The old line

We took the opportunity of a sunny, and for the most part windless, day to roam beyond the stands. And glorious it was. Part of our walk followed the old Brockenhurst to Ringwood line as it threads the edge of Homlsley Bog; it must've been a wonderful journey in its' day, at no point without splendid views. Crazy to consider the extent of the affordable integrated public transport network we once enjoyed, as compared with the woefully fragmented, often expensive, excuse we endure today. Good social infrastructure is essential, especially if we want change.

Tracks in time

A broad loosely linear ribbon of innumerable ruts running from Whitefield Moor on the outskirts of Brockenhurst up onto Hincheslea Moor and Wilverely Plain before snaking off towards either Holm Hill and Ober Water in one direction and Long Slades Bottom in the other; in some sections they're much more noticeable than others, in some sections they're so ephemeral as to be near invisible. You might reasonably think they're natural features caused by erosion or so such, maybe they could be signs of forestry works, or it's quite possible you'd overlook them all together amongst the heather and gorse. In fact they're an interesting archaeological feature from World War Two. Throughout the war the forest was used by various branches of the military, and these are the 80 year old tracks left by Churchill tanks of the 33rd Army Tank Brigade/43rd Bat Royal Tank Regiment on exercise hereabouts in 1942. One of the more recent layers of history etched onto the forests' landscape, joining numerous archaeological features reaching back thousands of years. My photo doesn't do the tracks or their scale justice, if you're interested check them out on a satellite map or LIDAR.