Earls Hill in the evening sun

24 July 2012

Short evening walk at Earl’s Hill this time. Parked up at the Mytton Arms, Habberley and set off at 19.25. Had to consult the map straight away to locate the footpath which runs down through Lower Farm but from there to Earls Hill it was pretty straightforward if a little slurry-laden. Glad we didn’t do this a week or so ago when the ground was saturated as we’d be swimming in it.

Looking west from side of Earls Hill.

View from Earls Hill.

Some indecision on entering the woods, which later proved to be apposite but for now we carried on, following JP’s map outlines and passed the sign the the Earls Hill reserve at 1.25km. The route then seemed to go uphill to the right to join the ridge path. Seriously uphill. 

Clearly this is not the way, but too late when you’re stranded mid slope so had to carry on to the top and think of the good exercise it was giving us.

Aother view from Earls Hill.

At the summit of Earls Hill. 

Setting sun in the west.

Summit at Earls Hill.

Once on top the trig point was only a short distance and then we saw the route we could have taken which was a proper path. 1.98km. Great views from the top with the sun setting over Wales. Sue photographed a small yellow flower which seemed to resemble a miniature Lady’s bedstraw but we couldn’t identify it fully from the guide book so remains a puzzle for now.

Set of back down at 20.20pm and decided to find the track that leads right off the southern end of the ridge so that we could do it in a loop on the Hike. A clear path down, some steep sections with loose stone led to a stile and into the woods, then turned right to meet the path at the foot that we’d passed earlier. 2.76km

Down the ridge from Earls Hill.

Into the sun.

The stile at the foot of ridge path.

So from the bottom we need to go to the gate with the string, turn right, ignore the first path to the left and take the second left up to the stile and then climb up the hill.

Back in Habberley at 21.10, 4.1km. Pub very busy and tempting but we decided to go home for tea instead and call in for a pint another time. Next section to crack is up to Bank Farm round to Tankerville.