Sutton Scotney Ecology and Heritage walk 24 April 2022
What could be better than a gentle stroll through the beautiful Hampshire countryside on a sunny spring day, finding out about some of its fascinating local history, globally important environments, and rich flora and fauna? Not much I would say, but when you throw in a visit to one of the best pubs in Hampshire, then you have a guaranteed winner.
It was just such an event that formed one of the Watercress Ways' annual Dawn to Dusk Day, which is our main day for showcasing some of what the 27 mile circular walking, cycling, and horse-riding route we have created in the beautiful countryside north of Winchester, has to offer.
Thus it was that around 15 of the routes' users and charity supporters joined trustee Clive Cook for a guided Ecology and Heritage walk in and around Sutton Scotney, Hunton, and the surrounding lovely countryside.
The weather smiled upon the walkers as they gathered on the award winning Gratton playing fields and public space to hear a little about the Watercress Way charity from its chairman Jackie Porter, then moved onto stand next to a globally very rare and special environment, the chalk stream that is the River Dever. England has 85% of the world’s 200 chalk streams, many of which are found in Hampshire. These chalk streams are unique – there are only about 200 in the world, and most of them are in the southern half of England (with a few in France). Which makes them all (and our own little Dever) the more special. Such streams, and their unique chemical composition and constant year round temperature gave rise to the growth of the watercress industry and its rapid expansion with the coming of the railways.
As the group crossed the Gratton and stood in the centre of a new housing estate, its previous history as the Sutton Scotney railway station and yard, and its role in the transport of watercress to the city markets was brought vividly to life by Chris Cornell, local railway history expert and a great friend of the charity. The descriptions of how life on the local line and in the station continued as the listeners moved on to stand under the old Wonston road bridge, dug out and cleared by the charity a number of years ago, and gazed at the still soot encrusted bridge roof.
Back out into the sunlight, and a short distance away, a different aspect of local history was described by Clive - that of the Drovers, and their epic journeys across the country from the West to the markets in the eastern market towns hundreds of miles away. Standing on Beggars Drove, it wasn't difficult to imagine it full with hundreds of the Drovers sheep, iron shoe-shod cattle, and geese (with their tar covered feet for protection on the long journey). The noise and smell must have been substantial! Moving down the Drove and into the more open, large field based landscape so typical of much of Hampshire, some of the common garden and farmland birds made themselves known through their song and glimpses among the hedges. These were joined by the warblers, swallows and house martins that had journeyed so far from Africa to join us for the Summer. Then, right on cue after being mentioned by Clive as something we might see, two magnificent Red Kites wheeled and soared above, whilst five species of butterfly danced along the roadside as we returned to Wonston.
Tarrying a while for suitable refreshment in the award winning Wonston Arms with its warm welcome and friendly atmosphere was most appreciated. We then embarked upon the final riverside and wooded stretch of the walk, complete with masses of blossom and a good range of spring flowers, all accompanied by the spring birdsong. Too soon the group crossed the River Dever and were once more upon the Gratton, and after a lovely two hours or so, the walk was complete.
Clive Cook, Trustee
