Despite the threat of more rain, I ventured out this morning. Having spent much of yesturday inside, I very much wanted to get out side. Checking the BBC's weather page this morning hinted that today would be notably better. The satelite pictures suggested that better weather was coming in from south-east.
Buoyed by a promising conclusion from the amateur meteorology, I headed for Broughton Down. A location I've wanted to visit for sometime, due to the tag of "the best views in Hampshire" from the Hampshire Wildlife Trust.
Following the HWT's directions I got there eventually, although the car is now muddy and it's suspension has less life in it. Walking past the burnt out shell of Ford Fiesta, I was not confident in that tag line. Nor did passing the supposed location of one of these view points. I sure it was a nice cornfield, if cornfields are your thing. After landing flat on my back after slipping on some exposed chalk, I had firmly removed "best views" from my thoughts.
Things started to look up, when I found that the actual view points where on the other side of the small wood I had walked down. Looking over across the village of Broughton, the countryside opened up. A small but pleasent chalk down with numerous low growing flowers, but without the usual butterflies that accompany such land. The weather at this time was turning bad so macro shots would have had me soaked, so I head into the woods. Some wonderful old knarled tress.
However whilst in there, the cloud started to break up giving some better light and I headed out again to the chalk down. The expanse of the flowers, much like bluebells looks like a great shot but capturing it is always difficult. A few shots with the 200mm looked promising; will attempt similar at a later date.
Time was now approaching lunchtime; the (virtually) unmarked track and that burnt out car had been at the back of my mind at the time. This seemed like farily remote and safe part of the test valley but was it? Plus I was hungry
Would I go back? Possibly, but I think I'd like to park in in Broughton, or similar go through the down on a walk to somewhere else.