The best walks and hikes around Totton And Eling

It's called a lake, but it's in fact a reservoir, apparently able to store 270 million litres of water. It's one of the three lakes that make up Test Lakes Nature Reserve (the other lakes being Testwood Lake to the north and Meadow Lake to the north of that). In fact, this beautiful spot affords you beautiful views of both Little Testwood Lake and Testwood Lake. Worth stopping here to marvel at the natural world.

A very interesting Bronze Age roundhouse is to be found on the northern banks of Testwood Lake. When the reservoir here was being built, evidence of this Bronze Age site was found, including not just the roundhouse, but also a timber bridge and a part of a boat. Also, nearby, there is a very interesting log with wildlife carvings on it - rather pretty!

There are lovely views of the lake from its northern banks. Within the Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve, it abounds in wildlife (e.g. oystercatchers and lapwings). Easy paths lead to the banks - on a sunny day, it's great to sit on the grass for a bit of quiet.

To the north, parallel to this hedge line, are the remains of a Roman road which meets the northern entrance to the hillfort. To the south our Roman road is now Calmore Road and continues south to the coast at what is now Lepe Country Park. As we walk down the hill heading back towards the underpass, spend a moment by the large oak tree beside the path to cast your mind back 1,500 years to AD508. This point in time falls within a period commonly referred to as the Dark Ages, a period about which we have limited facts, and much has to be interpreted by exploring histories written hundreds of years later. Somewhere in this location (or maybe somewhere else!), it is said a huge battle took place between Natanleod, a British king, and Cerdic with his son Cynric, 'Saxon invaders'. The name of this British king became the name for this area, Netley Marsh. Recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, AD508: This year Cerdic and Cynric slew a British king, whose name was Natanleod, and five thousand men with him. After this the land was named Natley, from him, as far as Charford. Some scholars have suggested Natanleod never really existed, that this battle never happened or if it did, it was here or somewhere else. The truth has now been lost. No one will ever know if this story is fact, fiction, myth or legend.

The banks you are walking on and beside are remains of the Iron Age (800BC to AD43) hillfort known as Tatchbury Mount Hillfort. Now a Scheduled Monument, the hillfort 'sits' on Tachbury Mount, a prominent clay hill on the north-eastern edge of the New Forest, with impressive views all around. The hillfort defences originally completely enclosed the hilltop, forming an oval-shaped interior of approximately 2.5 football pitches (2ha). The defences formed of earthen banks between 3m and 4.5m in height were separated by a terrace 6m in width. The entire site was landscaped in the 18th century when the manor house and gardens were built. The mansion was demolished in 2006. There are differing opinions as to the use or purpose of Iron Age hillforts: from defence to ceremonial. Due to the extensive modification in recent history, it is probably we will never be able to say exactly what Tatchbury Mount hillfort was used for.

This section of the trail passes by a small copse on its northern side and is the most intact section of this ancient trackway. Banks and ditches are clearly visible on both sides, with the main open way in-between. Casting one's mind back in time, this may have once been a busy lane with horse and cow-drawn carts travelling along it, taking produce to a market or fodder to livestock out in the fields and forest. People walking to their daily jobs or home after a tiring day or livestock such as cows, sheep or pigs being moved from farm to pasture and home again. During the right time of the year, the trackway is lined with bluebells and other seasonal native flowers, a real indicator of its ancient past.

Lower Test Nature Reserve is a mixed habitat of floodplain meadows, marshes and reedbeds, home to a diverse range of animal, plant and insect species. Crossing the marshes via the boardwalk, keep an eye and ear out for birds, including a number of different warblers. The summer months also bring an abundance of wildflowers.

Testwood Lakes is a lovely spot to visit when on foot, whether running or walking. The exit pathway to the north is overgrown at present. Not impassably, but getting through unscathed by brambles or stinging nettles is quite difficult right now (July 2016). Also, my runs have been interrupted by grazing cows being stubbornly unwilling to move.