Odiham Castle

So here's the deal...

It's 3 o' clock, Tuesday afternoon, I'm on my own, the sun is shining and I've worked bloody hard this last couple of weeks. So I've totally earned my late lunch today and go off to catch some rays...

Round Hawley Lake (scene of some episodes of "Soldier, Soldier" and a Bond movie - though don't ask me which one) and past the "Crown & Cushion" and the "Mead Hall" and through the woods...

...into Fleet, passing the Fleet Pond and up onto the Basingstoke Canal. Drift by the "Fox and Hounds" in Church Crookham, the "Barley Mow" in Winchfield, "The Swan" in North Warnborough, the "Water Witch" in Odiham and eventually stop to take shots of Odiham Castle.

Built in the 13th Century, the position of King John's castle at Odiham was chosen because it was half way between Winchester and Windsor (more castles there) and there may have been a building here prior to the castle being built. It was from the site of Odiham Castle that King John set off to pen the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215.

The French came and stormed the castle in 1216 and after holding out valiantly against hundreds of frogs for a couple of weeks, the stalemate was ended with a truce... and just 12 Brits walked out. How's them for apples?

Odiham Castle was used as a hunting lodge until the 16th century but later fell to ruin... the Basingstoke Canal was then built through the outer perimeter of the castle in around 1788 and passes within a few hundred feet of the remaining flint-constructed keep.

OK, history lesson over.

The route home again passed those 6 wonderful pubs and I was SO tempted to stop for an ale. Or two. But then maybe I'd never have got home. Not today anyway. It was afterall just a lunchtime jolly. Next time somebody had better come with me, it's only a 25 mile round trip, but with beer and a narrow canal towpath involved I dunno...