Return to the Ever-Changing, Ever-Charming Forest of Eversley

The previous walk we did through the Forest of Eversley didn't go through much actual forest. This walk will, however, as it'll go through many more heaths and pine plantations. Even so, the name 'Forest' is slightly misleading because all that remains of the Royal Hunting Forest of Eversley are some fragments of ancient woodland. The phrase 'ever-changing' is not misleading. In place of the original forest is a mosaic of woods, heaths, fields, meadows and villages, the first constituted by oak and birch, the last constructed from the red bricks typical of this area. This area, Hart, is a prosperous and delightful district of Hampshire, recognised as a Special Character Area.

The sights:

Hartley Wintney: A pleasant place with not many buildings of interest (big, ugly Victorian church of 1870, indifferent C14 church with over-zealous Victorian restoration), but at its centre a number of handsome commons and heaths which are overlooked by significant properties, many in the Arts and Crafts style.

Eversley: A scattered settlement among heaths and commons. St Mary is handsome, Georgian, from 1724 by John James, incorporating an old chancel. A fine array of late Victorian fittings added by, and honouring the author of The Water-Babies, the Revd Charles Kingsley, who was rector, and who is buried in the churchyard. The Water-Babies is a typically Victorian novel for children about moral improvement, but also a work of protest against child labour and child poverty, and a satire against scientists and churchmen who disputed Darwin's On the Origin of Species. The Old Rectory is C17. We'll glimpse Warbrook House, an impressive but attractive house of 1724, also by John James.

Bramshill House: Now the National Police Training College, we'll see at a distance this huge Jacobean 'prodigy house', built by Edward, Lord Zouche between 1605 and 1630. It was once owened by Baron Brocket of Hertford, whose motto Felis demulcta mitis (A stroked cat is gentle) appears on the gatehouse we'll see close to.

Dipley Mill, Dipley: A long, low, grade II-listed 18th century mill across the River Whitewater. The setting and gardens are idyllic.

The route (please click the link in red to see the route at the Ordnance Survey website):

The Three Castles Path will take us east, then north and over the M3 to Church Lane that leads into Hartley Wintney. Apart from using Hare Lane out of Hartley Wintney, the Three Castles Path will take us all the way to Eversley Church. There. we'll turn west then north, pass Warbrook House, then walk a little way along the A327 on the pavement. At Warbrook Lane, we'll walk west along it as it becomes Lower Common. At the ford on the River Blackwater, we'll turn south through Bramshill Plantation and have lunch by a pond. Leaving the plantation, we'll follow Plough Lane to Hazeley Heath and have a drink at a pub. We'll walk down east down Hazeley Bottom before using a footpath to take us to Dipley. Footpaths will take us to West Green, where we'll pick up the Brenda Parker Way will take uis back to the station.

Dogs:

Dogs are very welcome on all my walks and this is a very good dog walk, with plenty of woods and heaths for them to run free, although there will be country lanes and livestock in some fields necessitating the dog going on a lead. The length of the walk may be a problem for some, though. A dog off the lead must be obedient. 

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(All pictures were taken by the leader and OutdoorLads member/leader Alex Young on their recce in August 2024.)