Ash Bed

Wood, Forest in Hampshire

England

Ash Bed

Central IOW from St Catherine's Hill A good view over the middle of the island from up here on the southern edge. — Central IOW from St Catherine's Hill Credit: Des Blenkinsopp

Ash Bed is a picturesque woodland located in Hampshire, England. It is situated within the larger New Forest, a national park known for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity. Covering an area of approximately 100 hectares, Ash Bed is characterized by its dense growth of ash trees, which give the woodland its name.

The woodland features a diverse range of flora and fauna, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts. Visitors can expect to see a variety of wildflowers, ferns, and mosses carpeting the forest floor, creating a vibrant and colorful display throughout the year. The canopy of ash trees provides shade and shelter for a multitude of bird species, including woodpeckers, nuthatches, and warblers.

Ash Bed is crisscrossed by a network of trails and footpaths, allowing visitors to explore the woodland at their own pace. These paths wind through the trees, offering glimpses of the surrounding countryside and providing opportunities for peaceful walks and picnics. Along the way, there are several designated viewpoints that offer stunning vistas of the forest and its surroundings.

The woodland is also home to a variety of wildlife, such as deer, badgers, and foxes. These creatures can often be spotted during early morning or late evening walks, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of the woodland.

Ash Bed is a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Whether it's birdwatching, photography, or simply enjoying a peaceful stroll, this Hampshire woodland provides a serene and natural retreat for visitors to enjoy.

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Ash Bed Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 50.598919/-1.2940862 or Grid Reference SZ5077. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Central IOW from St Catherine's Hill

A good view over the middle of the island from up here on the southern edge.

Des Blenkinsopp

Old lighthouse in the way

Construction of a lighthouse on top of St Catherine's Hill started in the 1780's but was soon abandoned because the site was so often foggy. When they came to put up a radio mast on the same site, they had to work around the base of the old tower.

Des Blenkinsopp

Crops on St Catherine's Hill

The edge of the access land around St Catherine's Oratory. Beyond is farmland to the horizon.

Des Blenkinsopp

Steps up from the road

It's a bit of a climb up to St Catherine's Oratory, but the steepest bit is the steps up to the start of the footpath.

Des Blenkinsopp

Chalk Grassland, Niton Down

Home to a great diversity of plants and creatures, chalk grassland is often a preserved habitat.

Des Blenkinsopp

Overlooking Blackgang Chine

Blackgang Chine opened in the 1840s and is the oldest amusement park in the country. Beyond, the coastline continues to The Needles on the far horizon around 20 kms away.

Des Blenkinsopp

Stone Wall to Blackgang Road

Over the road the line continues as a service road up to the mast on Niton Down.

Des Blenkinsopp

The End of the Wall

A long stone wall stops here at the edge of Gore Cliff. The very end has been patched up with bricks at some stage.

Des Blenkinsopp

Fields on Niton Down

A view from the coast path up to the mast on top of St Catherine's Hill. A bus is going along Blackgang Road and higher up, a combine harvester is at work.

Des Blenkinsopp

Blackgang Chine - lifeboat

The heritage aspect of this theme park has been disbanded and this is not visible on the aerial view now.

Chris Allen

Blackgang Chine theme park - diesel engine

This theme park had quite a strong heritage section that has now been disbanded. It included this working horizontal single cylinder Ruston diesel engine. The blurring shows that it was indeed running.

Chris Allen

Blackgang Chine theme park - overtype portable steam engine

This theme park has now disbanded its heritage collection, including this engine that was belted to a circular saw. The engine is a duplex Ruston, Proctor built in 1915 and used at a sawmill on the island.

Chris Allen

Blackgang Chine theme park - steam engine and boiler

The educational section of the former Blackgang Chine theme park was separately marketed as 'The Disappearing Village' and included this combined vertical boiler and steam engine ensemble driving a winch. Although originally intended for dockyard work it was used for many years on a Hampshire timber estate. It was set up as a slipway winch in a beach/boat display area. There are very few examples of this type of steam ensemble in the country as a whole and this was possibly the best. It is demonstrated turning on a motor drive. The engine is by an unknown maker although Eastern Counties is a possibility. Unfortunately this section was closed some time ago and the engines auctioned off. I am not sure where this is now.

Chris Allen

Blackgang Chine theme park - steam engine from Queen of the Broads

This compound condensing engine came from the Norfolk Broads steamer Queen of the Broads. Following the disbanding of this collection it is now at South Walsham Windmill in Norfolk. As displayed here it was turned by an electric motor and kept in a cage for the safety of the public and to the frustration of the photographer.

Chris Allen

Blackgang chine theme park - steam engine from PS Compton Castle

Diagonal compound by Cox of Falmouth and used on the former Dart steamer Compton Castle. The still in service Kingswear Castle has a more or less identical engine. This section of the display was closed and disbanded some years ago. This engine was acquired by the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway (operators of the Kingswear Castle) and is currently stored at Kingswear. There are plans to place it on display.

Chris Allen

St Andrew, Chale: Christmas 2021

Christmas has been a special time for two millennia, perhaps especially so during wars and pandemics. In England it traditionally starts with the unveiling of the Harrods Christmas Display in July! All the infant schools I worked at started rehearsals for the Nativity Play as soon as we reurned after Autumn Half Term. As November progresses most shops and a large number of homes have some indication it is "the most wonderful time of the year". Traditionalists usually wait for the first Sunday in Advent; while, for children, Advent Calendar Day marks the start of a chocolatey month! In the past there really were 12 Days of celebration but nowadays people start saying "Did you have a good Christmas?" on the 27th. On the other hand a vicar friend of mine keeps his decorations up until Candlemass, 2nd February...

Basher Eyre