Between a Rec and a hard place Traditional Geocache
Between a Rec and a hard place
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Size: 
(small)
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Nice easy walk on a well trodden path.
The Parking waypoint is at our village recreation ground. There is a great childrens play area, picnic benches, football pitches and tennis courts, make sure you bring your tennis racquet!
This footpath runs to Latchmoor Drove, providing a lovely off road short cut through the countryside between the villages of Nomansland and Landford and The Cuckoo Pub at Hamptworth.
The original alignment of the path was a much straighter line between Nomansland and The Cuckoo until it was moved in 1990 to make way for farming. The original path perhaps being trodden since ancient times by the local people of Nomansland barred from The Lamb for being too smelly or sharing their food between them or perhaps having high spirited children. A tradition which continues to this day; The Cuckoo welcomes all comers, having plenty of outside space to disipate unpleasant odours, only crisps and nuts to share on the menu, and easy access on to the golf driving range where high spirited children can play "Dodge the Long Drive" and other enjoyable and life threatening games.
The footpath runs across the Hamptworth Estate, a privately owned estate which still includes much of the land and properties of Hamptworth, almost as far as the eye can see, including The Cuckoo and the golf course, right the way to the border of the open grazing of the New Forest at Bramshaw Telegraph. Sadly, the estate has recently been split up and sold in parts with the magnificent tudor style mansion of Hamptworth Lodge being separated from this part of the estate. The heir to the original Hamptworth Estate still owns this part and despite his advancing years, is a formidable protector of his remaining land, and he jealously defends his lands against the onslaught of proletarians wishing to excercise their legal rights to use the rights of way across them. He is well known for challenging people passing along a public right of way, so I recommend you steer clear of any senior gentlemen with a lordly air to them, unless you are well equipped to defend your rights!
I have included waypoints at the end of the path and either end of Latchmoor Drove so that you don't stray off the public rights of way, and you can continue your walk to Landford and the local shop or to Hamptworth and The Cuckoo for a well deserved pint.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va gur irr bs gur byq Bnx gerr oruvaq gur Ubyyl.