NEW FOREST WALK : FRITHAM (NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK)

[@peter.m.1825]

What a lovely walk Dave, I’m really enjoying all your films, very relaxing & serene after a hard day’s work….I thought that were an old Water Pump at first Dave, how strange a Victorian Postbox, would the letters have been put in the tube & the top of the post having a removable lid etc Dave? 😊😊

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Peter. I think that the post box had an opening (with a lock) on one side for the postman to collect the letters as well as a small opening near the top for the letters to be deposited by the public.

[@peter.m.1825]

Thank you Dave, like a standard Postbox then 😊

[@susanmartin5708]

Hi Dave, We have done part of this walk today , saw the old post box and the magazine in the field - never knew there was a gunpowder factory there even though have been to Eyeworth Lake many times. Instead of going to see Barnes Wallis Observation shelter we cut up through Island Thorns Enclosure to Studley Castle, which we found - just bumps in the ground - but that is archaeology for you. Then back along the Telegraph Hill walk to Eyeworth Lake and Fritham - 6 miles - a great walk in blue sky weather .

[@DaveFord]

Glad you had a good walk Susan (the sun came out for you!). Well done on locating the earthwork remains of the Studley Castle Royal Hunting Lodge - some of those lodges are harder to find than others!

[@MrButch3469]

Top Quality walks Dave. They would make lovely Sunday evening programmes on the TV especially during the winter months.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you for your kind comment. :)

[@suewright1299]

Really gorgeous Dave. Thanks so very much indeed especially for the bus stop area and all the stunning views, as well as the Bee Hives, plenty of fodder for them throughout the year. A brilliant walk including Eyeworth Pond, hubby and I adore it there. Very many thanks indeed.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Sue. It is certainly a lovely area for a walk around there.

[@trevorread9115]

The perfect end to a great walk

[@DaveFord]

Couldn't agree more Trevor!

[@doreenfawcett9717]

Cheers Dave a very lovely walk and enjoy your pint 🍺👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@DaveFord]

Thanks. It was a hot one that day!

[@christinemaker5656]

Another great walk. I did spot the deer, the pond was lovely. Nice little pub too 😀

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Christine. One of the best pubs in the New Forest!

[@lionelmarytravels6003]

Hello Dave. You know so many places in the New Forest. Places I’ve never heard of, let alone seen.The lake is an example of what I’ve just said. Beautiful place. it’s also amazing how many old buildings have survived. Again, if you didn’t know where to look, they would remain hidden to the walker. The bee hives must have yielded some superb honey from all that heather.

[@DaveFord]

The area around Fritham is very pretty - it can get very busy thought with visitors at peak times.

[@MrNas42]

Phew, what a scorcher! That was very enjoyable and well observed; from the difference in undergrowth beneath different canopies, to remains of long lost industry and military use. I love your videos Dave!

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Nigel. It certainly was a hot day!

[@shaunandsarahjanetravel]

Great videos we are really enjoying them thank you

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. I hope that you get to enjoy the future videos in the series. Thanks for watching.

[@OurDaysOut]

Very interesting and watchable Dave. Nice one.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you.

[@carlosli7602]

Thanks, Dave

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Carlos and indeed thank you for watching.

[@victorarmstrong9966]

Hi Dave, a well earned pint at the end and Logan so well behaved. Interesting facts also.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. Logan is a good boy - and very patient with the filming!

[@spencerlloyd-roberts2969]

All this history you could walk straight by and never even know it. What a delight these walks are. You're saving my sanity stuck on lockdown in Thailand Dave. Thank you sir.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Spencer. Glad you are enjoying the walks. :)

[@spencerlloyd-roberts2969]

@@DaveFord So much Dave. I'm coming back to Bournemouth soon so these adventures are already wetting my palate for a nice 5 miler and a pint at the finish line.

[@sandrapearson728]

My grandfather was born in The Royal Oak, his father was landlord, he and his brothers worked at the gunpowder factory. Grandad was supposed to have gone on the Titanic with friends the Hickman brothers from Bramshaw who all lost their lives. At the last minute good old granny decided she didn’t want him to go.

[@DaveFord]

Lovely that you have a family connection with the pub. Goodness me - a fortunate intervention on the part of your Grandmother for sure!

[@thesolitarycyclist9005]

Fascinating history about the Schultze gunpowder factory. Surprising that a German should have been producing gunpowder for the British!

[@DaveFord]

Good point John - I hadn't thought of that!

[@ianluke3326]

Thoroughly enjoyed this Dave and I shall be sure to look out for your future films.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Ian. Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to be able to produce one "New Forest Walk" a week whilst the good weather holds!

[@newforestexplorer]

I put a little video up of the brick building in the field a few days ago and was unsure what it was , I wish I’d watched your video first lol ! Nice video Dave

[@DaveFord]

Thanks. Yes, it is a little unusual - not something you would expect to see there!

[@nigelhicks1985]

Great to see this video where I have walked a few times, and will do so again when the current madness is over.

[@DaveFord]

One of my favourite areas of the Forest although it can get busy in the "peak" periods!

[@nigelhicks1985]

@@DaveFord I believe the postbox was situated well away from the gunpowder factory so that potential sparks from the postman's hob nailed boots did not cause a problem!

[@annosborne7365]

A great video Dave and Logan, the lake was so beautiful. Loved seeing the wildlife, great background music too.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Ann. It is certainly a lovely walk there - probably one of my favourites in the New Forest.

[@davidpayne1161]

Love watching your walks Dave, my name is also Dave and im getting a whippet soon to keep me company on my long walks, its like watching my future,lol. right another one to watch now.

[@DaveFord]

Hi Dave. Thanks. Good luck with your Whippet - I hope you have some lovely times together. They are a great breed of dog.

[@philipmoody2525]

Great video Dave. I've been to that beautiful lake & the Royal Oak many, many, many times over the last 40 plus years, but was not aware of the old Gunpowder Factory or the old Post Box.

[@DaveFord]

Cheers Phil. It is surprising that there isn't some form of information board by the Old Post Box giving more details about the history of the Gunpowder Factory.

[@Stickman2112]

Just come back from our first walk to Fritham and Eyeworth pond with our dog Ginge but we must of gone a different way as we didn’t spot some of the things you’ve seen but we will be back lol was a lovely walk.

[@DaveFord]

It is a super walk there. In my video, I started by The Royal Oak and followed the road down to look at Eyeworth Pond....then doubled back up that road back to the car park next to the village green (the Black Post Box is on the right just as you go in to the car park). For the rest of the walk, just follow the cycle track West (I think there is a sign "To Frogham") and follow it until there is a steep climb then look for an open area to the North. The look out hut is situated on an open area. Then I turned around and came back along the same cycle track. Good to go this time of year as A) There is no mud and B) It isn't too busy....it can be a popular spot for tourists in the Summer. There is a rough map on the walk on the following website: www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk-3547-map

[@Stickman2112]

Dave Ford excellent thanks Dave we’ll go that way on the next visit 👍🏻👍🏻

[@kevmeister1702]

Hi Dave, that’s a gorgeous walk and not far from me in Nomansland. Do you have a map of the route you took. Would love to do that walk myself.

[@DaveFord]

Hi. That was one of my earlier walks.... these days I always put a map on screen at the start of the video (I didn't in the early ones - such as this one!). Easy walk to do though. Park at the Forestry Commission car park near the Royal Oak pub at Fritham. I walked down the road to Eyeworth Pond as a detour at the start before coming back to the car park & basically followed the authorised cycle track Westwards towards Frogham....and then came back the same way. Hope that helps.

[@RAX1Music]

Hi Dave - just found your wonderful video channel. Living in Bournemouth, it's great to see some suggestions of walks we can do. One question - I know you show maps of the walks in your newer videos but do you have maps for these older walks available anywhere? Many thanks

[@DaveFord]

Hi Kev & welcome to the channel! In my earlier videos I just put up a screen shot of an aerial "google" map with the route marked in red but then I thought that marking the route on an OS map would be better. During the coming Winter months (when I am not filming the walks), I will try and do OS maps of the routes of the earlier walks & put them up on the "Dave's Countryside Walks" Facebook page so that folk can refer to them there. Thanks for watching.

[@RogerB747]

Great Video Dave. If you want to do North Hampshire, give me a shout. (Vernham Dean). Can you tell me what kit you are using and what software you use to make these videos?

[@DaveFord]

Hi Roger. I currently film using a Gopro Hero 7 Black with a Rode external microphone (with dead cat). For still shots I use a Canon Powershot SX 530 HS. I use Videopad for editing (their tutorial videos are excellent). Whilst you can use their software for free, I found about 20% of the time when you got to the end of your editing, you were forced to pay or lose the work. I ended up paying about £70 for a "one off" payment to have the software on my computer "for life". A bit clunky sometimes but I have used it right from the start & am happy with it. Hope that helps.