There’s a simple rule for such walking, when you come to a fork in the path, choose the path which goes away from the direction you were intending to go. So we did. And ended up at the back end of Rhinefield House, a somewhat imposing hotel on the far side of the moor. Not that you can see it from the front, but there was a Dr Who moment when we realised that what we were looking at wasn’t a dark wood but a large smoked glass extension to the hotel. Hidden in plain site due to its mirroring of the Inclosure next to it. Spooky, but effective none-the -less.

So having figured out where we were we made our way to Rhinefield Road and crossed it with the idea of returning to Hincheslea Moor via Whitefield Moor by walking through the Aldridge Hill Inclosure . It was a plan which to an extent worked. It would have probably worked better if we hadn’t still been using the navigation technique outlined previously. Still, by the time we emerged from the trees blinking next to the cottage at the Aldridge Hill campsite, we were totally sure of where we were. Walking along the narrow road from the front entrance to the campsite brought us to the edge of Whitefield Moor. Plain sailing from now on.

You know how New Forest ponies just stand around eating gorse and such in a particularly studious way that you think they may have lost the ability to move? Don’t be fooled. Halfway across Whitefield Moor, grassy, no trees, we noticed a herd of about fifteen ponies hammering along on the other side of the road. It looked so impressive that we stopped to watch. The sight became more and more impressive as they wheeled right and started to belt straight towards us at a rate of knots. Knowing we had absolutely no chance of beating galloping ponies to the cover of the gorse we stopped dead and prayed they would notice. Fortunately they did about thirty feet from us whilst two ponies we assumed were stallions engaged in a bit of fisticuffs. One gained the upper hand (hoof?) and saw the other off and the herd turned to the the right and set off again.

The rest of the walk turned out to be pretty uneventful by contrast although any suggestion of hoof-beats had us both glancing nervously behind! It just goes to show that the New Forest ponies really are wild and should be treated with respect, not as some sort of petting zoo exhibits. In the end I reckon that we had walked around 6 miles, not a bad distance all told. In case you’re interested, below is a very crude map of the route we took.

We had one of those easy walks books which seem to have been written by a not so retired SAS sergeant major, but it seemed straight forward enough. I have mentioned before to beware of books that use trees as landmarks, particularly if they are over a couple of years old. Well here’s another proviso. If the book doesn’t define what it considers to be a path, with maps drawn by what appears to be a five year old, don’t start on the walk. See the trouble with the country is that lots of other creatures are walking around when humans aren’t and are inclined to make their own paths and not let the SAS sergeant major know so he can ask his five year old to add it to the map. As a consequence of which, you may well find that you miss a path (or two) or count too many paths (or three), and end up somewhere you were neither expecting nor have much knowledge of.

In fact if you continue around a hill too far, it’s just about possible you might end up going in the wrong direction. Now I’m not saying that is what happened, but I am grateful that there was a straight road that we could orientate ourselves to from the five year olds map. And march along in the wrong direction. Of course if we had gone the right way we wouldn’t have met the very friendly elderly couple in their camper van parked up having a cup of tea. And wouldn’t have been offered a lift back to the car by them. Mind you we may well have managed to get back to the car ourselves in that time, but it’s nice to meet new people isn’t it? The view will have to wait for another day.

Well actually we started with lunch at the Rising Sun on Tiptoe Road north of Bashley. In my experience a pint and a Plough persons lunch all round sets you up for a good yomp, and although acceptable it was never going to match the Plough persons lunch of gargatuan proportions we enjoyed several years ago in the Fleur de Lys, Pilley. It is the yardstick by which all other Plough persons lunches will be gauged, and my suspicion is that none will quite measure up.

So suitably fortified we started off on what was promised to be a gentle 2 or so mile walk through the forest and a nearby Inclosure. Now just a word to the wise, when you are walking from a guide book, read at least two sentences ahead from where you think you are. It will stop you having to backtrack along a road you should have turned off several hundred yards back. I’m just saying….

GUIDES FROM AMAZONPub Walks Along the Solent WayPub Walks for the Family in Hampshire and the New ForestPocket Pub Walks The New Forest Waterside Walks in Hampshire (Waterside walks) The New Forest National Park: Leisure Walks for All Ages (Jarrold Short Walks Guides) The Solent Cruising Companion

So anyway, many small ponies and a flying display  of Swifts (I think) later, we were told to look out for a ‘small stand’ of trees. Hmm. See trouble is if you use trees as a navigational aid in the forest, there is some room for misinterpretation. This is where tip number two comes in. Look at the front of the guide book before you start and see when it was last printed. This will give you some idea of whether a small stand of trees is likely to have become half a plantation. It will also tell you whether travelling along the river bank is likely to be possible without the aid of a machete, which in our case it was most definitely not. We did however learn that the mud didn’t come over the top of your boots if you kept moving fast enough, that Adders can grow rather longer than we had thought, and there is a beautiful tiny pink speckled orchid growing commonly in the area. This is after all the reason for country walks, that and being able to feel self-righteous about the healthy way you have spent the afternoon.

I guess we’ll just have to do it again next time they visit. It’s tough, but I like to support the local publicans when I can.

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we’ve no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

There, now it’s going to be going around in your head all day. Sorry. Of course by the time the service ended, the snow had gone pretty much completely. Sun being the natural enemy of snow and all.

In some ways it’s a bit of a pity since the forest looks absolutely magical clothed in snow, just not normally at this time of the year. This week we have had the predicted bright sun from dawn until dusk (well nearly) and since the weekend is dragging itself into view …. it’s going to rain. Of course it is, we have a friend staying who is given to yomping through as much of the forest and shore as they possibly can in a weekend, so it’s time to dig out the wet weather gear methinks. With any luck we won’t have a repeat of a now legendary walk along (some) of the shingle bank to Hurst Point with a south westerly squall hitting us horizontally. Friend somehow contrived to be on the leeward side and being a good host I could hardly switch places could I? Since it was a. Late in the day and b. Late in the year, the fading light, such as there was forced an early conclusion barely two thirds of the way to Hurst Castle. Strangely we saw few other intrepid souls that afternoon. I’m not saying they weren’t there, it’s just that because of the lashing rain, the visibility was shall we say, a tad limited. So with my current track record, if I were to predict a re-run, what are the odds we will have wall to wall sunshine? It’s as well I’m not a betting man.

Fortunately the extraordinary weather held for the next day and we were able to go for a wander to find some ponies for niece to look at during the afternoon. Big fan of ponies is the niece. Now if you want to be reasonably sure of seeing ponies, and truthfully they aren’t that hard to find, then Whitefield Moor to the west of Brockenhurst is a pretty safe bet. So long as it isn’t raining too hard then you should get to see ponies in numbers and most likely some pretty large cattle as well. The fact that there is often an ice cream van in the Whitefield Moor car park during peak periods isn’t exactly a deterrent either. In fact unless you really are there to see ponies, the Whitefield car park is the best place to start as you get a choice of two gentle circular walks which cross the river and meander alongside it before returning.

We however had to see ponies, so we stopped at the smaller unnamed car park just outside Brock in order to walk along the moor. I say it’s unnamed mainly because I have never noticed a name and no local maps seem to be of help. Anyway it is in fact the first turning on the right as you get to Whitefield Moor which leads off to camping and caravan sites. Having seen the requisite number of correctly shaped quadrupeds (sans horns), we then felt obliged to take a turn around the longer of the two walks in anticipation of a significant intake of tea and flapjacks on our return home. I say longer, it’s only 1.5 miles so it’s hardly a polar expedition, but it’s a pleasant walk and quite far enough on the day.

Walking back to the car gave us one of those views the Forest is so good at this time of the year. The one where ground mist appears in open spaces between trees and given an ethereal quality by the late afternoon light. Does the soul good to see it.

Running as it does between the Solent and the old salt pans (now an RSPB sanctuary) it is truly one of my favourite places to go. I can’t help but de-stress when we go for a walk down there, regardless of weather. Good views across to the Island (no-one round here calls it the Isle of Wight) on a clear day and the constant procession of boats add to the feel-good factor for me. If you go down just before dusk the Whitelink ferries take on an almost magical quality as they pass each other brightly lit. In fact although it is perfectly pleasant on a hot summer day, standing on the wall with a stiff south westerly blowing and a storm on the way is something to be experienced. In fact there is one point where you can stand and lean into the wind a la Titanic. Best tried in a constant wind as there is a danger of an early bath if the wind suddenly drops.

GUIDES FROM AMAZON Pub Walks Along the Solent Way Pub Walks for the Family in Hampshire and the New Forest Pocket Pub Walks The New Forest Waterside Walks in Hampshire (Waterside walks) The New Forest National Park: Leisure Walks for All Ages (Jarrold Short Walks Guides) The Solent Cruising Companion

There may not be a beach, but there is the Lymington Yacht Haven. It’s not paradise, but if you like boats, it’s a great place to dream. With a yacht brokers right next to the moorings for hundreds of gleaming sail and motor boats, you get to realise how much some people have spent to get their small and not so small bits of marine real estate onto the water. Anyone looking to make a yacht-sized tax write-off, I’m in the market.

It’s been quite a strange autumn in the Forest with some trees showing spectacular colours and others not yet turned. I have some photos I took recently and intend to post them with a bit more info soon. So before I run the risk of an English Tourist Board award for promoting the area, I’ll quit whilst still ahead.