Former NHS worker JANE BARTLETT walks from Old Empshott past a farm where she and her siblings were threatened by a shotgun-toting farmer and through woods straight from the drawings of a local illustrator...

This outing is an hour-long walk my family call the ‘Mabbotts one’ and for me it is beautiful and enchanting!

To enjoy this walk, take the A3 from Petersfield to Liss, turn left at Ham Barn roundabout, on to the B3006.

At Old Empshott Post Office, turn left into Church Lane and park on the track on the left of the first bend in the lane.

To set out, head down the stoney track near your car; the trees are just starting to change colour now and look magnificent, and a slight breeze stirred the leaves.

A very vocal robin was singing and there was the earthy sweet smell of autumn; I felt very lucky in these uncertain times to be here in this beautiful countryside.

Before going through the five-barred gate at the bottom of the track, you cross a river.

I spotted a small brown trout facing upstream, lazily flicking its tail to stay in place, feeding on what washes downstream.

The gate leads you into a glorious tree-surrounded field; cawing crows circled above the trees.

The farm I grew up on is nearby and the cawing always take me back in time.

A big clump of dandelion clocks caught my eye; on our walks, my children used to blow the upright fluffy seeds on them – the number of ‘blows’ to empty the stalk supposedly equalled the ‘o’clock.’

But there often used to be a stubborn big clock bulb that, however hard it was blown, wouldn’t let its seeds go.

Walk straight across the field towards the wooded copse that backs on to Hawkley Hurst, and bear left at the copse and follow the field round to another five-bar gate. Through the gate you are in the historic sunken Standfast Lane.

The writer, agriculturist and political reformer William Cobbett is believed to have ridden through here in November 1822.

Acorns, conkers and leaves were underfoot and the leaves are such wonderful shades of ochre just now.

There are glorious views on the right over the fields and trees at the top of the sunken lane.

Follow the track into a farmyard and turn left down a sloping flint path, which is almost opposite what was once Mabbotts farmhouse, but is now a bed and breakfast.

It has changed so much since I was a child.

And although the footpath ran through what was the farmyard, the farmer and his wife, both now deceased, were often very reluctant to allow people to use it.

There was a large iron gate that was always shut with a thick chain securing it and a large, fierce Alsatian dog in the farmyard.

Whenever children came by, it raced barking and snarling to the gate; enter at your own peril!

On one occasion we did, and the farmer appeared waving a shotgun and shouting at us to ‘go away you children’ – but not as politely as that, though!

We scarpered back over the fields to our farm and told our dad – but the lure of the fiercely-guarded path brought us back every few months...

And over the years, dad made many attempts to convince the farmer on our behalf we meant no harm and only wanted to follow the footpath.

But on his return he would always say: ‘Probably best to avoid Mabbots’!

At the bottom of the flint path, a little brook crosses it in winter – with all this rain since my walk, it may well be flowing strongly and deeply already.

The path leads to a kissing gate and, once through it, go up a field towards the woods.

On a fern-covered mount halfway up the field was a red deer, but by the time I had got my phone out to take a picture, it had vanished into the trees.

Enter the woods through a kissing gate – there is an impressive rhododendron here.

Follow the narrow overgrown path winding all the way up and down through the woods until you come to a fork with a signpost. Turn left and go down the path.

The tree stumps along the path reminded me of stools in a woodland drawn by illustrator Brian Froud, best known for his book Faeries; he grew up around Winchester, and now lives in Devon

Turn left over the stile into a beautiful field with a line of magnificent oak trees dividing the pasture and more outstanding views.

Cross the field and in the far left-hand corner a wooden bridge takes you back to the field crossed at the walk’s start.

Go to the gate and re-climb the track to where cars can park.

Meeting a friend while out walking with her new Jack Russell puppy for the first time brought back many memories of the legendary terrier we had when my children were growing up in Hawkley.

Norbert, now sadly deceased, was a feisty, stubborn and noisy little dog, who was either loved (some of my immediate family) or disliked and avoided (everyone else!).

There are many stories about him, but I firmly believe he saved my life one night – my youngest son thinks his motive was self-preservation.

One weekend my oldest son and his wife came home in the early hours.

I was fast asleep in bed.

His wife went to bed and my son popped a pizza in the oven to cook while he watched footbal on the television.

I was woken by Norbert loudly whining in my ear; ‘shush’ I sleepily said, ’you’ll wake everyone up.’

He then pawed my face which he had never done before; the surprise woke me to a sharp pain in my throat and a strong burning smell.

I rushed downstairs; it was filled with thick smoke and I realised in a panic something was burning.

On opening the oven door, I saw a smouldering lump of charcoal that was once pizza.

Once the smoke cleared, I found my son asleep on the sofa – he awoke to an exceptionally vocal flea in his ear!

On talking to my younger son later, I remarked that Norbert deserved a bravery medal.

He calmly replied Norbert just wanted to escape the fire and needed someone to open the door.

THIS autumn, there seems more wild mushrooms than usual. I think it’s because that during lockdown not so many people were out foraging, something I enjoy whenever I can while walking.

Having picked a few mushrooms last time I was out, I found this lovely tasty recipe for mushroom soup.

It serves six and takes 30 minutes. If you have time, immerse two bay leaves in double cream and leave in the fridge overnight.

Then shred the bay leaves and stir into the cream.

You need 200ml of double cream, 300ml single cream, a litre of milk, 200ml of water, a large diced onion, 50g butter, salt, black pepper, 250g finely sliced mushrooms, 100g finely sliced button mushrooms, 50ml sweet madeira wine, four bay leave to cook, six small bay leaves, to serve.

Start by bringing the single cream, milk and water slowly to the boil in a large saucepan.

In another saucepan, slowly sweat the onion with the butter, two bay leaves and some salt. Add the mushrooms and cook over a higher heat until the moisture cooks out, then pour in the madeira and reduce to a sticky glaze.

Add the boiling cream mix, stir well and bring back to the boil for no more than five minutes.

Remove the leaves and blend smooth.

If you have infused the double cream with bay leaves overnight, remove them and whisk the cream.

Otherwise whisk in shredded bay leaves, and serve the soup with double cream, some pepper and a small bay leaf.

When picking wild mushrooms always check they are edible before cooking.