Blackwater, Blackbushe Airport, Minley, Hawley Lake

Following my jaunt along the Blackwater Valley Trail from Ash to Blackwater, I returned to do the next short section near Sandhurst. I made it part of an interesting circuit including Yateley and Eversley Commons, the environs of Blackbushe Airport, and two more Military Training Areas: Minley and Hawley Lake. Another enjoyable circuit threading through green space in an otherwise highly developed area. About 17 miles in 4 hours. Here's a map. I have added some photos: click the icons to see what the trail is like at that point (aren't geo-located photos wonderful?).

I parked at Shepherd Meadow (named after the artist rather than a herder of sheep).

I followed the Blackwater Valley Trail, towards Sandhurst, calling off at the friendly cafe in Sandhurst Memorial Park. I then headed South to cross Yateley Common. The bridleways here were muddy in parts, and rather difficult to follow especially where they are overgrown and unsigned in the vicinity of Vigo Lane. But they took me to the perimeter fence of Blackbushe Airport, where it was interesting to explore the disused runway area to the North, from where I crossed Eversley Common on good tracks.

I had hoped to then cycle through Yateley Heath Wood, which is marked on the Ordnance Survey 1:25K maps in light green as 'Access land in wooded area'. I attempted to find access points from the Blackbushes Road. At the Northern end, the way is blocked by a large excavation (looks like gravel or sand). Further along a high earth berm has been erected in parts, and elsewhere thick vegetation bars the way. It illustrates the rather confusing status of 'right to roam' in England. So in the end I just followed Blackbushes Road, which wasn't too busy.

I then crossed the Minley and Hawley Lake Military Training Areas, which provided excellent cycling through mainly wooded terrain, with a choice of good tracks, and apparently open at all times. The Army gets a lot of stick in places like Ash for increasingly restricting access to the ranges, but overall I think they do a great job of keeping these areas open and free from development. (More military rides here.)

A brief passage through the suburbs of Blackwater brought me back to join the eponymous Trail, where I left off last time.

Here are some photos. I have also loaded a more comprehensive set as thumbnails on the map (ignore the strange photo labels, which are assigned automatically by Google according to the nearest location or business on Google Maps).

Shepherd Meadow car park

River Blackwater

Blackwater Valley Trail across Shepherd Meadow

Lake in Sandhurst Memorial Park

Cafe in Sandhurst Memorial Park

Crossing Railway

Guildford-Reading line

Trail beside the River

Curious Llamas (Alpacas?)

Swan Lakes

Bridleway entering Yateley Common at Darby Green

Bridleways on Yateley Common were muddy in parts....

....but quite solid in others

Nice gorse blossom

Up close at at Blackbushe Airport

Blackbushe Airport perimeter path

The bridleway ('the Welsh Drive') shown on OS Maps crossing Blackbushe airfield is to all intents and purposes closed

Under the runway approach

There is a large abandoned runway area north of the airfield

Blackbushe Car Auctions has acres of cars to chose from

Track skirting Castle Bottom Nature Reserve

Eversley Common

Sand pit, Eversley Common

Concrete Road in Eversley Common

Exit onto Cooper's Hill

Large excavation blocking the way to Yateley Heath Wood

Old gatehouse (possibly for Minley Manor?)

Bridleway off Minley Road

Excellent Tracks in Minley MTA

Exit from Minley MTA

Entry to Hawley Lake MTA

Hawley Lake (home of the Military Sail Training Centre)

Good road up Hawley Hill

Large gravel area on Hawley Hill. Hawley Lake is used as a filming location, including (according to Wikipedia) doubling for North Korea in Die Another Day, and the epic It Ain't Half Hot Mum