A mazy run to Hants

Today's route card read as follows:
M3 to J11
A3090/B3335 to WInchester and St Catherine's Hill
A31/A272 to Telegraph Hill, continue to Cheriton Church
B3046 through Alresford and Old Alresford
continue up to Basingstoke
M3 to Sunbury, A308 Kempton Park (Book Fair)
out to M25 and home

A fitful night's sleep saw us rise early to scrape the ice off the car and hit the road in the dark. The sun rose as we hit the M3, but we were not to see much of it due to a heavy mist/fog. The frost on the bushes and trees at the side of the road was quite picturesque though.

We arrived at St Catherine's Hill by 8a.m. and I began the short climb to the summit. The sight that greeted me was quite magical - a thick layer of frost covered everything as I entered through the entrance to the Iron Age earthworks.

As I approached the mizmaze, I spotted a dead rabbit, covered in frost, looking for all the world as if it collapsed mid-leap, frozen by the cold. I walked the maze, thinking of the rabbit, before returning to the car.

Winchester town was yet to wake, so we continued on our way to Cheriton. The church in the village is built upon a strange mound, thought to be prehistoric, possibly a barrow of some description. A service was in session, so I didn't get a chance to enter the church to see if any information leaflets were available.

A pleasant drive up a country lane, through several small villages finally took us back to Basingstoke and the M3, where we continued back to Sunbury and Kempton Park racecourse, where a book fair was being held. Prices were a little high compared to what I've seen at other fairs, and nothing really took my fancy though I did pick up a 1968 BCA edition of Ashe's Quest for Arthur's Britain for a couple of quid. More bedtime reading for the pile!

A good run out, and we were home in time for a late lunch.

S Bucks loop

Today's route card read as follows:
A41 to Watford, then M25 to A404.
Chorleywood, Little Chalfont.
A404 - A413 to Gt Missenden and Prestwood.
A4128 and backroads to Gt Hampden, Redland, Whiteleaf (for the Cross).
A4010 then B4009 - Wendover, Tring, Berkhampstead and home.

Today's run was an exercise in getting out of the house as much as anything else. Other than getting a view of the Whiteleaf Cross, which we managed to do, there were no real targets for the trip.

I did take a photo of the Northchurch village sign, but didn't look for Peter the Wild Boy's grave. Other than that, and for some shopping in Watford on the way home, we didn't get out of the car.

Quick Essex circuit

No route card today, just a quick skoot around Essex before getting back into London for dinner. There was a plan though: to search out a couple of puddingstones, and the "oldest wooden Church in the world, and the oldest standing wooden building in Europe". Oh, and I wanted to give my new camera a run-out.

Heading up the A10, we turned of onto the A120 toward Bishops Stortford before heading north to Manuden, where unfortunately I'd left my notes at home, so only spotted the single stone outside the Yew Tree pub. This will require a return visit in the future.

We headed south back through Bishops Stortford, then east through Hatfield Heath before turning south again. The next destination was Fyfield (to search out the other stone mentioned in the article linked above). Unfortunately I was unable to find any puddingstone, but there was what looked like a small buried sarsen near the north-east corner of the church. Near the church is a very pretty bridge over the River Roding, giving a delightful view to the south.

We next continued south and continued through Chipping Ongar, turning off for Greensted and the log church. Luckily the church was open for viewing, and I bought the informative guide book available. A crusader's grave lies just outside the entrance.

Having hit the three main targets, it was time to head into central London (via Abridge, Woodford and Tottenham) for dinner, so a short run, but interesting as I also managed to collect a few shots of village signs for my collection.