squirmelia | Little Stubby Hat

Little Stubby Hat is located near Ashurst, in the New Forest. The highlights are the mushy ground, the grassy mounds (vaguely shaped like those on a golf course or possibly like sand dunes), and the strange name. There are flowing streams that are more or less small enough to gently step over, a few forest ponies, and a vast spread of green soggy ground, bordered by a range of trees, some fallen, some standing.

To get there from Ashurst (New Forest) train station, follow Woodlands Road, and turn left at the end, past the Woodlands Lodge Hotel. When you reach the carpark, walk through it and the wooded area. Put on your stubby hat, tie it tightly underneath your chin so that it does not blow away, and follow the streams as John Wise advises. You might be lead to Little Stubby Hat or Great Stubby Hat, or even to Shave Hat. Go there to find out if splendid hats are tucked away amongst the roots of fallen trees or on the banks of the streams.