CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED.
I am beginning to find myself reminded by readers, of earlier posts that may have something to contribute to ‘A Knight’s Tale’. One of these was ‘Early Entertainment’, which provided quite rich material that I used in today’s update. Please keep the ideas flowing – I really can’t remember everything I’ve written.
Our general garden maintenance continued today on both sides of a trip to Efford Recycling Centre where we dumped more rotting IKEA wardrobe sections that have served a useful purpose up to now. we went on for a drive.
Standing beside a roundabout on the A337 out of Lymington we have often noticed three stag-headed figures standing either side of a five-barred gate. We knew that these heralded the entrance to
the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort.
Parking on a roundabout on a main road is not a good idea, so we had never stopped before. This time Jackie drove on a little way and parked in a side street from whence we walked back to investigate.
A gentleman with a dog was passing the sculptures
and walked on around a gentle incline.
Having read how far the walk to the top would be, Jackie opted to return to the car and let me check the lie of the land.
Or maybe the reason was the sight of a colony of descendants of Iron Age rabbits romping on the hillside.
In the event, the steeply undulating nature of the paths riddled with tree roots suggested that this had been a good idea.
On the way up, a sign informed us that young people had transformed a disused sand quarry into a sledge run. The area is apparently packed with tobogganists whenever there is sufficient snow.
What was once farmland around the fort is now densely wooded. Through the trees I glimpsed the roof of what I later discovered to be
Not far from there lay a shallow set of steps leading to
a broad open plateau that had been the centre of the fort.
This was grazed by a cow and her calf.
The logs just visible in the steps picture are designed to prevent people parking on the hallowed ground. There is a car park alongside.
I was informed how to reach that from the road by another gentleman walking his dog.
Taking an easy route down the hill I watched a crow sweep across the grass tops,
and banged my head on a low branch.
Quite sensibly, Jackie declined to investigate the car park, and we went home.
Wikipedia has an informative entry on this historic site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckland_Rings
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy penne pasta arrabbiata with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Parra Alta Malbec 2016.
That was interesting.
Thanks, Sherry
Thank you for the tour and the link.
Many thanks, Oglach
Another good place to add to the list for a further visit, if we manage one. Would bullets bounce off iron age rabbits? Glad to see kids using ingenuity and effort towards outdoor entertainment.
Many thanks, Leslie. We could do it together
It never ceases to amaze me how much ancient history lies close to hand for you. And the ingenuity of the young is also wonderful to see 🙂
Many thanks, Pauline.
Another fascinating wander, Derrick! (And a delicious sounding dinner, too!)
Many thanks, Merril
What an interesting place–in part for what we don’t see and in part for your lovely photos.
Many thanks, Luanne. The flat we rented at Minstead in the New Forest was in a Victorian mansion built on the site of a similar Hill Fort. You are right – much we can only see in our minds
Oh nice!!!
Very interesting post, Derrick. Great photos too! I hope you didn’t injure your head on the branch.
I laughed about your banging your head on the branch. You can’t blame Jackie and her hanging flower pots on that one. : )
Nice one, Jodie. Many thanks.
: )
What an interesting tour. I would love to wander around that place and the stag headed art is really interesting.
Many thanks, Lisa. I’m very pleased that we stopped there.
What a lovely pictorial walk you sent me on this morning, haha, I wouldn’t have hit my head on the branch, I being reasonably short in stature.
Thanks very much, Ivor.
That’s an interesting roof.
I thought so, Mary. Thanks a lot.
Everything is so serene and calm in the pictures. Wonderful place sir.
Many thanks, Alexius
But for you, I wouldn’t even dream of places like those. Those stag-headed figures seem to say so much.
Thanks, Uma. That’s so good. They are brilliant, aren’t they?
Plus they are exotic!
Great photos 🙂
Thank you, Lynn
This looks like a very pleasant ramble (the head whack notwithstanding!) I like the statues with the stag heads a lot.
Thanks very much, Kerry. They intrigue as you drive by
Splendid! Love the sculptures!
Thanks very much, Laurie
Pleasant walk about, always fun to follow along on jaunts.
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Great entertaining adventure Derrick, my kind of outing demanding investigation.
Thanks very much, Ian
Obviously banging your bonce on a branch didn’t ruin your appetite!
🙂 Thanks a lot, Brian
Lovely atmospheric shots – nice to know it’s still used.
Thanks very much, Quercus
Buckland Rings has some interesting history. Thank you for the tour!
Thank you, Lavinia