Lee-on-the-Solent short circular #3 via Shute Lane, a motte-and-bailey, and the reed beds
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 5.97 mi
- Elevation gain
- 23 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 23 ft
- Max elevation
- 33 ft
- TrailRank
- 33
- Min elevation
- 0 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- one hour 45 minutes
- Time
- one hour 58 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1654
- Uploaded
- March 3, 2024
- Recorded
- March 2024
near Lee-on-the-Solent, England (United Kingdom)
Viewed 25 times, downloaded 1 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
This is an interesting circular route which takes in Shute Lane past a beautiful old barn and house, through a housing estate, into the Alver Valley country park and reed beds, past the Motte and Bailey site in Gosport, and return via Cherque Way. There is a fair amount on roads because i did this walk after weeks of heavy rain and most of the footpaths were waterlogged...
The Motte and Bailey is Gosport's oldest fortification. This is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It was built soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066 to defend a crossing point on the River Alver. The Motte or mound would have had a wooden or stone fortified tower on top. The Bailey is an enclosed space where can people live and work. Buildings could include: barracks, kitchens, stables, workshops and habitation buildings. A Motte and Bailey would normally share a combined defence of a deep ditch and wooden fencing made of stakes called a Palisade.
Alver Valley has one of the largest reedbeds on the South Coast. This is invaluable habitat for many species including Water Voles which are nationally threatened. Water Voles were reintroduced into Alver Valley during 2010 following the control of Mink which is a detrimental invasive species. Reedbeds help battle climate change by locking up carbon in their root base, making it highly beneficial. Cettis Warbler along with Sedge and Reed Warbler can often be heard here.
The Motte and Bailey is Gosport's oldest fortification. This is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It was built soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066 to defend a crossing point on the River Alver. The Motte or mound would have had a wooden or stone fortified tower on top. The Bailey is an enclosed space where can people live and work. Buildings could include: barracks, kitchens, stables, workshops and habitation buildings. A Motte and Bailey would normally share a combined defence of a deep ditch and wooden fencing made of stakes called a Palisade.
Alver Valley has one of the largest reedbeds on the South Coast. This is invaluable habitat for many species including Water Voles which are nationally threatened. Water Voles were reintroduced into Alver Valley during 2010 following the control of Mink which is a detrimental invasive species. Reedbeds help battle climate change by locking up carbon in their root base, making it highly beneficial. Cettis Warbler along with Sedge and Reed Warbler can often be heard here.
Waypoints
Photo
13 ft
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