Enrichment for your dog comes in many forms – but probably the most common is ‘Walkies’! We do the same trails round the forest time and again, and they never tire. But occasionally it’s nice to find something which benefits both dog and owner. NFDOG Committee member Sarah Morris hunts triangulation points across the land. She gets enriched – at the same time as Daisy her black Labrador. Sarah explains:

I think we are all creatures of habit.  I know I certainly am when it comes to my regular walks in the New Forest. We know where we like to walk and rarely try something different.  But I have recently explored so many more beautiful parts of the New Forest in my new past time of ‘trig bagging’.

Trig points are the common name for triangulation pillars. These are concrete pillars which were constructed from about 1936 and are about 4 ft tall. They were used by the Ordnance  Survey in order to determine the exact shape of the country. They are located on the highest bit of ground in the area so that there is a direct line of sight from one pillar to the next.  A geographer’s theodolite was placed in a bracket at the top of the pillar and accurate measurements of height were taken from one pillar to the next. And the term ‘bagging’ refers to finding it, and adding it to a list of trig points visited.

Of course, nowadays this method of measuring the land has been superseded by satellite technology but many of these pillars (which are all numbered) remain to this day.

Not all triangulation points are concrete pillars.  The tallest local landmarks were also used as triangulation points, these are known as ‘intersected stations’ so many old buildings are on the list of trig points.  For example, the Lymington monument is a trig point, as is Sway Tower, and Exbury Water tower, Hurst Lighthouse and the recently lost Fawley Power station chimney.

Some trig points are more of a challenge to find because the concrete pillar has gone, but a square concrete block remains in the ground, such as the one found at Keyhaven marshes.

There is something addictive and enriching about collecting things, and developing experience and knowledge. I suppose this same thrill is one that trainspotters feel when they are out with their thermos flasks and duffle coats collecting train engine numbers in their notebooks!   I recently found a trig point on Canada Common.  I had driven past the signs for Canada many times but had never visited until I was trig bagging – one of the most beautiful walks I have found.

So, the first thing you need to get going is a map of all UK trig points. You can find these on  the trigpointing.uk website.  You can also download a mobile app to help you find the trig points when you are out and about. You will find a list of trig points in the New Forest National Park, maps to show you exactly where they all are, along with helpful photographs and tips to find some of the more difficult ones.  I post photographs of Daisy visiting all the trig points.  There is a whole separate community of Trig Point Dogs!  People post photos of their dogs at trig points with the hashtags #trigbaggingdogs #trigpointdogs #trigbagging #trigpoint.

You must actually find and touch the trig point and photograph it for it to count as being ‘bagged’ Make a note of the unique number on the benchmark plate.

You will find easy trig points at Clay Hill, Ashley Walk, Longslade View, Dur Hill, Calshot Castle and at Hurst Castle. There are a total of 47 trig points listed in the New Forest, and a few stunning trigs on the Isle of Wight, my favourite (pictured here) is on top of Ventnor Down. You can see almost all of the Island as well as miles of the Hampshire coast.

I like to do a little bit of research on Google maps before I set off to find the nearest car park, where easy access and walking paths can be found.  There are some really good walking and cycling maps of the New Forest which I use to find trig points.

Not all trig points are on public land so you must ask permission of the landowner to visit the trig point. Trespassing whilst trigbagging is very much frowned upon within the community, but with the thrill of bagging a long-lost trig point, some individuals cannot help themselves.  

Also within the New Forest you may see Trig points at a road side, but it is never permitted to park on a road side verge, so a little more research must be done to reach the trig point on foot by other means.

There are a  couple of New Forest trig points I am yet to bag.  Currently the car park at Yew Tree Heath is closed to the public because of nesting birds, so I will have to wait until the end of nesting season to bag that one!

Trig bagging really is a fascinating and interesting way to explore the beautiful New Forest, finding and exploring new places, getting outdoors and climbing hills is quite addictive.  I can see why those trainspotters find their hobby so exciting…. But I do it without the duffel coat and notebook!