It was a rather strange day today.
We went for a walk to Hiltingbury Lakes in the afternoon, and somehow got lost. (It meant we couldn’t find the lakes; or, the lakes simply disappeared!)
Hiltingbury Lakes are one the most prominent features in Chandler’s Ford, and we have been there many times.
Isn’t it surreal (and a bit embarrassing) that we were lost in the very place that we live?
I think the problem was that my husband was ‘trying out a new route’.
We were trying to find a way between our normal long walk (Flexford Wood to Hiltingbury Road) and our short walk (Hursley Road to Merdon Avenue).
Well, my husband tried finding a path to cut through the houses towards Hiltingbury Lake, but later realised that the paths he visualised weren’t actually there. (Or perhaps the paths existed, but we just simply couldn’t find them.)
We then had to zigzag along many pretty houses in Hiltingbury, and back to the Merdon Avenue entrance. (Note: A mobile phone was also utilised to locate where we actually were.)
It was bitterly cold that we seemed to be the only walkers there by the lake.
It took us an hour to find Hiltingbury Lakes today (normally we could get there in half an hour).
I later used my humble Canon S95 to capture the serene scene of the lake. You’ll hear the soothing sounds of running water, strong wind, and also see lovely gulls gliding along the water.
A visit to Hiltingbury Lake 27th February 2016 from Chandler’s Ford Today on Vimeo.
Beautiful Star by the lake
By the lake, I also saw a bench with a bright blue star balloon and a few small bunches of flowers.
On the bench, the plaque carries these words: In Loving Memory of our Beautiful Star Harley Jae, 9th May 2005 – 22nd Feb 2013.
What’s your best route to get to Hiltingbury Lakes? Any interesting route? Please let me know.
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We love the lakes and often visit for a splash in the stream. Our route is too simple to be of interest but I doubt the lakes will lose our interest for some time to come.
Good tip – take a dog and they will always find their way home. Make sure it’s yours otherwise you will be lost. Great place for a walk and all on your doorstep. Keep in touch with nature; hug a tree.
Perhaps Hugh was thinking of the other way in from Lakewood Road.
We turn up Lakewood Road from Merdon and walk down the path where the houses end and the woods begin. There is often a squirrel along there, which adds interest to the walk for our dog, Ben. He doesn’t go off lead, so my arm is sometimes wrenched when he spots it if I am walking along daydreaming as usual.
A straight line is defined as the shortest distance between two points. What is the longest distance between two points? Hugh will find it for you.
Years ago I thought how fortunate are the people who live near the lakes. Now I live near them and they are a great feature to enjoy by birds and dogs as well as humans.
Wow! On a cold Sunday morning, 37 people have already read my lost journey to Hiltingbury Lakes.
You weren’t lost; you just didn’t know where you were. There is a subtle difference (at least, there is in my navigation techniques).
Last year we visited the lakes on a cycle trip – like you, we were coming from a different direction than usual and took a while to find them. We should have listened to the youngest member of the party who frequently said “it’s this way” but was ignored!
We had another “didn’t know where we were” occasion when trying to get to Allbrook Lakes. A mobile phone was used to locate our position – but I resorted to the old-fashioned method of “asking a passer-by for help”. My method won – not only did we find out where we were, we were also directed to the path we needed.
“You weren’t lost; you just didn’t know where you were.” Mmmm, sounds like a stereotypical male answer? 🙂