Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Witley Day Walk 27th March 2019

The last time we did this walk it rained all day. This time Jeff had organized some ideal weather, a few occasional clouds to keep away some of the sun and just the right temperature for walking. We parked in Webb Road in Witley Common and found ourselves crossing under the busy A3 to get to Rodborough Common. One surprising find on an old tree trunk was the shell of a Swan Mussel (or even a Duck Mussel). This large freshwater Mussel is not uncommon but is rarely seen as it spends its life in the mud in the bottom of ponds. The birch and heather changed to pine trees as we reached Thursley Common and then more gorse as we neared Thursley village and our lunch in the Three Horeshoes.  An excellent lunch before finding a bridge to take us back over the A3 and on towards Witley Common. We glimpsed a roof in Witley Park, home to an extraordinary submerged ballroom/billiard room built by a fraudster in the late 1800s. The mansion he also built had gone by the 1950's, but the ballroom remains.  Lastly we reached Witley Common, once a wartime training camp for 20,000 recruits, but now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed by The National Trust. The walk had been just over 7.1/2 miles.

Some people are camera shy

Some hills were up

Thursley Church

Interesting decorations

Egyptian Goose, introduced on private estates, now wild in many areas.

Heading back after lunch

Thursley Common

New walker at the start?

Witley and Milford commons

Rodborough Common

Coffee stop.

Burr on a Birch - worth more on a Walnut tree.

Swan mussel shell

Three Horseshoes

Thursley common signposts.

About 7.1/2 miles

At last, the top!

Witley Estate building

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