Wilverley and Holmsley

Date:
Location:
Walk Leader:
Participants:
Distance:
Parking:
Lunch:

1 February 2017
Wilverley Inclosure
Peter
Peter, Ray
7.6 miles
Wilverley Plain Car Park
Cat and Fiddle  ★★★☆☆ 
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The rain has been pretty persistent for the last few days so it's back to the NewForest and a walk on the cycle tracks.
We did a similar walk last January but managed to find a slightly different route this time.  The lower car park was closed for re-work so we started at the top car park again but this time we took the path down towards Wilverley Lodge before turning west towards Holmsley.  Coming out of the Inclosure the route goes down towards the road, under the road bridge and then up the slope for a short distance before turning back to cross a style and walk across the road to the old railway line.

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​The path along the embankment was fairly dry and quite easy.  However as we started along the old railway we could see a lot of fast flowing water to either side. About halfway along, where there should be an underpass, we took the opportunity for photo to show jut how much water there was.  (Marked with a small camera icon).

There really is a made up path to the right of where we are standing but absolutely no chance of getting on it.

The Avon Water that runs through this area was way above its normal level.

The Old Railway

Approach Underpass With Caution

We had intended to walk as far as the road at Helmsley passage but much to our surprise we found we could walk across the lawn area to Helmsley Lodge.  It was a bit splashy but quite passable.  After a short section along the road we turned back into Helmsley Inclosure.  We kept to the cycle track as far as Hanging Shoot and then took a small track that leads quite steeply uphill to the road.  Unfortunately we must have strayed a little and had to climb through the fence!

The Ford

Crossing the road with great care we then set off on the cycle track again for Brownhill Inclosure.
Last year we had encountered impassable (for some) high water to the north of this track so we decided to go and see how bad it was now. Another little icon marks the spot and the picture shows what is supposed to be a ford.  The path to the ford has recently been relaid!

At Wootton Bridge the water was unsurprisingly lapping the edges of the car park but the ground to the side of the road was fairly good and we had no trouble walking along to Wilverely Lodge. The path along the outside edge of Wilverley Inclosure was however pretty wet and the brambles were a constant tripping hazard.  We arrived back at the car without having had any rain apart from the first ten minutes or so. 
We had a very pleasant and reasonably priced lunch at the Cat and Fiddle (Harvester) where we were kept beautifully warm sitting next to a radiator.