18/1/09 - 17 people and 5 dogs turned up on a cold day for a bracing walk. Occasional gusts of wind didn't dent our enthusiasm as we headed out of Newchurch via Palmer's Lane.
We encountered some very curious horses in the first field who followed us to the stile. After getting all the dogs over the next stile we proceeded up a gorse edged field to Queen's Bower and an earlier than planned turning into Borthwood Copse to avoid road walking.
Heading towards Alverstone we turned along Burnt House Lane to the Nature reserve and a brief coffee stop. The sun made a welcome appearance around this time and we then took the footpath past Chiddle's farm and climbed up the hill to the top of the downs and down into Eaglehead copse for a lunch stop.
Leaving the relative shelter of the woods we past Ashey Manor Farm and curved past the steam railway line (no trains 'til summer!). Then back up some steep steps in the hill to the Ashey Sea Mark. After taking in the views all around we headed down to Knighton and round to the cycle track back to Newchurch reaching the car via the path round the back of Church where we spotted the first of the snowdrops.

Good turn out and no rain!

Leader - Alison

Total Distance - 8.7 Miles