Sunday, April 22
Secret Corner Sunday - Boggy Mountain Way
It's not much to look at. A short stretch of track. Possibly 200-250 metres at most.
It connects Secret Corner, a place whose solitude I seem increasingly to keep coming back , with a longer circular route; A few more out of the way spots; And some potential wildcamping places. Possibly.
Looking back from the half way point its clear that even after all these rainless weeks, with the sun uncharacteristically beaming down, the bog path remains a challenge. It's not the wet stuff that's the problem, that can be worked around.
Mostly.
Its the seemingly solid ground that starts to flex alarmingly just when that final committed step is about to be taken.
And at the end of the path the final obstacle. The stream that valiantly tries to drain the bog. Or at least that part of it that I've not just splashed through.
Luckily the remnants of the forestry work in the area seem to have left the legacy of a rudimentary bridge. Not Health & Safety approved I'd guess.
And so to the hill on the far side. Well we call it a hill in these parts.
Plenty of choice of good tracks in a variety of directions.
Four deer bounce off at my approach. That's the second set in two days. The sudden increase of human visitors recently has caught them out this year.
But first a short stop to polish off the snacks and cast an eye over the far off hill recently visited during Weird Darren's visit at Easter. And a chance to cast a practiced eye over the ground in between to see if there's a possible route over the mayhem of tussocks.
The grass says bog. But the gorse bushes and stunted pine dotted about say maybe.
Hmm. I've no idea what use can be made of this improving ability to read and traverse boggy ground. Especially for my fell walking escapades.
But round these parts its why we still wear Gore Tex boots most of the year when off-piste as it were;
Or in-muck as perhaps it should be more properly called.Labels: New Forest
Comments:
I went over that "bridge" a few weeks ago. Did you notice that the bog to the east of the stream has had bales of heather deposited in it at some time in the past, you can still see the bindings. I had previously seen these bales in another part of the forest, and wondered what they were for.
Jon
#
posted by 
: 23/4/07 10:49 am
Hi Jon.
Yes I spotted the remains of the bindings. I wondered if it was a temp thing left over from when the forestry machinery was trying to travel over the ground. Judging by the fire remains on the hill yesterday this has to have been within the last 12 months at most.
BTW - Brave man for making that crossing. After i did it the first time I definitely thought it was one of those things i wouldn't want to try too often in the wrong conditions!
It was at the end of March, there were a couple of fires going and two forestry workers with chainsaws.
Jon
#
posted by : 24/4/07 10:12 am
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It connects Secret Corner, a place whose solitude I seem increasingly to keep coming back , with a longer circular route; A few more out of the way spots; And some potential wildcamping places. Possibly.
Looking back from the half way point its clear that even after all these rainless weeks, with the sun uncharacteristically beaming down, the bog path remains a challenge. It's not the wet stuff that's the problem, that can be worked around.
Mostly.
Its the seemingly solid ground that starts to flex alarmingly just when that final committed step is about to be taken.
And at the end of the path the final obstacle. The stream that valiantly tries to drain the bog. Or at least that part of it that I've not just splashed through.
Luckily the remnants of the forestry work in the area seem to have left the legacy of a rudimentary bridge. Not Health & Safety approved I'd guess.
And so to the hill on the far side. Well we call it a hill in these parts.
Plenty of choice of good tracks in a variety of directions.
Four deer bounce off at my approach. That's the second set in two days. The sudden increase of human visitors recently has caught them out this year.
But first a short stop to polish off the snacks and cast an eye over the far off hill recently visited during Weird Darren's visit at Easter. And a chance to cast a practiced eye over the ground in between to see if there's a possible route over the mayhem of tussocks.
The grass says bog. But the gorse bushes and stunted pine dotted about say maybe.
Hmm. I've no idea what use can be made of this improving ability to read and traverse boggy ground. Especially for my fell walking escapades.
But round these parts its why we still wear Gore Tex boots most of the year when off-piste as it were;
Or in-muck as perhaps it should be more properly called.
Labels: New Forest
I went over that "bridge" a few weeks ago. Did you notice that the bog to the east of the stream has had bales of heather deposited in it at some time in the past, you can still see the bindings. I had previously seen these bales in another part of the forest, and wondered what they were for.
Jon
Jon
#
posted by : 23/4/07 10:49 am
: 23/4/07 10:49 am
Hi Jon.
Yes I spotted the remains of the bindings. I wondered if it was a temp thing left over from when the forestry machinery was trying to travel over the ground. Judging by the fire remains on the hill yesterday this has to have been within the last 12 months at most.
BTW - Brave man for making that crossing. After i did it the first time I definitely thought it was one of those things i wouldn't want to try too often in the wrong conditions!
Yes I spotted the remains of the bindings. I wondered if it was a temp thing left over from when the forestry machinery was trying to travel over the ground. Judging by the fire remains on the hill yesterday this has to have been within the last 12 months at most.
BTW - Brave man for making that crossing. After i did it the first time I definitely thought it was one of those things i wouldn't want to try too often in the wrong conditions!
It was at the end of March, there were a couple of fires going and two forestry workers with chainsaws.
Jon
Post a Comment
Jon
#
posted by : 24/4/07 10:12 am
: 24/4/07 10:12 am
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