We had some torrential rain over the weekend, and only cleared up overnight. I
had a route starting in the Alice Holt forest and joined the St Swithan's way.
then dropping down past Wyck and around to Kingsley, before returning to the
forest.
I parked the van in the forestry car park rather than the Alice Holt main car park (still have to pay but no barrier), then set off along a path into the Abbots Wood Inclosure.
After dropping down to the edge I could not find the path and set off through the undergrowth to find a path going in the right direction. Along a winding path as it worked over to the A325 and back up so I could meet a marked track opposite.
Eventually fighting my way out onto the side of the A325 a little higher up the road than I wanted to be. Walking down the road to find the marked track into Goose Green Inclosure. I continued down the main road dodging the traffic. The next track did not materialise either and I ended continuing down to a bridleway
Picking up a track that existed through the Inclosure initially across the woods then up before returning to the far side and crossing a back road at Bucks Horn.
Into Lodge Inclosure at the first track and over a bridleway before meeting a forest road. It was here that I dropped my camera and broke the lens collapse/ extend mechanism - the leash had extended too far and it hit the gravel.
Following the track around exiting the forest at Bentley Hall. Turning along the edge of the forest on a bridleway heading towards Bentley station.
Through the station nature reserve, and across the rail line at the station. On the far side down the track past some cottages.
Into the fields beyond and over a stream, up past a sewage works to the A31.
Over the A31 into the village of Bentley.
A zigzag through the residential roads and twittens to come out onto a back road, leading to a T-junction.
Over the new back road and up beside a wall to reach ST Swithen's way as it passed through a garden.
The path crossed several fields to Paxhill farm - now in horse country.
Down the drive a short way.
Then back into the fields and along the driveway to Coldrey farm
After the farm across a horse field diagonally (slightly off the map route but following fences.
Over a harvested field (with a ploughed exit strip to clog up my boots) then through several sheep fields.
Following the stiles and gates across a grass field and into the woods. Here the path got swamped by nettles and was hard to find. I struggled through the nettles until I could drop over a wall into a lay-by on the side of the A31. I did find where the path was supposed to exit and it was still overgrown.
On the other side of the A31 and into a field. Here everything went wild - the path fractured into several false trails that all led down to the riverside then ran out. I eventually found a stile that was the correct track and led down a muddy back to a bridge over the stream.
Over the stream and over a filed to go under the railway. this led to another ploughed field.
Over the field and along a grass strip to a back road. Then along the back road to Mill court where I could turn south again.
Another overgrown grass strip led through a ploughed field and over a back road to Malms house.
Now along the side of cabbage fields to Wyck farm.
At the farm I followed the back road until it ended and mutated into a path that dropped down to a grass field.
Across the field to find the start of Green lane. Along this lane - more just a path in a dip between fields -- no real views.
The lane ended at a field - the path was supposed to go over it - but it was long gone and the field was just fallow . I crossed on a bearing and over the back road and down the drive to Park farm.
When the driveway bent away I continued into a field then worked across it (on a bearing once again), then down beside Rookery farm.
Through a narrow path and across a back road to enter into Shortheath common along a driveway.
Over the common and aroudn a reservoir (hidden by a bank and fence)
Across and field diagonally and into the woods beyond the arrive at some houses - Kingsley Mill
Through Kingsley common - which is a myriad of paths all going anywhere but the ones on the map. I worked over to the B3004.
Over the road and through some ploughed fields. turning to go behind Malthouse farm, where I stopped for a drink. Then down a sunken farm track
The track continued across fields and down to the edge of Straits Inclosure (back at Alice Holt forest). Along the bridleway at the edge of the forest to Frith End.
A slight twist to cross the A325 once again and down a back road to gain access to Abbotts wood Inclosure. Along the track to cut over to the Shipwrights way, which was a gravel track. Along this track then over the forest tracks, when it turned away, back to the car park.
