Fortot two

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I walked this route starting from Fordingbridge going east towards Totton on a sunny spring day, following a couple of days with intermittent rain. It took me 6 hrs including a lunch break to finish the 28km route. If one wants to shorten the walk, there are bus stops in Fritham and in Brook as well as a number of pubs. The route leaves Fordingbridge via the B 3078. After approximately 1km a footpath leads off to the left up a steep hill. At the time of walking this was quite muddy. As this path links up again with the B 3078 after about 500m, one could avoid it by carrying on the B road towards Godshill. After passing the Fighting Cocks pub in Godshill one continues alongside or on the B 3078 for about 2 km to the second car park on the right. From here the route leads downhill (ca 12% gradient at places) on a wide gravel pathway in an south-easterly direction towards Fritham. There are no obstructions all the way to Fritham, although one has to ford a small brook. The route heads over open heathland and through two wooded areas (Pitts Wood Inclosure and Island Thorns Inclosure) until reaching Fritham. From there one walks on paved roads for about 2.5km to and through the Long Beech Hill Campsite. Up to this point the route can be done with a bicycle, off-road pushchair or with a rugged wheelchair. Shortly after leaving the campsite, the path changes from a hard surface to forest paths which can become quite muddy during or after wet conditions. After crossing a golf course, there is a short 500m road section leading into the village of Brook. The route leaves Brook by ascending a very muddy uphill path with a large tree trunk blocking it to any four wheeled transport when reaching the top of the hill. The route carries on via a mix of footpaths and small country roads to Newbridge. At the entrance to Copythorne CP one will encounter the first stile. There is another stile when leaving Copythorne CP and a cattle-grid over which one has to walk across (no alternative) before crossing the bridge leading over the M 27. After having crossed the motorway, the route again carries on over a mix of footpaths and country roads before reaching the outskirts of Totton. It is important to note that one has to cross another 4 stiles before getting to Totton. A couple of these stiles would only allow small to medium sized dogs to pass through or under. A subway leads under the A 326. From here it is about another 2.5km to Totton train station. Personally, I found the section from Godshill to the Long Beech Hill campsite to be most enjoyable one of the whole route. It offers some great views of Forest's various landscapes, and one most likely will encounter New Forest Ponies and donkeys along the way. It also allows for wheeled access, although bikes, push and wheel chairs must be capable to handle the sometimes uneven and gravelled surfaces. If one still has some energy left towards the finish, one can climb up onto Thatchbury Mount which offers some good views towards Totton and Southampton.

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