My Short Mog Trip to the Countryside Today

A Circuit Around The Meon Valley

Living with a Sea View and a Beach Walk every day is fine but The Countryside, and lots of it is just waiting for a visit.

The weather today was superb as I extracted the Mog from under its covers in the Garage and lowered the hood once more.

Top up the Header Tank and set off up the road.

That niggling unfathomable leak had lowered the level a Couple of Centimeters over the last month, again?

Heading up the A32, The Meon Valley Road through the Village of Droxford.

The road that runs all the way from Fareham to the town of Alton.

http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/routeslinkswalks/meon-valley-trail-walking-and-cycle-route

 The focus of my first stop was to find a small Cafe in the Village of West Meon. 

After asking a resident where it was I turned into the lane leading to East Meon and stopped outside of the Village Shop and Post Office where the Cafe was said to be located.

What a disappointment. It was 4.15pm and the Cafe had closed at 4pm.

Looking back up the lane towards the junction with the A32 and across the road to the Church of St John the Evangelist.

Fortunately, Just across the road, in High Street, is one of the Village Public Houses.

Someone pulled away just in time to leave me a suitable Parking Place right outside of 'The Thomas Lord Free House'

http://www.thethomaslord.co.uk/

It was a quiet time of day so straight in for that Coffee, a lovely Mug of Cappuccino.

Overhearing a conversation, as you do,  before I left I popped out the back to 'Inspect The Plumbing' and to have a look at the Garden

 Part of the Garden and the Barbeque Area.

 The Rear Doorway Seating Corner with Well & Beautiful Flowers

 This Superbly Crafted Well Covering most probably made by a Blacksmith  

 What a Magnificent Hydrangea 

As I prepare to leave, One last photo of the Mog 

Just across the Lane is a house typical of this Hampshire Architecture. 

My route would take me back to the A32 to travel northwards to the West Meon Hut, the junction with the A272. Here I turn left and head towards Winchester.  

They say Timing is the most important thing. I took this shot too early, trying to get the Floral Display around the Hinton Arms Pub in the Village of Cheriton. 

http://www.hintonarms.co.uk/

At Beauworth I turned Left again to head across country to Bishops Waltham.

On the way I came across 'Milbury's'. 

http://themilburyspub.synthasite.com/

There were two reasons to pause there for this photo, 

1. I may well be going there for a meeting of the local SogMog Centre. 

2. It was the place that I was taken for my pre wedding 'Stag Night' in 1965

In those days it had another Name -?

I have a Photo given to me at the time by the Landlady which I must find and add here later.

It was famous locally for its internal Well with a Giant Human Operated Treadmill used to raise a Barrel full of water.  

Arriving at Bishops Waltham I take to the village roads to the roundabout junction with the B 3035 road towards Botley..

 The back roads of Bishops Waltham

 The Crown Inn ahead where I turn Left

The Hambrooks Sponsored Roundabout where I head away to Botley 
http://www.hambrooks.co.uk/

From Botley I make my way across country to Titchfield where I take the Backroad called Posbrook Lane to Hill Head.

 Along the Meon Shore I spotted this colourful VW Camper Van

Approaching the 'S' Bend around the Titchfield Haven boat Storage area. 

The Narrow Road swings to the Right around the Harbour

More of the 'S' Bend crossed the Weir Bridge over the River Meon, passes in front of the Visitors Center and Cafe, then another swing to the left and right up the hill toward my home.

The Mog is back in the garage until I get the next excuse for a run.

Frank

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