It was my Dad’s 80th earlier in the year which got cancelled by the lockdown, and finally in September I got to go visit him and his wife, staying at some nice Shepherd’s Huts in Hambledon for a couple of days which even for glamping was very glam. Unusually for me I woke at 5am both days so I had a busy time painting and drawing the local landscape of Hambledon. My favourite has to be the drawing of one of the Surrey ways, one of the old paths and bridleways. It’s strictly not a green way, they tend to etched deeper into the earth, but you get the idea.
Hydon’s Ball, Hambledon (Panel 1), Parallel Pen, Brush and Wax resist, A4 sketchbook 
Hydon’s Ball, Hambledon (Panel 2), Parallel Pen, Brush and Wax resist, A4 sketchbook 
Hydon’s Ball, Hambledon (Two Panels), Parallel Pen, Brush and Wax resist, A4 sketchbook
Next if you follow this track you get to Hydon’s Ball aka Cup Hill, a place I have been to on a morning like this in May when the local Morris re-enact the story of the Worm of Wormley, a dragon killed by a local hero. There is a stone bench here put there 1915 in honour of Octavia Hill, co-founder of the National Trust.
On Hydon’s top there is a cup
And in that cup there is a drop
Pick up the cup, and drink the drop
And place the cup on Hydon’s top.
It was very windy up on Hydon’s Ball sitting on the stone bench, painting the view! I also painted the ‘Fish Pond’ and fountain near the huts the second morning. I was using my fold up seat and it ripped and collapsed, almost sending me flat on my back and nearly threw my artwork into the pond trying to regain my balance. I twisted my knee and back, which gave me grief later. RIP seat! Had it less than a year – avoid Uquip seats.
I also did this quick A5 sketch of Hambledon Church, a very old church in an even older setting if the massive yew is anything to go by. I also painted the Merry Harriers pub itself early one morning before going to breakfast. It was a bit wet and misty but not raining.
One surprise is that the noisiest things were squirrels, compared to when I have been there years ago when the dawn chorus made such a racket it was like aircraft going off! That was May vs September – cue song – but still the difference was shocking. I do think there are fewer insects and fewer birds.
Oh and the birthday meals? Very pleasant, and great to see my Dad and Christine after many months – longer than the lockdown but prolonged by it. I even gave one of my pieces to the birthday boy!
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