Short Eared Owl at Thorney RSPB walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

RSPB tHORNEY WALK.KMZ

 

 

 

 

Funtington HeartSmart Walk

Kingley-Funtington kmz

Tue 13th  November – 10.30am

WEST STOKE / FUNTINGTON CIRCULAR

L: John M: Judy

3½ - 4 miles, flat with 1 stile. May be muddy if wet.

Meet:  Meet and park at the Nature Reserve car park for Kingley Vale.

By Car: Leave Chichester on B2178 Funtington Road, on exit to East Ashling at sharp LH bend
go straight ahead towards Kingley Vale Nature Reserve car park.

This 4½ mile walk is very enjoyable very flat and just a little bit muddy in places. I did not even bother to clean my boots. 

Walking past the pig pens(stys) is smelly but thankfully the breeze cleared the air. Quite a bit of road walking and along single tracked width in some places. 

We took a breather at the Mill Pond, West Ashling and were presented with a Gaggle of Geese in full Chorus. Also a Black Swan came gracefully across the water to greet us. Ling slightly beyond the other ducks was a Swedish Duck.  All-in-all  a walk I will happily go on again. Thank you John and Judy

Pagham Walk; Inspired by HeartSmart

Pagham Walk.KMZ

Fri 19th October – 10:30am PAGHAM
L: Jane M: TBC
Approx 4 miles. Flat. A longer walk taking in parts of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve and Seashore.
Some stiles and can be muddy and slippery underfoot.
Meet: Car park at the junction of Sea Lane and The Parade (usually free of charge).
By Car: Take B2145 from A27 Chichester bypass, left on B2166 Pagham Road and follow signs to
Pagham, left down Sea Lane to junction with The Parade on the left. Car park is on the left immediately
after the junction and opposite the Beach Café.

The Walk is clearly 4½ miles and approximately 2hrs. with the added enjoyment of good company, highly recommended and I hope to do it again.    The organised walk Led by Jane is to the right of the two white bars. The area to the left is to the RSPB Pagham Nature Reserve. This added another 3¼ miles to this walk.

I did not plot the other part of my journey for personal reasons.

The Harbour changes every time I visit it.  This proved to be at Low Tide and walking on the shoreline at what is mean high tide was slightly slippery and occasionally very smelly. The Harbour entrance is moving so far Eastward towards Pagham it is so strange to think back how it has migrated over 200m over the past 15 years.

The day is quite soft with gentle showers on an intermittent basis. If there is one problem it was not the puddles but the timber on the stiles we had to use. Being wood and wet they were basically very slippery, 'walker be aware'.

 The Rifes were alive with insects and water birds. Where are they? As always when I took the lens cap off the camera, they just headed for cover. The birds throughout the harbour were in wonderful song. From the chatter of the Goldfinches through to the calls of the Carrion Crows and Rooks. Occasional interrupted by the the high pitched call of the Curlew.  I had the opportunity to photograph over thirty different birds today and several insects but no mammals. To capture the swans in flight was so hard they just seemed to be so far away, but I did manage two photos I will post in one of my other blogs.

Jane Good Walk, Thank you C     Paul nice to meet you.

Slindon Pumpkin Display HeartSmart Walk

 

Slindon Walk KMZ

Wed 17th October – 10:30am SLINDON PUMPKIN DISPLAY
L: Janet M: Jane
3½ miles. A walk through the woods and up onto the downs. Walking back through the village to see
the pumpkin display.         Meet: National Trust car park, Park Lane, Slindon.
By Car: Take A27 Eastward from Chichester. At Fontwell roundabout continue on A27 until you reach
the next roundabout (¼ mile approx). At this roundabout take first left

Approx 32 of us and two dogs, started off in gentle October sunshine. The heavy rain falling on the coast seemed a long way off and did not manage to reach us, throughout this 1hr 40min walk. The distance was just shy of 4 miles and near perfect conditions. Flat and easy to start with, then a fairly long straight incline and winding down through Slindon and back to the cars. Three quarters of the distance was under a canopy of trees.  Some of the track had puddles but you could easily walk around them and it was the drier today than the past three walks I attended here.

Butchers Copse was in fall leaf with the firs of the trees turning Autumn Gold. Rounding and following Park Pale by Slindon Wood we made our way up Slindon Bottom and the Keepers Cottage. Here by the camping site we emerged on the road by the college. To keep the enjoyment of the canopy of trees we followed the footpath within yards of the road and made our way upward to Court Hill and the College gate. Here we Paused to regroup and await our Back Marker Jane.  At this point two persons decided to head towards the 'Coffee' sign that had been posted quite recently. The remainder of us crossed the road entering Butt Lane Bridleway. This gentle climb is now so easy compared to how breathtaking it was 12 months ago. When we arrived at Downes Barn old wall we rested, this was barley 2 miles from where we had started. Looking across we could see The Folly  Nore Folly. Beautiful but with no apparent purpose, maybe there was when it was built but that's for you to find out.  At theis point Jane reported to Janet we had lost one of the dogs and hew owner plus another lady who accompanied the owner on the hunt for the missing hound.  Once Jane returned to say the missing lady and dog will make their own way we continued further up Butt lane till we collided with Mill Lane where we doubled back on ourselves. Cresting the farm land appokimatly 360ft(105m) we now had the gentle decline all the way back. Now on the tarmacadam of Baycombe Lane we entered into Top Road and continued along to the Pumpkin Display.  After looking around this wonderful display and selection and parting with some money(Purchased a pumpkin 'Prince Crown' which should be baked next weekend) we back tracked to Dyers Lane and made our way into Church Hill and when we reached the pond we again regrouped. Entering into the bellows we proceeded into Butchers Copse and back to the carpark once again. Thanking Janet for yet another walk we were all soon on the road home. Oh the dog and its owner did meet up with us at the pumpkin Display.

Slindon and Danes Wood HeartSmart Walk

The HeartSmart Booklet said: Led by Bruce and our back marker was Nick
4 miles. Approx 1 hour 45 minutes. Two or three stiles.  Meet: Slindon - in lay-by outside The Spur Pub

Ample parking and a wonderful sunny day. This was going to be a forest walk with the possibility of beautiful autumnal views within the forest. With great enthusiasm we headed South and headed off along Shellbridge road. Until we came to a bridleway that was directing us back towards our start point. This is all part of the South Downs National Park.

Entering into Danes Wood we followed the track slightly inclining up towards West Stubbs Copse, which we skirted and down alongside Rouge Copse where we paused to see the area that is reputed to be used for off road trialling. Looking at the ruts in the clay it looked more suitable for monster trucks or tractors.  Having reached this point we retraced our route to a convenient track and headed North Westward up a sharp inclination. This took us to the edge of Rewell Wood Once at a convenient point we seemed to go off road into a bramble strewn area that was a track but not part of the footpath set-up in the direction of Madehurst Wood. Once we emerged onto a bridleway we turned southerly direction and to everyone's surprise back to the sharp incline we had recently started this section from.  This area was probably the most difficult for some as it was solid and wet chalk, thankfully no-one became a cropper.


At this point we headed due west towards in the direction of our start point. however we diverted for an excursion down into a glade and shaded area. Retracing our steps once again re followed the track we had been on and made our way to the Scouts Adventure centre, behind the Spur.   Crossing the bridleway once again we took the footpath up a steepish embankment and crossing four wooden stiles in quick concession we were back on the A29.

Not quite a circular route covering 3.6miles in one and a half hours, not bad. I would have preferred a more circular route with no backtracking and sticking to footpaths and bridleways. Would I do it again, I guess so but not fully sure.

Pagham to Sidlesham HeartSmart Walk

Led by Jane and our back marker was Peter;  This is a circular walk taking in parts of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve and the village of Sidlesham, returning through the fields. 4½ miles. A flat walk but includes several stiles and can be slippery.

This flat walk is very interesting. Meeting at Little Welbourne at Pagham. This promised to be a wet and windy walk.  All heavily clothed and a few of us were sensible to have wellingtons or waterproof walking boots. We set off along the Pagham Wall with slight drizzle that failed to dampen our spirits. Passing in single file along the narrow and slightly muddy path we skirted Halsey's Farm before cutting in to towards Halsey Farm Barn and Cumbers. We then emerged onto Rookery Lane where we headed westward passing the Crab and Lobster public house and as we came into Mill Lane alongside the Old Mill site at Sidlesham Quay we had a nice break. It was the opportunity to take in the view across the harbour towards the shingle bank, Bluebell woods and Church Norton. 

Alongside Old Mill Farm is a single picket Gate and it looks like you are going into someone's back garden but it is actually a public footpath. This circled around the farm, across the back of Cumbers back onto Rookery lane.  Crossing over onto Selsey to Chichester Canal Basin Cycle Loop alongside Rookery  Farm and New Barn as far as Church Farm Lane. Turning Eastward to the end of the lane we continued by crossing in the direction of Honer Barn and or Farm. It was through these fields and their gates that the going got tough and very muddy. We then selected a footpath that headed South towards the Pagham Wall where we retraced our track back to the meeting point.

1hr 40min after starting we travelled 4.3 miles and at respectable pace, thanks to it being level.  Would I do it again? I hope so.

Stansted Walk HeartSmart Walk

Google Earth Link

Just over four miles

Led by John and Judy; We started off from the Garden Centre car-park, rounding the path by the chapel, and crossing in-front of Stansted house. Turning right along Monarchs way bridleway alongside the Orange Grove, where there was signs of a lot of tree removal. After 100yds the route we were going to follow along Monarchs Way was blocked due to the repairs to the bridleway.

Following the tarmacadam surface we rounded Lumley Wood, making our way past Long Copse and Lumley Seat towards Broadreads Farm. From here we followed the footpath up towards the first muddy part of our route. As we were reaching the highest point of our stroll, it started to rain this barley lasted for fim minutes but it was worthwhile putting the jacket on and a few umbrellas rose into the air. Entering to Wrthy Piece along a narrow single track wading through the oozing and slippery mud is quite good fun really.

Turning south we walked down through  Batty's Park down along  Rosamond's Hill and along the edge of Forest Hanger. Here one of our group spotted a slow worm about 25cm long laying quite still.  John carefully relocated it off the track and it disappeared into the longer grass.  This was the last of the mud and as we entered the road at North Coopers wood there was a lovely clean puddle to clear the mud from our footwear. 

Very soon we were crossing back in front of the house and into the car park.  This was the first time I had not visited the Pavilion for their fantastic array of quality and appetising fare.  The absolute best in this area.

Thank you John and Judy and thanks to everyone who made it so enjoyable.

FishbourneReedbeds HeartSmart Walk

Slindon HeartSmart Walk first 2.17mile extra

20120420 Slindon

On this fabulous of April morning arriving at our rendezvous point, the National Trust car park along park lane Slindon I decided to take a quick walk Mainly around the circuit to make it more energetically compatible towards what I needed.  Setting off through Butchers Copes just below the field known as The Bellows.  I’d kept to the left path to take me to the top of the bellows with the college in the background.  Meandering through the forest and the wonderful bluebells I made my way to Slindon pond.  Nothing much of great interest on the noticeboard I made my way up Church Hill and turned left into Top Road.  Glancing at the time I had been walking for 10 minutes, the pace had been moderate and with this slight incline a church he or I had started to perspire.  Continue my journey Westwood I passed the college and crossed over to the Court Hill side of the road.  For nearly ½ mile wide carried on down the road before it turned left onto a footpath.  This area is known as Park Pale along Slindon Bottom of Slindon Wood.  Again continuing in a southerly direction for just over ½ mile I came alongside Slindon Park Field.  I then kept left along the narrow footpath skirting the field after a few 100 yards and approaching the rendezvous point car park the other 31 walkers were approaching.  As I turned and spoke to Janet our walk leader, I heard Chris’s wonderful voice.  Another walker from Selsey, I daresay we travelled as far as anyone else in fact more than most people there.  Checking my GPS device I had covered the distance of 2.17 miles at an average speed of 4.5 miles per hour.  If I had had time to cover the other 200 yards to the car park I would have completed that’s full circuit in just over 30 minutes.

Back tracking around Slindon Park field we continue close to the field all the ways to the touring camping park just below the college.  The hon. It started to rain and we all started to put on our jackets and coats and hats.  Keeping on the footpath close to the road we headed northward to the college gates.  At this point there rain became torrential with us several roles of thunder echoing throughout the trees.  Wrongly or rightly we all sort cover and under the best canopy of trees we could find.

After a few minutes Janet Anderson cross the road and along the Butt Lane bridleway.  Passing Courthill Farm we continued until we arrived at Downes Barn.  Here we stopped and looked across to the folly Up by Nore Wood. Built during the second half of the 18th Century at the request of the Countess of Newburgh and based upon a painting of a replica Italian arch that she and her husband The Earl owned.

If we continued for another 50 metres and doubled back along Mill Lane this took us to the high point of her journey alongside Baycombe Wood.  This was the dirtiest part of our journey, a muddy farm track not a footpath.  Cresting the hill we headed down toward Slindon.  Approaching Baycombe Lane A holiday tractor / train with holiday makers on passed us, I presume they were looking at the sheep and newborn lambs.

Continuing southward and Top Road we turned into Dyer’s Lane on towards Church Hill and we congregated at the pond.  Entering back into Slindon Wood, we saw the best display of bluebells of the whole walk.  After a very brief interlude we were back into the car park, another walk completed, thank you very much Janet.

A very enjoyable 3 mile walk with such gentle gradients, with only an easy stile adjacent to the college this was a very pleasurable walk and I look forward to doing it again.