This is a photogaphic blog with a particular focus on walking the Spanish Caminos. Also included are walks in The New Forest, Wales and Southern England.




Saturday 9th April - Longest walk since the VdlP last October.

The forecast was excellent so I decided to go for it and set the alarm for 5 am. I didn't get up early enough which was a shame as I'd been hoping to get some photos of the sunrise and eventually started walking at 7 am. But I still had the place to myself and the difference in the quality of light at this early hour was remarkable. It's the longest walk by far since I walked in Spain last October and my greatest concern was of getting blisters on my feet. In the event I was lucky and had no pain. In order to reduce pack weight I carried an MSR water filter which meant a backpack that was about 2kg lighter though the peaty tannin-rich water from the stream tasted really strange even with a fizzy orange vitamin tablet! Got home at about 5pm, weary but feeling good!

This 26 mile route feels quite remote and most of the paths are away from the tourist areas. Below is the route I usually take, though given the labyrinth of paths in the New Forest the distance can easily be adjusted:

Starting at Ashley Walk car park: sth to Hasley Hill Inclosure - sth to Linwood - Rockford Common - thro underpass at Picket Post - sth over Vales Moor - east by Whitten Pond - pass Anthony's Bee Bottom - Rock Hills - nth thro Burley New Inclosure - nth to underpass at Upper Lazy Bushes - nth to Broomy Inclosure - Splash Bridge - past Alderhill Inclosure  - Hampton Ridge - Pitts Wood - back to Ashley Hill car park.

Sorry about some of the formatting. Blogger seems to have some
insurmountable problems having looked online for an answer!

7.30am. The streams are starting to dry up as we haven't had
much rain in the past month.















 

















Time to take care of my feet.


















Peaty stream, MSR water filter and Camelback.






















Not sure what this tree is. From a distance it looks like hawthorn
or blackthorn. It may be an apple or some other fruit tree.

















More foot care this time laying down in the heather.

















Onwards and upwards.

















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