Our annual summer walk this year took us to Watership Down, the home of Richard Adams, author of the book of the same name, and who died in December last year.
It’s a long, slow uphill scramble to the top, past Nuthanger Farm, and beyond to the escarpment where the author would sit and watch the rabbits at play in the field below, with the wood on the far side. ‘Watership Down’ features tales of a small group of rabbits. Although they live in their natural environment, they possess their own culture, language, proverbs, poetry, and mythology. Evoking epic themes, the novel follows the rabbits as they escape the destruction of their warren and seek a place to establish a new home, encountering perils and temptations along the way. The group photograph on the webpage shows us standing with the famous beauty spot behind us.
The surrounding countryside is beautiful, with views stretching for miles on a clear day, and we were surrounded by flocks of sheep in the fields. We didn’t encounter another soul on our travels, but returned to ‘The Royal Oak’ at Ecchinswell for a very hearty supper.
Penny Waterfield
Tadley LO