At last a break in the weather - it has been raining and windy for several
days - So Bertie and I headed out for a walk. We set out for Ash ranges, with
the idea to explore the ranges a bit, or because there may be shooting I had
an alternative around the edge. A slight diversion halfway around was to go to
Brookwood cemetery.
I was in Sue's car so we could use the car park in Normandy that has a barrier
... I think the next car park for the tennis courts does not have a
barrier but limited spaces. We set off through the play area and onto the
cricket ground going parallel to the back road.
Beyond the second cricket pitch the path moved into some woodland and then onto
the A324 after a sharp turn in the trees. Over the road and down a lane
opposite.
The lane ended at a barrier and we continued into the trees leading up to the
Ash ranges and were met at the gate by the red flag flying - so we had to keep
out and follow the circumnavigation track.
We started off on a wide swath cut through the woodland between the fence of the
ranges and the residential areas alongside the A324 and A323. This track was
very straight although slightly up and down.
However after a while we chose to cut away from the track which was deviating
away from the fence and follow some of the trails into the woods.
This second track dropped down and led into the residential area between Ash and
Ash Vale, coming out at a shopping area on both sides of the street and a bridge
over the Basingstoke canal We turned along this street. It may have been better
to follow the range fence around this bit and avoided the built up bit.
At Chandler's road we followed the path back into the woodland opposite the
medical practice. Here we were close to the fence, but remained in the woods
following the paths and back roads. The path disappeared when we got to the
large gateway onto the ranges. We were forced down the side of this away from
the ranges and back towards the canal (there is a pub down here as well (the
Swan).
Just before the pub we took a path back into the woods climbing up a short
ascent that brought us back to the fence
As we approached Great Bottom Flash ( a huge pond connected to the canal. We
reached another large gateway and were once more forced away from the edge f the
ranges. We could have cut the corner if we had known. Once around the gate (at
the edge of the canal) we arrived at the end of the huge pond.
Back following the fence line, then a path veering away slightly in the woods -
as it was better than the fence line.
We turned around Furze hill and climbed up to a pillbox where a path joined from
the barracks on the other side of the railway line. We continued along the side
of the railway between the two fences.
At another locked gate into the ranges we could see across the heather lined
slopes into the training area behind the butts (the overshoot protection area).
then still alongside the railway line.
Opposite Bridge Hill we crossed over the railway on a bridge and into the open
access training area beyond. Free at last from the restrictions of the red
flags.
We found a path that was going in the direction we needed that cut a corner on
the larger tracks. This brought us out at a long flat ridge along the boundary
of this area.
At the end of the ridge was a sharp descent to a large open circle (as the path
was very rutted here we took to the woods along the side). Past the open area we
continued towards Deepcut place.
We turned across before reaching Deepcut place and followed a track to cross old
Guildford road and then on following some power lines
Before we reached the B3012 we dropped down again to another open area, then
followed a dirt road out of the dip towards the railway.
At the railway we followed the fence along until we could go under a bridge. On
the other side we dropped through the woods to a back road.
The back road merged onto the B3012, but we soon left it into the open access
training area. we followed the paths through the woods to come out on a further
back road, which we followed towards Pirbright.
At Stoney Castle ranges (the top right end f the ranges) we followed a track
down the side of the locked area (red flags still flying). This path mutated
into a muddy track after the fence separated from our direction.
We turned across some horse paddocks down to a winedy backroad into Pirbright.
This was one way and several cars passed very fast with no appreciation f the
pedestrians. This crossed the A324 in Pirbright as we crossed the village
green.
Along the road called Cemetery pales until we could escape into the woods beside
it - very sodden and we had to seek the dryer path. We followed a bridleway up
tot eh drive into the back of the military cemetery.
Into the cemetery and all the laid out graves and support temples/ chapels
etc.
We struggled to find the public path through and diverted into the American
graves and finally escaped onto the path. We followed this to the access path to
Brookwood railway station.
Turning down from the station, we worked our way through the graves to the main
entrance on the Cemetery Pales road. The original plan was to cross over and
work through the public cemetery on the south side, but a sign barred dogs.
We followed Cemetery Pales back towards Pirbright village, until we reached the
car park entrance (and no anti dog sign). We went in past the car park and a
calming pond.
This side of the cemetery is a marvellous open woodland area with graves dotted
around. we followed a track to get out of the end of the area. The track came
out eventually (after a meander through horse paddocks) onto the B3032 which we
followed back towards Pirbright village.
At the roundabout where the B3032 met the A324 we followed a path between
residences and their high fences ad out into yet more horse paddocks.
We followed a back road down to Pirbright lodge where there was some parking and
we continued on the lane passing Admiral's Walk.
The lower we got the more boggy the ground.. and as we crossed a stream it
was an elongated game of hopscotch crossed with balance beam.
Things got less tricky as we turned onto the wide bridleway that led to Stream
house (only because there were more options to navigate the puddles). then onto
the dirt road that served as a driveway.
The driveway merged onto a metalled track that led to the Henley gate back into
the closed area beside yet another range.
A wide track led down to Henley park lake and parking for the local fishing
club. We kept to the east side of the lake and followed it around
Beyond the lake the track led into Standinghill wood and angled across to pick up the fence along he ranges at the corner where it turned to go along the A324. We followed the fence for a while to avoid walking on the road until we were past the business park on the opposite side.
The path down the side of the business park was blocked by a fallen tree, however we worked around it and down the subsequent field to reach a complex junction of paths.
We turned west along the fields above a flood plain before dropping down to cross it diagonally.
After the open heath of the flood plain we crossed into horse paddocks near Hunts hill farm
And finally into the woods of Normandy common leading back to the car park.
