Collingbourne Wood

The Shears pub

We have generally avoided walking at the weekend in recent months, but after a wet week we felt we just had to get out. This walk starts at the 16th century Shears pub, not far from the wonderfully named Collingbourne Ducis, once held by the Duchy of Lancaster.

We walked along a lane and forked right to follow a climbing path which soon led us along the edge of Collingbourne Wood. Once we entered the wood proper we were delighted to be walking along an avenue of Copper Beeches.

We then turned left to walk along the main path thorough the wood, Water Lane. We were delighted with the detailed directions and had no trouble navigating our way through the wood (unlike our recent walk in the nearby Coldridge Wood).

As the path left the wood we turned left downhill to a point where there was a small valley to the left ...

.. and a bigger one to the right.

We turned left walking along a wide path hedged on both sides but with a section on the right left as a set aside. This was something of a haven for butterflies and we saw Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Green-veined White, Marbled White, Large Skipper along the way. Well done to the land owner!  At the end we rejoined the road back to the pub.

New wildflower of the day

Common Toadflax

Conditions: mild, mostly grey.

From: Wiltshire: from Salisbury to the Kennet (Jarrold).

Map: Explorer 131 (Romsey, Andover & Test Valley).

Distance: 4.5 miles.

Rating: three stars.