A Way too far

A part of the trail that is open, at Havant

Determined not to be left in the considerable shadow of the brand new South Downs National Park, creators of the Shipwrights Way have announced that it is not quite ready to open.

Meandering from Alice Holt forest through the picturesque National Park and on towards Portsmouth's historic dockyard; walkers will one day be able to follow the route that felled oak trees  once took for use in shipbuilding and repair.

Grasping to the coat tails of the new National Park, flyers for the walk, handed out at the launch of the South Downs National Park, make much of the beauty of the countryside and of the opportunity to ramble, picnic, horse ride and see wildlife.

Bordon in the spring sunshine

Unfortunately, anyone following the trail will also need to traverse through the urban sprawl of Whitehill, Bordon and then after the tranquillity of the Park, Rowlands Castle, Havant and Leigh Park.

We asked Annie Danehow, who confirmed to Newswire that the trail is not yet ready..., what she thought about the necessity to include these less than picturesque areas.

"We are trying to transport people back in time, to let them experience the journey that the oak drays would have taken up until as late as the early 19th century.

Some ramblers in Rowlands Castle. 

“The journey would have been fraught with danger, and the closest we could get to that experience today is to take walkers and riders through some of these conurbations.

"The draymen will have had to be on their guard; and the experience for anyone making the journey these days will be much the same, perhaps with a friend riding shotgun!"