NEW FOREST WALK ALONG THE ENTIRE COURSE OF THE RIVER THAT ENDS AS FLETCHERS WATER (4K)

In this episode of "New Forest Walks" I take a 7 mile walk along the entire length of a river that ends up being called Fletchers Water (having been known further upstream at Bratley Water, Blackensford Brook & Black Water!). Once again I am joined by my trusty companion, Logan (the Whippet).

My journey started at the source of the Bratley water, located North of the Slufters Inclosure on the Ocknell Plain in the New Forest (about 6 miles West of Cadnam & 7 miles North West of Lyndhurst).

The first section of the walk took me South through the Slufters Inclosure, under the A31 and on through the North Oakley Inclosure.

Shortly after Smoky Hole, a stream joined the river from the West and it's name changed to the Blackensford Brook.

I had to make a detour, away from the river, around private land at Burley Lodge, and rejoined it at Dogkennel Bridge.

At this point the river had changed it's name again, to the Black Water, and it now flowed Eastwards.

I followed the river through the Dames Slough Inclosure, over the A31, and on to the Vinney Ridge Inclosure.

After a stop for ice cream at the Blackwater Arboretum car park, I continued Eastwards through the Fletchers Thorns Inclosure.

The river had changed it's name again - this time to Fletchers Water.

My journey ended near the site of the Queen Bower Medieval Hunting Lodge where Fletchers water (from the West) joined up with the Highland Water (from the North). A couple of hundred yards to the South, at Bolderford Bridge, the combined rivers were joined (again from the West) by the Over Water and from that point on, it is known as the Lymington River. Indeed the river flows out to sea at Lymington a further 7 miles downstream.

It was a challenge to follow the entire course of the river as, even though I was walking in mid Summer, there were sections of mud & bog close to the river bank that had to be circumnavigated.

Map courtesy of Google Maps.

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I use an GOPERO 10 Action Camera , an INSTA360 ACE PRO Action Camera & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go II) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.