Walks,Wildlife & Conservation
Hannington - the Wayfarers Walk – Hannington
www.walkingworld.com
(for other walks see www3.hants.gov.uk/hampshirenow/walking)
Easy Walk Walk ID: 1348
Distance 6.00 miles
Duration 150 mins
Height gain 216.67m
This is an excellent circular walk, on the “moderate” side of easy as there is some climbing, but you are rewarded with the views.
The walk starts and finishes in the pretty village of Hannington. The first part of the route takes you out of the village and through fields and ancient byways up on to Cottington’s Hill. You then join the Wayfarer’s Walk as it heads southeast on its 70 mile journey to the coast near Hayling Island.
As well as encountering the Wayfarer’s Walk, your route twice crosses the ancient Portway, the Roman road that runs from Silchester to Old Sarum near Salisbury.
Formed in 1972, the North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Beauty is the largest in south-east England and the third largest AONB nationally, out of the 37 AONBs in England. Hannington lies in its south east corner.
The Vine in Hannington is a popular pub/restaurant where you can have everything from a drink and snack to a meal.
Hannington is also the name given to the nearby 498 ft television and radio transmitting station on Cottington’s Hill.
Not a lot of people know this : On a Saturday in November 1977, broadcasts from this transmitter were hi-jacked by unknown agents who blocked the UHF audio signal of transmissions from the local ITV station Southern Television and broadcast their own audio message, purporting to be from an institution calling itself the Ashtar Galactic Command. The message, transmitted over an ITN News bulletin, lasted six minutes.
Despite extensive investigations by Hampshire Police, the Independent Broadcasting Authority and Southern Television, those responsible have never been identified. The potential culprits have ranged from students to university professors to disgruntled television technicians.
Kingsclere - Ecchinswell - Old Burghclere - Hannington - Kingsclere
www.walkingworld.com
Moderate Walk Walk ID: 241
Distance 13.00 miles
Duration 300 mins
Height gain 160m
'The Hampshire Heights' is a glorious walk of wide upland views from the breezy North Hampshire Downs. Our walk starts from the attractive village or small town of Kingsclere, visits the lovely village of Ecchinswell, traverses the manicured Sydmonton Estate of Lord (Andrew) Lloyd Webber, then climbs steadily to Ladle Hill (768ft), joins the Wayfarer's Walk Long-distance Footpath and crosses the switchback hills and downs, diverting to Hampshire's highest village of Hannington, then re-crosses the downs to return to Kingsclere.
There are two pubs en route with several more in Kingsclere.
There are chalkland wildflowers in their season and you are practically certain to see buzzards over the downs. Expect also to see plenty of rabbits - author Richard Adams stayed in Shepherd's Cottage whilst writing Watership Down!
Hampshire MPs pledge to help wildlife adapt
14 October 2008
Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne, North West Hampshire MP Sir George Young, Basingstoke MP Maria Miller and Aldershot MP Gerald Howarth were among many parliamentarians supporting the Living Landscapes initiative by giving a pledge to:
Sign Early Day Motion 2190
Write to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, and urge him to put the natural environment at the heart of the climate change adaptation programmes and policies under the Climate Change Bill.
Work with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust by becoming an ambassador for a ‘Living Landscape' scheme or climate change adaptation more generally.
Work with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to promote this vision in the context of climate change adaptation to local audiences such as local community groups and schools.
North East Hampshire Grazing for Wildlife Project
Scheme area: 1,750 hectares
Benefits include: education and learning opportunities, restored and reconnected wildlife habitat, increased volunteering opportunities, sustainable local food through meat scheme, access to agri-environment funding for local graziers and farmers.
Wildlife set to benefit: Heathland, woodlark, natterjack toad, smooth snake, nightjar, dartford warbler and marsh gentian.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
for event dates and more details go to
www.hwt.org.uk
Wildlife Gardening
Gardens are extremely important for wildlife, not only can they provide food and shelter for a huge range of plants and animals, but they can form a natural "bridge" between built up and open areas which allow wildlife to move between them relatively easily. Gardens can also provide particular habitats that may be missing in your local area such as ponds and suitable hibernation or nesting sites.
There are lots of simple things that you can do to encourage wildlife to your garden:
· Create a wildflower meadow to provide butterflies and moths with nectar sources
· Dig a pond
· Build a rockery or log pile with spaces for frogs, newts and beetles to shelter in
· Put up a bird feeder or nest box
· Start a compost heap
· Use wildlife-friendly methods to control garden pests
Wildlife Watch
The local wildlife club for young people who care about their environment and want to get involved.
Are you mad about bugs and slugs, frogs and logs, voles and moles, slow worms and glow worms, fleas and trees, trails and snails, sharks and larks?
· Wildlife Watch members get magazines, posters and loads of ideas to get out and discover our local wildlife.
· There are smart stickers and badges to collect.
· Where there is a local group nearby, you can join the fun and meet others who are mad about wildlife.
· Take part in night walks, overnight camps, pond dipping, minibeast safaris.
· Learn about recycling, compost, sea life, tracks and signs, wild food.
· Make animal homes, junk art, natural sculptures, clay models
· Play games, pretend to be a bat, paddle in a stream
You are allowed to get muddy!