# 🥾 Walk 43 - Fleet Pond and Pyestock Hill

Saturday 27th April was rather colder than expected. During the week we'd had temperatures of 20°C but today it didn't make it into double figures. Unperturbed by the weather we had 13 turn up for this easy 6½ mile walk in north Hampshire. Two were from another walking group and we had the usual mix of regulars with one or two new people trying us out.

We set off from the railway station car park and skirted along the northern edge of Fleet Pond. We were soon past the pond and into the woods on one of the many nature trails in that area. Following a path that ran parallel to the railway, we continued east into open fields edged by woodland.

This "managed access" MoD land has occasional signs warning of the potential dangers of finding old ordnance. However we found quite a different hazard. Highland cattle - blocking our path! One of our regulars tried to brave it out using the philosophy of they're more afraid of us than we are of them. It didn't take long to disprove this, so we took an alternative route.

![An unexpected hazard on our route. Highland cattle, with no intention of moving!](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/highland_cattle.jpg)

Heading south, then west, then south again, we followed established footpaths that diverted us around an aerospace factory as we headed off to Pyestock Hill. It wasn't really a hill but more of a gentle slope. We emerged from woodland on to a roundabout on the A323 that also crossed the Basingstoke Canal. Crossing the road and the canal we entered Norris Hill, part of the Forest of Eversley.

Our route took us south-west toward Brock's Hill, where we stopped for our picnic lunch before visiting the Foresters pub for a drink. One of our guests from the other walking group knew of a back route to the pub that avoided walking along the busy Aldershot Road, which has no pavement.

The pub was packed with people in suits. At first we thought there might be a wedding on, but once we noticed how sombre the dress code was, we suspected that there had been a funeral. We decided to respectfully take our drinks outside. In the pub garden, the weather began to change. First with fine rain, then becoming heavier and for a brief period, hailstones!

![The Basingstoke Canal as viewed from the roundabout on the A323 at Pyestock Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/basingstoke_canal_pyestock.jpg)

The rain eased off and stopped on our return journey, which took a straight line across the forest, emerging onto another point where the Basingstoke Canal and A323 meet. We followed the towpath along the canal, going east toward Pyestock Hill.

There was plenty of wild life on the canal, including the usual Mallard drakes and ducks with ducklings in tow. We also saw a heron, which had caught its lunch from the canal.

Leaving the canal at Pondtail, we followed a stream that led us back to south-east edge of Fleet Pond. Following the well maintained footpaths and boardwalks round the circumference of the pond, stopping occasionally to read the information boards, we made our way back to Fleet railway station.

![Entrance to the back garden of the Foresters pub. Saved us walking along the busy Aldershot Road.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/foresters_backgate.jpg)

Today's walk was a good taster for potential new members as it had a little bit of everything - woodland, heathland, canal towpath, sunshine, rain, hail and a variety of wildlife - and all in only 6½ miles. See our route on Google Maps.

![Following the stream from Pondtail to Fleet Pond.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume4/images/pondtail.jpg)

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