Hammer and Hawkins Ponds

I was glad to away from the noise of the A23 traffic! It was time to get back to the peace of Nature. All aboard, we headed up to the village and turned left onto the Horsham road. A short distance along, it enters St. Leonard’s Forest. I took the first left. We bimbled along the lovely wooded drive until we reached a shaded layby that would do nicely. Although there was some traffic, it was relatively quiet.

A few yards back from where I parked, there is a footpath.

Over a stile, the path is overgrown somewhat.

The path clears to a footbridge,

then continues on pass a long row of Lawson’s Cypress.

Common Male Fern

I had to clamber over a couple of fallen Cypress.

Bark of Scots Pine

Scots Pine

Scar on trunk of Lawson Cypress

The path onward is overgrown.

Cleavers

I then had to continue along the lane

to Hammer Pond.

There are a number of so-called ponds in St. Leonard’s Forest. They are apparently natural sheets of water that were dammed sometime in the 16th. century. The water was then directed to power huge hammers that pounded ore. The ore was then heated in furnaces and went on to produce mainly armaments, in great part, due to the conflicts with Catholic France and particularly, Spain and it’s armada.

Water lilies

Pair of Mallards

Hammer Pond House

Cottages

A short distance on is Hawkins Pond.

Herbaceous Periwinkle