This was a very pleasant walk on a bright sunny day.
It is not shown on the map but there is a quite obvious path that runs along beside the river.  It is however not an easy path as it is criss crossed by numerous tree roots.  You certainly would not want to take a push chair along it!

The forecast was for a very hot day and so we decided to head for the New Forest and a well wooded area where there was a chance of some good shade - thoughtful leadership.
The Blackwater car park is usually fairly busy so is a reasonably safe place to park for the day.  We set off to follow a fire break towards Ober Heath. That seems to have vanished but there is a reasonable path that follows the edge of the stream, well almost.  Along the stream we saw several dragonflies and Beautiful Demoiselle.   Coming out onto the cycle track it was obvious how hot it would be in the open.  It did however lead to the road where there is a good view of Rhinefield House and we soon got off the road and back into the more wooded areas.  
Walking along Ober Water we kept in the woods as much as possible avoiding the more open path and later cycle track.  We managed to find a shady spot for our refreshment break and sat and watched some highland cattle who were enjoying the cool water in the stream until a stupid dog (or was it the owner?) decided to run around and bark at them all.
At Bolderford Bridge we took a small path that is posted but not shown on the map.  It is NOT a cycle route and goes through a protected area.  It is a very pleasant area to walk through and we saw deer, woodpecker and some interesting fungi.  This path meets with a path that is shown on the map and leads to Great Huntley Bank.  We then turned south west through Brinkley wood and back to the car park.  This is another very pleasant area with very few other walkers.
Arriving back at the car park we were delighted to find an ice cream van - irresistible.
The entire team did very well to manage 7 miles in such hot conditions but being a hardy bunch they all had an excellent time and nothing but praise for the leader.
We went into Burley for lunch at the Queens Head where the food was fine but the service was slow and confused. 

We walked out and turned right towards Stoborough.  We should have turned left (sign of things to come?) so we re-traced our steps and took a rather tortuous footpath (another sign of things to come?) which took us down to the A351.  We dodged the traffic and made it safely out onto Stoborough Heath.  We followed a feint track that led to a small crossing over the railway at Creech Bottom.

As we went "off piste" at Icen Barrow the paths vanished and we wandered through wooded areas and heath, some of which were quite boggy, until we finally reached the road.  It was a good job we had access to GPSand a good mapping system!  There was a plus side to this as we were able to look at the mass of water lilies on the larger pond on the eastern side of Icen Barrow.
Sundews and Bog Asphodel were all doing well on the heathland.

The rest of the walk was much less eventful.  We did however manage to spot a phone box that, in spite of its looks, actually had a dialling tone.  Rob gained a cobweb on his ear to prove it.

There was quite a bit of new territory on this walk.  It is however unlikely that the unplanned part will be repeated!  

An ideal day for walking; warm, but with enough cloud cover to keep it from being too hot, and a pleasant breeze at times.  Lunch at the Bakers Arms.  Although in the same Group (Vintage Inns) as the Lambs Green its food is not of the same standard.

A very enjoyable day out and the first with all the group for about a month.