Day 8 - Brockenhurst to Fordingbridge

First stop today, St Anne's for Mass.

Although the route notes show a pub at lunchtime, the photos rather suggest that we picnicked at Bolderwood. Whichever, the walk took us right across the New Forest, and at Bolderwood we took our rest, either shading from the sun

or soaking it up.

We paused at the Reptillary and, being a weekend, had a number of visitors. One of these was Nick Parsons' father, John. Nick told Bill that his dad would be coming that day, to which Bill replied "I never thought of you as having a father" - as Nick puts it, the nicest way of doubting his parentage!

We crossed under the main A31, then continued through the heathland that is the New Forest.

Ultimately this brought to Hyde, on the edge of the forest, where we stopped at the Church of the Holy Ascension for prayers.

We then dropped down into the Avon valley, pausing at the Three Lions at Stuckton

There followed a short road walk into Fordingbridge and its community centre.