Feb 2020 - Lovely walk in The New Forest today. Beautiful morning light. Plenty of deer and squirrels knocking about. I did a loop of the Arboretum and then headed back up towards Bolderwood Drive and onto the Portuguese Fireplace. This marks the spot where there once stood a group of huts which were constructed during the First World War as basis for timber production for use in the war effort. Due to the depleted local workforce, a Portuguese army unit along with the Canadian forces that were based in the area cut down the trees and produced the timber. The fireplace is all that’s left of where the cookhouse for the hutted camp was. It was then passed the Reptile Centre, and eventually towards the village of Bank. From there, it was easy going through a beautiful part of the forest. Great tracks and some lovely views.