24th July 2011

Well, The forecast was good today (erroneously as it turned out!) so we set off early for the New Forest.
A breakfast of porridge was a good start to the day and we took a fruit 'smoothie' with us (made of 1 banana, 1 peach, 35 g raisins and 200 ml of skimmed milk). We shared it when the energy levels got low and it was a real life-saver.

The horses were enjoying the dry weather and looking cute. This one was particularly unafraid.

We noticed a real shortage of water, with most of the streams reduced to a trickle or completely dry. Many ponies were gathering by the pond near the WW2 mock German U-boat shelter.. On the OS maps this lamdark is marked as 'Tumulus' between Pitts Wood Enclsure and Amberwood Enclosure.

We messed around with our cameras at the trig point at Whitefield Plantation (on Ibsley Common), and took some silly photos like this one of me on the right...






We also saw a very large, old oak near Moyles Court School, and couldn't resist a photo to show how huge it is.



We walked a total of 14.5 miles in 6 hours today, with no major arguments (over navigation or anything else!!).  A few minutes after we got back to the car at Ashley Walk car park (on Godshill Ridge) it began to rain. Bonus!