Blackdown walk on 16th February 2022

From Tennyson's Lane, Bernard and Celina had thoroughly researched this walk, some parts more than others........

O, all the woods and the meadows, 

Woods where we hid from the wet, 

Stiles where we stay'd to be kind, 

Meadows in which we met.     (Lord Alfred Tennyson 1809-1892)

From the car park we headed to the top of Blackdown with heather and conifers providing the ideal habitat for listening to churring nightjars in the summer and autumn dusk, these birds having flown from Africa each year. The sun was trying very hard to help with the views, but not really succeeding. The paths were now mostly downwards and not too muddy, with an excellent drink stop beyond Valewood House. After a great lunch stop in the Red Lion we then had to return up the hill, by a different route. The paths were somewhat muddy, but local alternatives were available for the really difficult gulleys. After some puffing and blowing we were again near the top and by then the visibility had worsened and some misty rain was hanging around. We found the spot called Temple of the Winds where Tennyson walked to each day and of which he wrote ‘You came, and look’d, and loved the view long known and loved by me: green Sussex fading into blue, and one gray glimpse of sea’  Well, he got that wrong, as far as we were concerned! A few more yards and we were back in the car park, perhaps a little tired but glad we had conquered the hill!  Very nice walk of about 6 miles.

Car park gathering.

Morning sun doing its best

No churring nightjars for a few more weeks

Huge camellia bush in full flower

Chirpy robin doing his best

Snowdrop season

No posing going on here.

Time for a drink

"You can use sign language as much as you like, but I'm not listening!"

"I chatter, chatter, as I flow,  To join the brimming river;  Men may come and men may go, But I go on forever." Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Someone still not listening?

Booting up for the return journey

What goes down, must go up.

Not too much further.

Temple of the Winds

‘You came, and look’d, and loved the view long known and loved by me: green Sussex fading into blue, and one gray glimpse of sea’  Well, what was Tennyson on about?

About 6 miles

We were offered a cattle  diversion but chose to opt out. So here is a sample.

• ← Ambersham Common walk on 9th February 2022
• East Meon Strollers walk on 16th February 2022 →