We were meeting up with Noeleen for a much reorganised chat and a walk.
The idea was to meet up at
Hatchlands park
near Guildford then wander around the parklands and a leisurely picnic, also
it was an opportunity to show off the van. The NT website showed a couple of
walks around the parklands, as well as a house tour.
We (Sue, Bertie, Noeleen and myself) arrived at the same time from opposite
directions and parked close by, before a long catch-upstanding beside the
van. Eventually we walked off to the reception hut to check in (the
advantage of membership cards) and through the barrier.
The other side of the gate opened to grasslands with the house on our right.
Sheepwash pond was at the SW corner of the park - unfortunately the bank was too
steep for Bertie. After the pond we left the pond we worked around to the track
labelled as the Long Walk.
The long walk was a gravel track between the boundary fence and grass pasture
fields. This track continued in its green tunnel up to and around the end of the
park, returning down the Eastern fence.
Opposite Great Wix Wood we left the boundary fence and took the direct track
into the woods.
Leaving The great Wix wood we left the direct return track and followed the wood
edge before crossing the prairie grasslands heading for the southern
boundary.
Along the Southern boundary - we had to keep out of the formal gardens (no
dogs), and followed the track back towards the car park. Along the way we passed the walled garden. Back at the car park we stopped for some lunch - using the van as a convenient seating area.
After lunch we returned to the park, this time taking the "Dog Friendly" route to the big house, and around the back to the courtyard and café area.
Bertie and I waited in the courtyard whilst the girls went around the house. It started raining/ drizzle before they had finished so we took refuge in the stable block with an interesting straw and feed hoist (in reverse - lowing the requisites to the ground floor).
After the tour was finished we dodged teh rain back to the car park and after a short chat departed.
