Walk the wet walls

17 October 2019

When Kim said she was missing our walks and asked if we could do some more, I was quite surprised. I thought she’d be glad to see the back of me now the Clarendon Marathon was over. Of course, I was more than happy to go for a walk with her. My chest was slowly getting better and her legs had more or less recovered from the marathon so we arranged to meet outside WestQuay this morning for a short but interesting recovery walk.

Continue reading Walk the wet walls

Below Bar deckchairs

31 July 2018

CJ and I had spent the morning walking in large circles up and down town from the precinct to Bedford Place looking for giant deckchairs. So far, with quite a lot of doubling back and grumbling from CJ, we’d found all the chairs at the top end of town. Now we had a proper map, rather than a badly cropped photo on my phone, the Below Bar chairs should be a little easier to find. In fact, I’d already seen the next three on the list on a shopping trip with Commando at the weekend.  Continue reading Below Bar deckchairs

Plans, disasters and a last look at the Bargate Centre

8 November 2017

For once I had a proper plan. There had been extensive research, route plotting,  notes taken and some very interesting stories ready to tell. CJ and I left home early feeling rather excited. We had a ferry to catch, the sky was blue, the sun was shining and it felt a little like a holiday. Then we got to the ticket office and it all went wrong.  Continue reading Plans, disasters and a last look at the Bargate Centre

Blue sky, floods and the Job Centre – first published 8 February 2014

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With all the wind and rain we had in early February 2014 I got a bit behind with the February miles so I was hoping to fit a few in on my Job Centre jaunt. There was even a plan. After the Job Centre I thought I’d walk a winding route through the parks and wooded areas of the city centre and back home over Cobden Bridge with a little look at Riverside on the way. Another night of heavy rain plus morning news full of floods and weather warnings told me that might not be the best of plans. It was looking like my walking one hundred miles a month challenge might be doomed for February. Continue reading Blue sky, floods and the Job Centre – first published 8 February 2014

Ancient stones, builders and getting distracted

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5 April 2016

The building work was almost finished. There was a shed base at the end of the garden, the wall was built and the boring repointing was all done. We were still waiting for a skip to be delivered and the potting shed hadn’t even been ordered never mind built but still, patience is a virtue, right? Anyhow, all that is another post altogether. With no builder and no skip due today I could get out for a walk. It was sorely needed. Unfortunately, as I had an appointment in town, it wasn’t going to be a very exciting one but you can’t have everything eh? Anyway, it was probably time I checked out what was happening with the repairs to the Bargate. Continue reading Ancient stones, builders and getting distracted

my first rhino safari – first published 11 July 2013

Photo from the Zany Zebras Facebook page
Photo from the Zany Zebras Facebook page

It seems fitting that the first of the resurrected posts from my old blog in 2016 should be about the rhinos that decorated my city back in 2013. When I spotted the first ones in early July I wondered what on earth they were but when I found out there were a trail of them to be discovered I was quite excited. There’s nothing quite like a treasure hunt to whet the appetite for walking. The rhino posts are topical right now because there is a whole new trail coming this year. This time it will be painted zebras gracing our streets, there’s already a Facebook page all about them and I can’t wait to start searching.
Continue reading my first rhino safari – first published 11 July 2013

not the best of days, not the worst of days – first published 6 June 2013

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Working a five day week was turning out to be harder than I thought although I had plenty to keep me occupied. To make up for less walking at the weekend I was trying to get as much walking in during the working week as I could. The walk of the day was to Canute’s Palace to explore the old walls. Continue reading not the best of days, not the worst of days – first published 6 June 2013

Walking the walls – first published 16 February 2013

Gods House Tower
Gods House Tower

After my historical wanderings last weekend it was a touch ironic that the next post from my deceased blog’s archives should be a walk of the medieval Southampton walls. Back in mid February 2013 the history of this city was something I half took for granted. Yes I knew about it, I couldn’t help it as I walked past so much of it every day, but it had been many years since I took the wall walk… Continue reading Walking the walls – first published 16 February 2013

Southampton’s medieval walls, Western Esplanade to Friars Gate

Part two
Part two

26 October 2014

On a whim I decided to descend the Forty Steps to Western Esplande, leaving the medieval town. At street level the height of The walls and towers can be truly appreciated. Behind, the tower of WestQuay echoes them. Looking up, I see the machicolations where stones or boiling oil could be dropped on would be invaders and ivy leaved toadflax has made a home between the stones. Continue reading Southampton’s medieval walls, Western Esplanade to Friars Gate