Family Get Together

Another trip to the North Island, this time to Winchester for a gathering of the clan to celebrate my Mother's birthday. Several of us arrived early so met at the Cathedral and had a cup of tea in the Refectory Cafe, before heading to the restaurant to meet everybody else. The restaurant in question was the delightful Chesil Rectory; this was a pre-reformation building that had had a number of uses over the centuries, but had been a restaurant for the past 85 years. We were given a large side room and served the most delicious food. I had carrot and cumin soup, followed by lamb (fell apart, yum!) with chickpeas and chorizo, followed by sticky toffee pudding - my brother in law was rapturous about this, and I wasn't far off. Scrumptious! The finale to the meal was a wonderful birthday cake created by my brother-in-law's daughter at Three Little Birds Bakery. Looked and tasted delicious!

After several hours, some of the party headed home, and the rest of us waddled to our cars and headed down to Dorset to the Hoburn Naish holiday park in New Milton. We spent the evening in a cabin, eating more delicious food and telling silly family stories until we all needed to retire.  The following morning began with a leisurely breakfast, and then a stroll along the beach towards Highcliff and back. Glorious views along the coast towards Muddiford, and towards Barton-on-Sea, and across the water to the Island and the Needles.

We all headed home early afternoon, and us Island people managed to get an earlier ferry back thankfully. Tired but happy.

Headon Warren

Quick walk today as I needed a blast of fresh air. I parked at The Needles Park (I got a free parking pass this year), headed through the park and back to the road, where I picked up the coastal path after a couple of minutes. Turning left off the main road I followed a lane towards the pitch and putt course, with woodland on my left and a field of cattle on my right. One rather frisky cow, quite young, with horns, decided to follow me and made a couple of mock charges before running up the hill. Good job there was a hedge in the way!

 

Just before the pitch and putt course, the path turned to the right through a wooden fence, and headed uphill. The path was stony to begin with and later turned sandy in places. It followed the boundary of the field and was bordered with brambles, gorse bushes and stinging nettles. Stout trousers required! After a little while the path turned sharply right; however, straight ahead was a clear space so I investigated as there wasn't a no entry sign. The space was a large turfed area, sprinkled with yellow trefoil flowers, with the grass kept short by rabbits. At the far side was the remains of a battery installation. I climbed the concrete steps to the top, sat by the remains of a gun emplacement, and admired the view across Alum Bay to the Needles. The sea sparkled in the late afternoon sunshine. Glorious view.

 

I made my way back to the coastal path and continued steeply uphill to the top of Headon Warren, past flowering yellow gorse, purple heather and wild honeysuckle. The wildflowers were abundant and the view from the top magnificent. The Needles were dead head, Tennyson Down to my left, and Hurst Castle to my right. Gulls and buzzards were swooping through the sky and there was barely a human being to be seen. I followed the path round until it began to descend towards Totland, and followed a track back round the other side of the Warren, coming to a Barrow after a few minutes. This was about 3500 years old and a site of national importance apparently. I made my way back to the coastal path and headed downhill. When I was back in the lane, I took the footpath to Alum Bay Chine which went through pretty woodland, then walked up the wooden steps to the Needles Park and went home. A lovely walk for lifting the spirits.

 

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4105762.html

Distance: 2.2 miles

Footpaths: coastal path, T17, T22, T23

The Needles from Headon Warren

Alum Bay Chine