Standfast Lane, Empshott, East Hampshire (© Vee Moore)

If I had to pick just one photograph from our recent country walk in East Hampshire (namely the Liss, Selborne and Hangers Way Circular by the excellent travel writer Christopher Sommerville), it would be this landscape shot of Standfast Lane (as above). The more I look at it, the more is revealed to me. Apart from the resplendent autumnal foliage and the glorious noontide light, the sunken lane running through the centre of the frame and eventually disappearing in the distance is, in my view, its most captivating feature. Isn't it delightful how the trees lean in to embrace the lane from both sides while the intricate displays of their exposed roots capture the imagination of the passing ramblers. It's nature's walk down memory lane!

I have never given much thought to the existence of sunken lanes prior to this walk, but as I became more and more engrossed in this photograph I realised just what a special feature of the English countryside they were (and still are today), especially in the southern counties of England, but particularly in East Hampshire, which has in keeping over 50 miles of sunken lanes.

Sunken lanes are an ancient form of semi-woodland habitat. Having been carved into the landscape by the continuous traffic of horse-drawn carts over many centuries, they are historically noteworthy but their scenic and ecological values are also significant. The depth, varied aspects and varying degrees of shade of the sunken lanes provide unique micro-climates. The mix of soils, bare rock, roots, stumps and water seepage from the land above provide exceptional habitats for flowering plants, ferns, mosses and lichens (I wrote about lichens in a previous blog). The lanes are rich in insects, molluscs, small mammals and birds although many sites still have little or no information on them.

So next time you find yourself in the East Hampshire countryside, make sure to look out for these remarkable woodland features. Happy rambling!