| Date: Location: Walk Leader: Participants: Distance: Parking: Lunch: | 5th March 2014 Spetisbury - Charlton - Spetisbury Ray with interference Ray, Clive, Peter, Rob. 8 miles Priory Gardens Spetisbury Charlton Inn ★★★ |
Parking in Spetisbury is very difficult. We found a spot in a small cul-de-sac called Priory Gardens.
We turned right on the main road and took the footpath that runs up alongside a house and along a grass area behind the houses. We then turned left taking a bridge across the old railway and up along the edge of the fields. This is a very pleasant, if slightly hilly, stretch with good views back across Spetisbury.
We turned towards North Farm and followed the path towards Kitehill Plantation. Here we struck our first problem The path was under water and it was deep! We returned and continued along the main track which was wet but not too bad except in a few places where we were pleased to take to the field edges.
At the end of this section we stopped in the woods for coffee. There were numerous larches in bud many of which had been felled recently.
After coffee, and mini pork pies kindly provided by Clive, we turned to the northwest towards the Adventure Activities area. The paths continued to be wet and muddy not helped by the recent passage of horses.
After passing the cemetery we climbed up onto the old railway only having to climb back down again when we were level with the pub at Charlton Marshall.
The Charlton had new owners in September last year. The service and food were both excellent and prices very reasonable. Certainly one of the best we have visited in recent times. Particularly worth mentioning are the triple cooked chips - top class!
After lunch it was decided, with some influence from Peter, not to walk straight back along the railway - which would be rather boring - but to take a more interesting route across the fields.
This turned out to be a bit more interesting than expected.
As we got closer to the Watercress Beds the path became impassable with a style in the middle of a fast flowing river. We spotted a path that would take us down to the road which would obviously be fine. The path was good but the road was not. As we approached it turned from a road into a quite fast flowing stream. we were saved by the camber with the very middle of the road just shallow enough to stay below the tops of our foot ware. We walked slowly and carefully.
Eventually we left the road and headed across the field to the higher ground and back to Home Plantation. We walked through the wood and back to the car along familiar paths.
There are a lot of open fields in this area which reduces its scenic appeal and the recent weather meant that there was rather too much mud. Nevertheless we all had a very enjoyable day. There were some mentions of fatigue on the following day!
We turned right on the main road and took the footpath that runs up alongside a house and along a grass area behind the houses. We then turned left taking a bridge across the old railway and up along the edge of the fields. This is a very pleasant, if slightly hilly, stretch with good views back across Spetisbury.
We turned towards North Farm and followed the path towards Kitehill Plantation. Here we struck our first problem The path was under water and it was deep! We returned and continued along the main track which was wet but not too bad except in a few places where we were pleased to take to the field edges.
At the end of this section we stopped in the woods for coffee. There were numerous larches in bud many of which had been felled recently.
After coffee, and mini pork pies kindly provided by Clive, we turned to the northwest towards the Adventure Activities area. The paths continued to be wet and muddy not helped by the recent passage of horses.
After passing the cemetery we climbed up onto the old railway only having to climb back down again when we were level with the pub at Charlton Marshall.
The Charlton had new owners in September last year. The service and food were both excellent and prices very reasonable. Certainly one of the best we have visited in recent times. Particularly worth mentioning are the triple cooked chips - top class!
After lunch it was decided, with some influence from Peter, not to walk straight back along the railway - which would be rather boring - but to take a more interesting route across the fields.
This turned out to be a bit more interesting than expected.
As we got closer to the Watercress Beds the path became impassable with a style in the middle of a fast flowing river. We spotted a path that would take us down to the road which would obviously be fine. The path was good but the road was not. As we approached it turned from a road into a quite fast flowing stream. we were saved by the camber with the very middle of the road just shallow enough to stay below the tops of our foot ware. We walked slowly and carefully.
Eventually we left the road and headed across the field to the higher ground and back to Home Plantation. We walked through the wood and back to the car along familiar paths.
There are a lot of open fields in this area which reduces its scenic appeal and the recent weather meant that there was rather too much mud. Nevertheless we all had a very enjoyable day. There were some mentions of fatigue on the following day!
 Not another step! |  In the shallows |  Lucky its no deeper |  Rising damp |  Larch bud |
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