After an excellent meal at the busy Three Horseshoes pub, we returned last night to Middle Farm.
Today, Sue and I set off for the NT car park at Stonebarrow Hill.
The rain lashed down.
By the time we got our walking boots into first gear the sun was reflecting brightly from the gorse, with a backdrop of rain sodden Golden Cap.
We headed to Chardown Hill then descended to cross the busy A35 road and climb steeply up to the 207 metre summit of Hardown Hill. The sun beat down through a stiff breeze.
A descent to the north took us to a lane that contoured back to the A35, whence we took a bridleway to the south, past nuthatches and treecreepers. Then back to the car via a gently ascending track in increasing overcastness, up Chardown Hill to lunch in the car.
Our 8km route will be pictured below.
The rain lashed down.
A short drive north took us to a car park just 60 metres below the 277 metre summit of Pilsdon Pen, the site of an ancient Fort and roundhouses. Antiquities dating back 10000 years have apparently been found here.
The rain lashed down.
We braved the gale and reached the trig point in a cloud. Not many photos were taken today! Apparently there used to be a lodge here, perhaps occupied by a 'rabbit man' at a time when the ancient looking mounds were constructed to allow rabbits to live in a huge warren, with the 'rabbit man' being responsible for farming them.
The rain lashed down.
We wandered around this interesting site for a while, then returned drenched to the car, thus concluding this week's perambulatory activities.
Our 1.4km route will be pictured below.
Middle Farm at Long Bredy is a lovely haven to which to return, despite the WiFi being down.
Hence this email posting that I'll edit next week, mainly by way of added pictures.
Tonight we will reconvene with the rest of the gang for a fish and chip supper, before we all leave for home tomorrow.
2 comments:
Hardown and Pilsdon, both Marilyns which I did in April 2013. Unfortunately most photos from posts done on the hoof from iPad or iPhone have been removed by Blogger and I haven't the motivation to try and find out how to retrieve them. If you want to see the post here is the link:
https://conradwalks.blogspot.com/2013/04/in-search-of-just-bit-of-adulation.html#comment-form
Very interesting Conrad. I got home to discover that Pilsdon Pen, an interesting place even in fog, has been demoted as a Marilyn, in favour of a nearby hill that is deemed to be a metre higher. Needless to say, we didn't go up that one, but does anyone care, or even understand! Not many, Im sure.
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