A morning walk on the Smugglers Road
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011
The fine weather continues, a few from Smugglers Road on a glorious day.
From the car park we set off up the path that leads us directly onto the Smugglers Road. This path led up from the sea and bays around Christchurch. Smugglers would land their contraband on the coast and use the path to bring it into the New Forest to distribute.
We walk up the last few yards before joining the road through these fresh young birch trees.
The Smugglers Road may not be particularly high up, but it affords excellent views. Here looking over Ringwood – you can see the tower of Ringwood church just above the green tree line to left of center – towards North Dorset and Wiltshire.
I thought I’d call this Spring Greens. Zooming in a little to enjoy the myriad shades.
In the opposite direction, the scar of a path over Cranes Moor looking towards the Dur Hill Inclosure. Everything in the distance washed out by the high sun.
The wide Smugglers Road stretches out before us, dry as a bone.
Further on it dips and rises following the ridge.
After walking a good way along the path, we drop down into Broad Bottom and follow the lower path back to the car. Harry posing with a Gorse bush. You’ll see that the path is pure sand. This used to be under the sea apparently!