Ups and downs

It's been another mixed week weather-wise, but in between the showers, I have been able to continue my explorations!

Last Saturday was a bit of a murky day, but perfect weather for walking. We started at Burgate Manor Farm, retracing my old school cross country route along the Avon Valley Path. This old diary farm has now diversified into holiday lets and less-intensive grazing, ensuring walkers no longer have to wade through slurry in the farmyard.

Almost immediately, you come upon the only suspension bridge in Hampshire, apparently built from an old military Bailey bridge, crossing a channel of the Avon as we make our way across the wide, flat floodplain.

Now extensively grazed by cattle, this vast plain was once irrigated watermeadow, with water levels carefully managed to enable early grass growth for livestock. It's now a haven for wildlife, especially in the winter, with flocks of wading birds descending on the wetlands, making it internationally important for several species, and thus legally protected.

Our route continued out the other side of the floodplain, and up a terrace into the New Forest, with amazing views over the wide sweeping meander of the river. We continued on our own meandering route, through small meadows and patches of ancient woodland, coming out at Frankenbury Iron Age hill fort, skirting part of the hilariously-named Sandy Balls holiday park. We then looped back and retraced our steps through the farmyard.







The following day, with the sun shining, and after a lovely pub lunch with friends, we headed up to the Cherhill White Horse north of Devizes. This is apparently the third oldest in Britain, dating from the late 18th century. Right next to it, on the high ridge, is the Lansdowne Monument, apparently built just to catch the eye in 1845, and currently cordoned off while funds are raised to restore it. The views down across the flat land north of Calne are stunning, with the grassland itself a haven for chalk downland species so typical of Wiltshire. Indeed, on our walk up, we spied numerous butterflies including speckled wood (in the shady hedgerow-lined path) and a possible Adonis blue.

And finally, taking a cheeky day off mid-week, I went on a long-ish loop at Grovely Wood, near Wilton. distracted by blackberries (lots - Autumn is coming!) we eventually found our way back onto the main avenue, spying interesting clumps of fungi along the way.

I feel like I've seen the last vestiges of Summer with the very beginnings of Autumn.