🥾 Walk 527 - Hazeley Heath, Mattingley and West Green
Fifteen people turned up at Hartley Wintney on Sunday 3rd July for an 8¼ mile walk I'd made up out of previous walks in the area. We began with a slightly urban walk through a housing estate in Hartley Wintney, before emerging on to Hazeley Heath.
Hazeley Heath is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and open access land, but during the second world war, parts of it were used for military training. Not much evidence remains except for a few concrete structures such as the tank ramp. I'm not sure how it was used, but this concrete ramp is built into the side of a steep hill. There are occasional bits of tank track to be found in the same area.
Carrying on through the heath, we followed a footpath along the north-eastern boundary, which gave occasional views of Bramshill House - a huge Jacobean mansion that until recently has been home to a Police training college. Many ghosts are reputed to haunt the old house, including that of a bride who accidentally locked herself in a chest on her wedding night and wasn't found until fifty years later!
Crossing the the B3011 that runs through the heath, we made our way to Hazeley Heath Cottage, where we left the heath to cross farm land. Some inquisitive bullocks approached us on Hazeley Bottom Farm, so we stayed together as a tight group as we crossed the field. The bullocks did the usual thing of only getting within about 10 metres before deciding to run away. Bullocks are quite inquisitive but not very brave.
We stopped for our picnic lunch in the grounds of Mattigley Church, a beautiful 15th century timber-framed building. The trees in the grounds provided welcome shade.
After lunch, we passed the picturesque Dipley Mill and then West Green House. Crossing West Green Common, we made our way back to Hazeley Heath through farmland. Part of this route has always been very muddy, even in summer months, but Hampshire Countryside Service have recently built a useful boardwalk over this area.
We took a different route from the heath back into Hartley Wintney to add variety. See our route on Google Maps. After the walk, some of the group went home while a few of us went for refreshment at The Waggon and Horses pub.
Thank you to Carol, Elise and Charlotte for taking these pictures while I (Rob) got on with leading the walk.
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