In which I walk through Woodgreen and along a disused railway track in the New Forest in spring, under a blue sky and among the calls of Chiffchaffs

In which I walk through Woodgreen and along a disused railway track in the New Forest in spring, under a blue sky and among the calls of Chiffchaffs
In which I walk in the footsteps of New Forest smugglers, find some Water-crowfoot, and admire the pollarded Beeches of Ridley Wood
A delightful walk from Burley, down Turf Hill, through Holmsley Inclosure, and back via Thorney Hill Holms and Shappen Hill
In which I get caught in a sleet shower, meet a gang of excitable siskins, and get a bit spooked on a lonely heath
In which I walk through the New Forest woods of Ashurst, Mallard and Matley, through fallen leaves and many watery, muddy bits
In which I start in rain, end in sun, find some history and think about old placenames: a walk through Deerleap and Churchplace Inclosures
In which I imagine an older wood of hazel and bees, meet a pony guarding the way west to Hasley, and walk among raindrops sparkling in the grass
In which I am entranced by seedheads, am stared at by a cow with long horns, and don’t see much of the Iron Age hillfort at Frankenbury: an autumn walk in the New Forest