2019 Walk Day 4

Monday 18th March 2019

Day 4 - Four Marks to north of Winchester

The day started clear but bitterly cold. It was so cold I was shaking when I took my selfie!! 


You'll also notice in the first three pictures that my waterproof/windproof jacket goes from zipped up to the neck to flapping wide open!!


I had wondered how easy the walking would be as I knew some of the morning would be across fields. My fears were un-founded as the path was clear, wide and comparatively mud-free. 

You can also see some of the many stiles I encountered in the morning! I am woman enough to admit that I do struggle to 'get my leg over' these days!! 
The photo shows two of the four stiles that I climbed in the space of a couple of hundred metres! They were doing their job of keeping the many flocks of sheep in their own fields! Normally the sheep I come across (though I don't know any personally) are rather shy and retiring types. They tend to shuffle away no matter how calmly I cross their field. The first lot I came across this morning were as brazen as anything. So much so that they worried me. No, not me 'sheep-worrying' but them 'Marg-worrying'!! As I clambered over the stile they moved towards me en-masse!! I walked past and they (fortunately) parted to allow me to progress. I continued walking to the next stile glancing back to see them staring after me. (Was that a look of disappointment I saw?) When I got to the stile I realised there were two stiles in VERY close proximity so I stopped to take a photo. This seemed to be a sign to the sheep. They started trotting purposefully towards me again! I hastily took the picture and clambered swiftly over the stiles!! Can you see the look of mild panic in my eyes? 



I have to admit though, once I'd negotiated the sheep the Surrey farmers (well, this one!) have done a cracking job keeping the pathways clear.


Most of my walk today was along the St Swithun's Way. The majority of it was slightly downhill with the occasional steep hill up just in case I was getting complacent. 


As the morning progressed it warmed up a little and there was only a bit of a breeze from time to time. 

Spring has obviously sprung down here. Not only have I seen the blossom pictured here but also daffs, primroses, celandine, catkins and pussy-willows. 

Also I got closer than I've ever been to a Solar Farm. The whole farm on a south sloping field was massive. I know that my own 15 panels on my house make a gentle humming when generating electricity. The whining hum was quite audible as I walked past. Not offensive but you could here it. Mind , they must be generating some serious electricity.


My lunch stop was at The Cricketers at New Alresford. Sadly the fish was rather too well cooked for my liking . . . but I ate it anyway!! I was also able to charge my gizmo which had behaved slightly better but is still suffering a bit (its not the only one!!)




Getting going again after lunch was a bit tougher than usual. My legs ached, my feet were sore and my shin sorer!! . . . . and then I came across the watercress beds with their crystal clear water. No wonder the Watercress Railway Line existed (and still runs between New Alresford and Alton). I resisted the temptation to pick and eat some . . . . mainly because I thought I'd be likely to fall in!!


After New Alresford the St Swithun's Way combines with the Itchen Way (after the River Itchen) "Oh goody" I thought, "That means it'll be nice and flat!!" No such luck. It went up and down like a roller-coaster and was often nowhere near any form of water! 

I'd just got to the end of the up bits and was looking forward to a nice gentle downward slope to finally be able to walk beside the Itchen when . . . . . the heavens opened and the rain poured down. I 'sheltered' under a leafless tree (useful!!) to put my rain-cover on my bag. By the time I'd done that the rain had stopped. 




Much relieved I ambled down towards the river and was able to cross it to Itchen Abbas and beyond.

All in all a good day's walk. Only two more to go!!!