Bubble walks on 9th June 2021

Jean led a very pretty walk from the Memorial bridge in Liphook, last walked in winter, now with Azalea, Rhododendron and many wild flowers out it looked so different, besides we went the opposite way round! From the Canadian war graves in Bramshott churchyard, through Conford Park Farm, the lovely village of Conford where fresh eggs were bought and the a coffee break taken by the village hall once the village school, making our way to Passfield Manor, Cooper’s Bridge and back to St Mary’s Church, after walking around five miles we ended with a nice picnic lunch shaded from the sun in Radford Park at Liphook.

The entrance arch into St Mary’s churchyard

Graves of 300 Canadian Soldiers who died in Bramshott during the 1918 flu epidemic

Jean telling an interesting story about Bramshott Church

Bramshott Vale House

Highland cattle on duty at the stile

Conford Park Lake

Conford Park Farm

Shall we buy some eggs?

Conford ford

Passfield Manor gardens

Duck spotting

Picnic to end the walk

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The Selborne walk was probably 2 or 3 weeks early. We started out from the car park behind the Selborne Arms but some of the magnificent displays of orchids on Noar Hill were still in the ground! However there was still plenty to see, including the Well Head Stream, originally moved to its new position in memory of Gilbert White. The ram pump, hidden behind the door provided water to the village up until 1934. See Ram Pump for more information. Up on Noar Hill we only managed to find a few orchids but other wild flowers were in abundance. After a tea break in the shade, we tackled the Selborne Hill, walked along the top to reach the Wishing Stone at the top of the Zig Zag path, before a final descent back to Selborne village.

Checking out the ram pump.

Heading for Noar Hill, a chalk quarry in medieval times, now a Site of Special Scientific Interest

So, very pretty wild flowers, but is there something else?

Thanks to a telephoto lens, we can now see the reason for the interest.

Broomrape, a parasitic plant taking it's nutrients from other plants, often clover

Common Twayblade, not an easy orchid to spot with its green/yellow flowers

Common spotted orchid.

Always worth having a flower book on Noar Hill.

Heading down Noar Hill.

Some people believe that a wish will come true if you walk around this stone backwards three times, with your eyes shut. Stone placed here by Gilbert White.

View over Selborne, The golf balls are for the operation and management of the UK Military Satellite Communications System, and is home to half of the 1001 Signals Unit, which provides voice, telegraph, facsimile, data and imagery services to military users, as well as supporting non-military government agencies.

Much better walking down than up!

Just over 4 miles

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Peter had a small bubble walk in and around South Harting, starting at the church and going upwards from there to the top of Harting hill, stunning weather and stunning views all the way, and what goes up must come down. About 4 miles.