Читать книгу Walking Hampshire's Test Way. The long-distance trail and 15 day walks онлайн

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Chalk streams are a very rare breed among the various types of river that can be found on our planet. Such streams naturally occur in those areas where chalk is the main geological feature. Water seeps through the porous chalk to feed the springs that in turn give rise to rivers such as the Test. The pure water, rich in nutrients, also helps to maintain a plentiful supply of insects on which fish stocks rely (please refer to the section ssss1). There are only about 200 chalk streams worldwide of which 160 are in England and the River Test − also an SSSI − is one of the finest examples.

Some of the area’s history is quite intriguing, notably the murderous story of the Saxon Queen Elfrida and the founding of Wherwell Abbey in the 10th century. The monument known as Deadman’s Plack in Harewood Forest is also a part of that story, albeit from the 19th century. There are an infinite variety of medieval churches with their own particular histories to share; St Mary’s Church in Broughton has the distinction of hosting one of only four ecclesiastical dovecotes that remain in England.