on a glorious walk from East Meon. The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine. The walk was very uplifting, up Salt Hill where coffee and cake was taken at the Sustainability centre with all of us sat outside in the sunshine. Then it was on to Butser Hill for lunch with glorious Autumnal colours all around. Then a very steep descent into the valleys of the Meon where we walked on a very narrow ledge around the hill. A perfect day.

Chris led 14 walkers on a 10 mile walk from Kilmiston. The weather was perfect a beautiful autumn day and such a relief after all the rain of late. The walk took us on the Wayfarers Way past Hinton Ampner House and then across fields where the trees were just starting to turn colour. Coffee stop was in Brockwood Park where 2 logs were conveniently placed for us!! Then it was past the Krishnamurti Centre onto West Meon where we had our lunch stop in glorious sunshine. We then continued to Warnford with stunning views and across fields to a Golf Course and back to Kilmiston. A very enjoyable day.