The Sun Sets In Hampshire....

As memories of the harsh Winter snow fades from this years memories, i thought i would share with you a scene from Hampshire that, if you know where to go, and the weather is on your side, you can go and see for yourself. From the Old Winchester Hill nature reserve, overlooking the Meon Valley and the low farmland towards Portsmouth, The ridge of the South Downs Way makes for a fantastic viewing point to watch the sun going down. My recommendation is to take a flask of coffee, and just sit in the peace and quiet. It makes for a relaxing half an hour to the end of a day.....

Going....

Going...

Going....

Gone.

So if you like these pictures, go and witness it for yourself. Just make sure you check the weather forecast first before going... and don't forget your flask!

What A Shame...

Its not very often you get to see this sort of thing when wandering around the Hampshire countryside but when you do, your heart sinks and you feel the need to do something about it. But with a couple of tons of burnt out van sitting on a prime piece of Hampshire, you can't just pick it up and put it in the bin.

There be bandits around these parts....

I do hope that the local authorities are onto this, as it is not the sort of thing that needs to be sat around for a long time. Especially now that the walkers, visitors and tourists that visit this part of Hampshire will soon be making their way past this eyesore, and judging their experiences on what they find around them.

http://www.media-attention.co.uk

Deep In A Hampshire Hedgerow.

You have probably guessed by now that i poke my nose into all areas of Hampshire, well, almost. Walking the back roads of Hampshire reveals a beautiful scenery, with rural landscapes and wild places that most people just walk, or drive past. Not me. So much so, that even the humble Hampshire hedgerow makes for a good afternoons snooping about, especially in the Spring and early Summer months.



At this time of year the hedgerows are bursting with life of all varieties, including plant life and insect life, which as you can see from my video here, can be hard to see. You really do have to get in there and look hard if you want to see the insect life. Once you get your eye in it's a match for any jungle, with predators, the hunters and the hunted all vying for a slice of life that goes on in the undergrowth beneath our very noses in Hampshire.

I'm sorry i cannot name any of the species here, but there is a huge amount of differing insect life, much of which i couldn't fit onto this little film. Maybe i will save that for another time, but for now i hope you enjoy the small offering here, and next time you pass a Hampshire hedgerow, stick your nose in and squint. You will be amazed at what you might find.

Paul Martin. http://www.media-attention.co.uk/

Bluebell Woods In Hampshire.

During a recent trip out towards Basingstoke, Hampshire, earlier this year, i had the great fortune to come across a bluebell wood that i didn't know existed, until the flash of blue caught my eye from the car. Luckily, i had my camera with me from work, so i stopped and filmed the colourful spectacle that presented itself.




Sights like these in Hampshire are becoming a rare treat, and on top of that, only last a short while during the early months of Spring. I find that walking through woodland in Hampshire is the best way to find and see these types of things, so i felt very lucky to have seen them whilst driving in the car. The sun was shining that day which made the find all the more special, so after filming them i just sat a while with my flask of coffee and watched. The insect life and the peaceful surroundings made for a very pleasant time. Sit still for long enough and the wildlife will appear, many people forget to just sit and watch and let the scene before them unfold. So next time you happen upon a bluebell wood, take the time to really see it. Stop, listen and watch. You will feel a lot better for it.

Paul Martin. http://www.media-attention.co.uk 

Hangliders And Paragliders, Butser Hill, Hampshire.

I was digging through my footage library the other day when i came across some video of hangliders and paragliders i had filmed whilst on Butser Hill, Hampshire. Butser Hill is a great place to see the rural landscape of Hampshire, with wide ranging views over the Meon Valley and beyond.



It is also a perfect site for sports such as hangliding and paragliding as the updraughts created by Butser Hill give perfect conditions to ride the air as the people in the video show. There is a large car park at the top where you can sit and watch the world go by, or take yourself off for an invigorating walk along the chalk escarpments that make up part of the South Downs Way, or even walk down the hill to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park for a cup of tea in the cafe. But be warned... it's a long walk back to the top.

I come here quite often in all sorts of weather and time of year, the landscape is forever changing through the seasons and the views can be quite spectacular on a good sunny day.

Paul Martin. http://www.media-attention.co.uk 

Where Have All The Pubs Gone?

On my travels around Hampshire, I am the Hampshire Traveller after all, I have noticed a few things. One of them being the hub of community life, especially in rural areas, the good old rural country public house. Many have been around for as long as the town or village has been in existence.

However, country inns and pubs now face their biggest challenge. Pubs around the country and indeed in Hampshire are closing their doors at an alarming rate. Depending on who you talk to, there are many reasons for this. Drinkers are staying at home with less money to spend on evenings out. Alcohol is cheaper to buy in the large supermarket chains, government red tape and high alcohol duty rates. They all have a part to play in the demise of the good old English pub.

Always a good sign ....

So, will the rural village pub survive? I think so, just not as many as before. With tastes changing in what the pub goer wants from a night out will change the look and feel of many rural establishments across Hampshire.

Local ales and other drinks such as ciders and wines are very popular with younger drinkers, and more such drinks are regularly being made by small local producers around the county. I certainly think the days of rural pubs selling a limited choice of drinks are long gone as people are now much more mobile than before, and can easily choose where to go.

Rural pubs ... enticing.

Hampshire pubs are also a good place for locally produced food. Good local produce can easily be resourced from around Hampshire, and todays pub goers actively look for this in the menus. Good pub food is a must for any rural establishment, as most visitors now expect this service when visiting a rural pub. Full blown restaurants are one thing, but good, honest down to earth pub grub remain very popular.

With Hampshire being a mainly rural county, there remains a great many places to visit with great pubs, food and drink, to be found. So, if you find a good country pub with a warm welcome and a roaring open fire, then treasure it and use it. Make the village pub once again the hub of village life ... before it's gone forever.

Paul Martin.
http://www.media-attention.co.uk

A Walk Around New Alresford, Hampshire.

I had no particular reason for visiting New Alresford, other than to have a pleasant afternoon walk around somewhere i haven't really explored yet. The first thing you notice is that it is a very good looking town with wide main streets and a colourful disposition. Built mainly in the Georgian era, the town is made up of village type cottages, town houses and old coaching inns from times gone by. It is possible to still look along the roads and imagine what this town would have been like hundreds of years ago, without the modern traffic and street furniture that tend to inhabit the squares and main roads today.

Looking down Broad St, Alresford.

Pound Hill, West St and Broad St are the main areas of interest that will hold your attention. At this time of year the roads are colourful and bright and sometimes a bit too busy traffic wise, but a pleasant place to be nonetheless. A stop for coffee at an independent coffee house was welcome and i spent a good half an hour or so sitting and watching the people go about their business.

Beer and food....

If you are in need of more sustainance, there are a few old coaching inns on the main roads and square, perfect for good food and fine ales, wines and more if the mood takes you, beer gardens and a little sunshine make for a pleasant experience. There are of course a good variety of cafes, cake shops and tea rooms to choose from, all within a short walk from each other, so you don't need to walk very far for a change of scenery.

Walking around the town i also discovered the church of St John the Baptist, the churchyard of which holds the graves of soldiers of the Napoleonic wars, including French prisoners of war, and a variety of other historical buildings relating to the Second World War, including a house that used to be the Headquarters of the 47th infantry regiment of the US Army. One of the main attractions though is the nearby rail station that attracts steam lovers from all over the world, as it is part of the Watercress line, and is busy on a daily basis with steam locomotives, lovingly restored by volunteers, and a good reminder of how our transport system was before Beeching.

Steam locomotives ... popular.

I also had the great pleasure of walking the mile or so of the Millenium Trail along the banks of the river Arle, a sparkling chalk stream that runs along the valley at the bottom of the town. Walks and trails criss cross this area, and other walks can be joined from here, but on a warm sunny day it was great to see the wildlife and plants that live and grow along the river banks.

So it was a pleasant surprise to come upon the Fulling mill, which straddles the river, and was built around the 12 - 1300's but is now a private residence.

Fulling Mill....

The river Arle....

So, i would recommend the visit to New Alresford, even if for just a short stroll along the river banks and a coffee stop on the flower lined streets of the town with a frothy latte, and a large piece of chocolate cake. If the weather is with you, you will not have a more relaxing afternoon.... Enjoy.

Paul Martin
http://www.media-attention.co.uk

Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire.

Today has been one of those days when you find something to visit, and when you get there you don't want to leave. Tucked into a lush green valley just off the A3 near Waterlooville, close to Butser Hill, is the Butser Ancient Farm. This place has to be seen in the flesh as it were, to understand and appreciate what it is that is being achieved here.

The farm is a replica of what a farm and village would have looked like at the time of the ancient Britons, around 500 BC. The village and farm roundhouses have been painstakingly built by the owners and volunteers as not only a museum, but as a working farm and experimental archaeological site, that can be visited by the public and school or university parties.

This is David Freeman, a working archaeologist and builder of many of the ancient buildings and roundhouses that can be seen here.

Having sat down with him for about half an hour i came away with my head crammed full of historical facts and figures, how the roundhouses were built, who lived in them and their way of life. I couldn't cram all of the recordings together so i have split them into three separate stories which are best left to the expert .....



Having told me one thing about the ancient Britons, David told me more .....



Finally, we got onto the people that actually lived in these buildings, and exactly what the Romans thought of them .....



David was a guy who certainly knew his history. Having given me a short tour of the farm, i came away with a great deal of knowledge that i previously didn't know, about the construction, the way of life, and what it is to be an archaeologist today and the techniques they use to uncover and understand the ancient way of life.

Look closely at the buildings and you can see the painstaking work and knowledge that has gone into the building of this ancient farm and it's buildings. This can only have been achieved by rigorous research and a lifetime of work in studying the ancient Britons and their life. The farm itself is a pleasure to walk around and is quite easy to navigate around. I was expecting something larger in format and size, like a modern farm, but that is the point. Ancient Britons lived in sometimes small family groups and farmed the land close to them with crops and animals, and the Butser Ancient Farm is a good and accurate portrayal of what life would have been like hundreds or thousands of years ago.

So, if you do ever find yourself out this Summer and fancy something a little different for the kids to see, you can take them along to see the people working here, with events and demonstrations all year round to fire up the imagination. And you never know, like me, you might just learn something along the way.

You can visit the Butser Ancient Farm website HERE.

Paul Martin
http://www.media-attention.co.uk

Frensham Fire.

It was a great shame that over the past week we learned of the full extent of the heath fire at Frensham, just over the Hampshire border into Surrey. A short walk around the area left me in no doubt that a great deal of damage had been done to the heathland, the flora and fauna, and of course, the wildlife which will have suffered a catastrophic blow. The Surrey and Hampshire fire and rescue services, along with teams from the countryside rangers, did their best to contain the flames....

I did get the chance to speak to one of the head rangers, during his lunch break on a very busy day for him and his team, and was told that over 150 acres of heathland had been destroyed or very badly damaged by the flames, however the seeds from the heathland plants stood a good chance of survival, and could be growing again sooner than we may think. However, the wildlife will have suffered greatly, with many rare and endangered species having taken a big hit, and may decrease in numbers quite heavily at this time in the spring and summer breeding season, with their young still too young or unable to flee the fire.

I think it will take quite a while for the heathland to recover. Not being a heathland expert i don't know what or how quickly the heath will take to regrow, or for the wildlife to re-establish itself over the coming years, some species may never return, such is the rarity of some species. I hope i am wrong.

I will endeavor to get some more information on this from the countryside rangers, however i think that they have more to do at the moment to make sure that fire doesn't flare up again in the coming days, so i will leave interviews and audio until they have some spare time to talk to me.

Paul Martin
http://www.media-attention.co.uk

Hampshire Wood Fair.

Yesterday saw me travelling about 10 miles or so down the A3 towards Petersfield and the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, where they were staging this years Hampshire Wood Fair. I like and enjoy all things countryside, so i decided to take a look and was glad i did. First of all the country park is just a great place to go to clear the cobwebs and to get a bit of fresh air but, coupled with a great deal of wood crafts and exhibits, made for a specially interesting day.

A great deal of craftsmanship and artistic effort had gone into many of the wood exhibits, from walking sticks to large garden style ornaments that take a great deal of time to finish. I spent quite a while just sitting and watching the crafts people at work doing whatever was their art with various sizes of lumps of wood, using differing tools, many with stunning results.

The fact that the weather was kind made the day out a pleasurable experience for all the family. And a walk around the park is always good. I was on the understanding that this event before now was a moveable event that travelled around Hampshire, however steps are being taken to bring back the event to the Queen Elizabeth country park again for next year, so i will keep an eye out for it again.

Anyone with an artistic view or is interested in wood carving and wood crafts would enjoy the day out here, as a wide variety of stalls and skills were on show to the public. As the day wore on and the sun got hotter, more and more people made the decision to visit with children and families, which gave the event a very pleasant feel and relaxed atmosphere. I would recommend that you visit next year.

Most of the event is taken by demonstrations of various kinds. Not just of the wood crafts, but of the working environment too, such as this Shire horse, being used to drag large logs around the woodland. This type of woodland work with horses is rapidly becoming more popular, as horses do not damage the environment as much as large tractors and similar vehicles.

All in all, a very enjoyable day out.

Paul Martin
http://www.media-attention.co.uk

Hampshire Lavender Fields Open Day.

I did intend to go a little further today but was stopped in my tracks just a mile and a half North from the Pottery in Selborne, Hampshire, where i last posted from. The big sign saying open day was enough for me so i turned in to see what was happening.

It turned out to be an open day for the Lavender fields, where the farmer, Tim Butler, grows many varieties of lavender and manufactures the lavender oil, from which he and others make a bewildering number of products from lavender and honey ice cream, to soap, oils, and much more.

Having given me a quick tour of the fields and farm, Tim was kind enough to give me a quick interview about what it is he does, and how he does it. This is what he had to say ....



So, if you are ever passing the road between Selborne and Alton, do drop in and visit the lavender shop, and tell them that i sent you. Alternatively, you can visit them online HERE.

Talking Bullocks In The Country.

One of the main reasons why farmers and breeders attend any agricultural show like the Alton Show, is to show off their best animals to be judged. A great deal of effort goes into preparing the beasts for show, especially the larger animals such as the highland cattle. So i spoke to one of the farmers at the show to see just what goes into showing cattle at the Alton Show.

Cider Tasting At The Alton Show.

It was inevitable that at some point whilst at the Alton Show that we would touch upon the subject of alcohol. Good old west country cider to be exact. So i spoke to a guy called Joe Jnr, who makes cider in Somerset, one of his creations being Sewer Cider ...... This is what he said.

Pictures From The Alton Show. 2010.

I thought that i had better get around to posting just a few of the photo's i took whilst wandering around the Alton Show at Froyle Park on Sunday 4 July 2010. The weather was perfect for an agricultural show, the sun was shining with a breeze that kept most people cool, making it a pleasurable day out for all of the people that visited.

Most of the country folk of course were there to show off their best animals to be judged in various categories of competition between the many breeds of farm animals that were present at the Alton Show. It is of course, the main reason why these shows exist as many were started by local farmers as a yearly get together to find the best breeding animals for next years season, and is still a reason why most farmers attend such shows today.

There are many more things to see and do at the Alton Show, with exhibitions from a range of countryside business from local food and drink, to old steam engines and vintage vehicles. Local crafts and countryside pursuits can also be seen at the show with an opportunity to test your ability.

So, all in all, it was a pleasure to visit the show and have a look around the local artisans and producers that keep our countryside the way we all know and love. I for one will certainly be back next year for more of the same, and suggest that you do too.

Wildlife Artist At The Alton Show.

Having spent the day at Froyle Park near Alton at the Alton agricultural show, i got around to speaking to a wildlife and landscape artist called Gordon, and i took great delight in looking at the fine pictures he paints whilst working full time as a landscape gardener. So i decided to have a few words with him to see what inspires him to paint ...



I think you will agree that he is a thoroughly nice chap, with a talent that most of us can only aspire to, and it was a pleasure to get to talk to him.

Hampshire Beekeepers At The Alton Show.

The first post of my shiny new blog sees me venturing not too far away from home, less than 10 miles to be exact. I thought that the best way to start this new travel blog was to start local, and work my way out from there, so i attended the Alton Show at Froyle Park, for the annual agricultural get together. The first people who said yes to an interview were the Meon Valley Bee Keepers Association who kindly said a few words .......

PART ONE.




PART TWO.