The Devil's Punchbowl

Sunday morning and we're at The Devils Punch Bowl near Hindhead in Surry - a favourite walk of George's sister and her husband but a new discovery for us ...

(forgot to pick up my camera before leaving so these pictures are taken with an iPhone which is not brilliant for detail but hopefully you'll get my drift)

As we leave the car park there are fantastic views across the natural amphitheater around which traffic has travelled for as long as there has been a harbour at Portsmouth since this area is situated half way between there and London.

The road (A3) has been here for over 200 years from the early 18th century when Parliament allowed companies (Turnpike Trusts) to maintain roads and charge tolls. Over the years as vehicles and traffic became heavier it was necessary to re-rout the road to a lower path to prevent horses from becoming too exhausted and this road continued until 2011 (1 north-bound and 2 south-bound lanes of heavy traffic) when the A3 Hindhead Tunnel was built to relieve the pressure from the local villages.  The area is now owned and maintained by the National Trust.

The

Hindhead

Tunnel

is 65m (213 feet)

below this point

More far reaching views with a bit of sunshine in the distance

The Hampshire Chronicle, dated 2 October 1786, reads: Sunday last a shocking murder was committed by three sailors, on one of their companions, a seaman also, between Godalming --- They nearly severed his head from his body, stripped him quite naked, and threw him into a valley, where he was providentially discovered, soon after the perpetration of the horrid crime, by some countrymen corning over Hind Head, who immediately gave the alarm, when the desperadoes were instantly pursued, and overtaken at the house of Mr. Adams, the Sun, at Rake. They were properly secured, and are since lodged in gaol, to take their trials at the next assizes for the county of Surrey. Six months later they were tried at Kingston assizes and two days after that, on Saturday 7 April 1787, they were hanged in chains on a triple gibbet close to the scene of the crime in Hindhead

The Celtic Cross stand where the three men found guilty of the sailor's murder where condemned to death by Gibbeting.

Nearby stands The Ordnance Survey Triangulation Point now part of their GPS network the level of the bench mark being 894 feet above sea level

From the trig point here we're looking north-east towards the City of London 38 miles away and if your eyesight is really good, or click on the photo to enlarge it, you will be able to make out in the centre of the horizon, the Gherkin, Cheese Grater etc in the city's financial district.

 Even though the day was overcast with a strong cold wind the walks were very popular and with such amazing views it wasn't hard to see why.