| Date: Location: Distance: Parking: Lunch: | 26 October 2017 Brockenhurst 7.6 miles Brockenhurst station long stay car park - cost £3.00 for the day The Cat and Fiddle ★★★☆☆ |
This is a completely new walk for the blog although we walked some of the tracks in 2007. Needless to say we didn’t remember much of it. In truth I don’t think we remembered any of it. You also get a bit of local history as a bonus.
In 2007, after 10am, it cost £1.40 to park in the station long term car park for the rest of the day. It is now £3.00 but is very convenient for this walk.
After a very short distance on the main road we turned up Church Lane. At the top the lane we found - a church! St Nicholas is said to be the oldest church in the New Forest as it is recorded in the Doomsday Book and the churchyard contains a 1000 year old Yew which some believe to be the oldest tree in the forest.
The cemetery is located on the same ridge as the site of "Tin Town", a collection of tented and galvanised accommodation hospital units. Here they first treated soldiers of the 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions from the Indian Army Corps and later many New Zealand soldiers from the first world war. It became part of the New Zealand General Hospital, and further huts were erected and local hotels commandeered. In all some 21,000 New Zealand casualties were treated, including the 93 who died, before the hospital finally closed soon after the war.
Unfortunately we could not visit the church as it is only open in the afternoon.
In 2007, after 10am, it cost £1.40 to park in the station long term car park for the rest of the day. It is now £3.00 but is very convenient for this walk.
After a very short distance on the main road we turned up Church Lane. At the top the lane we found - a church! St Nicholas is said to be the oldest church in the New Forest as it is recorded in the Doomsday Book and the churchyard contains a 1000 year old Yew which some believe to be the oldest tree in the forest.
The cemetery is located on the same ridge as the site of "Tin Town", a collection of tented and galvanised accommodation hospital units. Here they first treated soldiers of the 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions from the Indian Army Corps and later many New Zealand soldiers from the first world war. It became part of the New Zealand General Hospital, and further huts were erected and local hotels commandeered. In all some 21,000 New Zealand casualties were treated, including the 93 who died, before the hospital finally closed soon after the war.
Unfortunately we could not visit the church as it is only open in the afternoon.
 The Station |  St Nicholas' Church, Brockenhurst |  Two For Tea |
It was fairly straightforward, and a very pleasant walk through the woods, following the path around to the point where it rejoins the A337 again. Though we were too busy talking and missed the turn onto the small track through Fluders Clump.
We stopped for our customary break not far from the model yacht sailing lake before setting off to find the bridge over the railway line.
There is a good track up until Widden Bottom and then the open areas of the forest becomes a bit damper underfoot. After the next railway crossing the path vanished on us and we had to find a wiggly way through to Cater’s Cottage. This looks as if it might have once been a railway cottage as it sits right alongside the old track.
The route from here was not hard to follow but it is quite wet and it would be easy to miss the vey small footbridge between Hinchelsea Bog and Trenley Lawn. It’s only about the size of a plank. Looking west from the track there is a rather unusual looking area with a lot of cotton grass and bog myrtle in the foreground. Not a place to try to cross!
We stopped for our customary break not far from the model yacht sailing lake before setting off to find the bridge over the railway line.
There is a good track up until Widden Bottom and then the open areas of the forest becomes a bit damper underfoot. After the next railway crossing the path vanished on us and we had to find a wiggly way through to Cater’s Cottage. This looks as if it might have once been a railway cottage as it sits right alongside the old track.
The route from here was not hard to follow but it is quite wet and it would be easy to miss the vey small footbridge between Hinchelsea Bog and Trenley Lawn. It’s only about the size of a plank. Looking west from the track there is a rather unusual looking area with a lot of cotton grass and bog myrtle in the foreground. Not a place to try to cross!
 Endless Track |  It's A Long Way From Shetland |  The Wetlands |
Approaching Culverley Green we were forced to walk along the road for a short while but soon found a marked cycleway, on the right, that does not seem to be shown on the map. This provided an easy path that took us into the back of the station car park.
The Cat and Fiddle provided some fun at lunch time. They had no hot water and kindly provided free milk and cups so we could use our own thermos and tea bags. The gammon steaks were really good.
The Cat and Fiddle provided some fun at lunch time. They had no hot water and kindly provided free milk and cups so we could use our own thermos and tea bags. The gammon steaks were really good.
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