A Summer Challenge
I started this walk with a friend and we're now two long stages done with two to go. The walk starts at Bentley Station and wends through some lovely forest tracks in Alice Holt Forest where a Roman Pot sculpture confirms the historical story behind the path.
Our first walk took us to Bordon and we returned home on the 18 bus to Aldershot where the 3 bus took us home to Frimley Green and Blackwater respectively.
The second leg of our walk took us from our bus stop in Bordon to Petersfield and a train home via Guildford. When you look public transport is readily available in most places. Another variation on the route uses Liphook station.
Our leg lengths were much longer then the suggestions on the website so as I write this we have completed the first 6 of their suggested legs in our two days. The website includes links to rail stations.
Details of the walk, including a list of sculptures, to save me repeating them here, are on a website https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryside/walking/shipwrightsway
The walk
The path at Bentley Station leads straight from the end of the platform. Signage is generally good on all the route but you need to be alert, if not following a map! Alice Holt Forest is cool and shady, so ideal on a hot day. There is also a friendly cafe in the forest to enjoy. The walk then uses many wide tracks in more open countryside before skirting heathland as you approach Bordon. Our first leg was about 8 miles.
Our second leg, about 11 miles, from the same bus stop in Bordon, took us to Liss via the side of the MoD ranges at Whitehill passing the ranges and some beautiful natural areas, protected from public access, but visible from the path including Woolmer Pond. The area has all of the UKs twelve amphibians and reptiles present. An option here is to follow the track next to the fenceline although the parrallel official path is very pleasant through the trees. After the village of Greatham and crossing the A3 by a bridge we found ourselves on a disused railway track, now surrounded by a nature reserve with ponds, streams and wildflowers. Reaching Liss the remains of the station platform still exist and the mainline train station is a few yards away. As this was half way on our chosen second walk we found a very pleasant cafe on the route in Liss for the obligatory coffee and cake stop but a lot more was tempting us! Onwards then on a more varied, slightly convoluted route ducking under and over the A3 by safe tunnels and bridges towards our destination of Petersfield station. Timing was precise and the train arrived as we did.
The next leg will be to Rowlands Castle ........... a treat in store!
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