Heading for home

12 September 2019

With a longing look at the cafe where we’d sheltered from the rain last time we came this way, we crossed the road and got straight back onto the Navigation trail. The sky over the Shawford cottages was dark and brooding but, so far, there’d been no rain. At least if it fell now we’d be sheltered by the trees. Besides, we had our waterproof coats, even if they were currently tied around our waists.

We walked through a tunnel of green past Malms Farm. There were pigs under one of the trees beside us. We could hear them grubbing about and just about see them under the shady branches but I couldn’t get a decent photo.

Further on we came across the farmer, or at least his car. He was hidden behind it doing something to some brown cows in a pen. Quite how he got them into the pen is a mystery but we didn’t stay around to see what happened next in case he decided to let them out onto the path. Seeing the farmer’s water bottle plonked on a fence post, did remind me to get my own out of my bag though. It was coming up to mid day and, now the sky was clouding again, it was beginning to feel a touch muggy.

A little while later we passed the farmer’s back garden. With sun loungers set out, a lovely little summer house and a jetty, it looked a fabulous place to relax. If the price of this luxury was dealing with cows on a daily basis though, I think I’d rather do without.

The next field was full of sheep. Those I could probably cope with. Think of all the things I could knit! On the other side of the canal horses were grazing. On this small stretch of canal it seemed as if we’d seen more animals than the whole of the rest of our walk.

Soon enough we were in Otterbourne. We crossed College Mead Lock and, quite reluctantly, passed the rustic benches where I usually stop for lunch. There were swans on the water beside the waterworks there. When we got closer I realised the pen had two cygnets with her.

Apart from the farmer and the dog walkers at Compton, we’d barely seen a soul all morning. Not long after we passed the swans though, we came across an elderly man. He was shirtless and wet. It looked as if he’d just been for a swim. He was also very, very thin and frail looking. He said good morning as we passed and we said it back. Perhaps the man lives nearby and this is his daily ritual? He looked so very vulnerable though, the thought of him swimming in the river, all alone, was quite disturbing.

Not long after this strange encounter we crossed Kiln Lane. The sky seemed to be clearing again and it was beginning to get warmer. It was just after midday. We’d been walking for four hours, longer than many people take to run a whole marathon. We were coming up to mile fourteen and bang on target with our pace. Neither of us had blisters and my watch was still going strong. Things were looking good.

We smiled at the Hensting alpacas as we passed. Kim said she might take her granddaughters to visit them one day. We squinted at the sheep with horns hiding in the shade at Highbridge, then wondered if they were really fat goats? Home was getting closer and closer.

We had to stand aside to let a group of giggling women pass at Allbrook Lock. When we got to the pavement we saw something that looked a little like a birthday card next to the wall. Perhaps the women had dropped it? They were too far off now to call out to, so we left it where it was in case they realised and came back looking for it.

On the other side of the road there were more swans. Then we saw a red rosette tied to a tree. It seemed a very incongruous thing to find here. We walked on, wondering if it had some meaning or was just something someone had dropped and someone else had tied to the tree in case they came back looking for it?

After this we kept seeing odd things in trees. Between the rosette and Ham Farm we found a white sign with red writing saying ‘do not remove until full’ hanging from a branch by a yellow plastic loop, and something that looked like an advertising collar from a milk bottle. They all seemed to have been put there deliberately. It was very strange.

We set off towards Withymead puzzling over the odd litter, looking for more and wondering what was going on. We decided it must be some kind of bizarre treasure trail. Perhaps the birthday card was also part of it, along with the giggling women? There were no more odd things hanging from trees after Ham Farm, at least none we saw, so we contented ourselves with the usual house envy.

Once we’d crossed the bridge at Withymead we knew we were just over a mile from the Swan Centre at Eastleigh. A quick look at my watch told me we’d walked more than fifteen miles. This was a bit of a worry as I knew it was five miles from Eastleigh to home, maybe a little less if we went along Wessex Lane instead of through Mansbridge. Obviously my route planning wasn’t quite as good as I’d thought and our twenty miles was going to be longer than expected. I kept this snippet of information from Kim, just in case she decided to throw me in the river.

As we approached the field where we’d encountered the scary cow there was a strong smell of burning. Soon smoke was drifting across the trail. There were large bonfires in the field, burning all the trees that have been cut down. This seemed like a terrible waste of wood and a rather environmentally unfriendly thing to do. Once again, we were pleased to get to the next field with the horses. Then, all too soon, we came to Bishopstoke Road and our time on the Navigation trail was over.

Walking back towards the centre of Eastleigh the miles began to take their toll, at least on me. With no trees to shelter us it was clear the day was far warmer than we’d thought. The cars whizzing past felt intrusive after the peace of the trails. There was also a niggling worry about distance.

At the Swan Centre we made use of the facilities and waited rather longer than we’d have liked for our iced drinks to be made. This was not good news for our tired legs. When we left I looked at my watch and was dismayed to see we’d already walked seventeen miles. This was when planning the route based on prior knowledge of distances rather than actually mapping it looked like a bad plan. Our twenty mile walk was looking more like twenty two.

The hot, tired walk back towards Wessex Lane was brightened by the sight of a steam engine coming towards us near the old Ford factory. It’s not something you see every day.

The twenty miles ticked over as we came though Woodmill. At this stage the thought of the lonely walk home wasn’t very appealing. As luck would have it, Rob was waiting for Kim in the Woodmill Car Park and offered to drop me off too. Maybe those cygnets really were a good omen after all.

Changes afoot

27 September 2018

When everyone around you is going down with colds and flu it feels like it’s only a matter of time before your turn comes. When I got up this morning there was a definite feeling of lurgie going on but I told myself I was probably imagining it. Besides, I had a package to deliver to a friend who lives close to the Millennium Flats so, ignoring a slight soreness of throat and muzzy head, my feet retraced footsteps from many previous walks. The route may have been all too familiar but the scenery has changed somewhat since I last came this way.

Continue reading Changes afoot

On a mission

13 September 2018

Today CJ and I were on a mission. In August the renovations on the Royal Victoria Country Park chapel were finally completed. Although we were both itching to go and visit, we both agreed it was best to wait until the school summer holidays were over and the initial burst of visitors had subsided before checking it out. This was not something we wanted to rush around in a crowd. So, we set off bright and fairly early for what would be the longest walk I’ve taken since my back troubles began.  Continue reading On a mission

Gravehunting, a photographer’s story

8 September 2018

Several months ago I saw a photograph of Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart’s grave on a Facebook local history page and discovered it was hidden somewhere in the Old Cemetery. This little bit of knowledge set off a search that would take up my Saturday mornings for the whole of the summer. The Old Cemetery is huge and maze like. This summer it was also very overgrown. With no idea of where the grave was it was never going to be easy but a walk in the Old Cemetery is never a hardship.  Continue reading Gravehunting, a photographer’s story

Titanic tales from the Bitterne crew

4 September 2018

When the world’s most luxurious liner began recruiting crew on 6 April 1912, it seemed like a dream come true for the people of Southampton. After the national coal strike, unemployment in the city was high and families were living hand to mouth on charity handouts. The dream turned to a nightmare on 15 April when, five days into its maiden voyage, Titanic, the unsinkable ship, sank. Over five hundred households in the town lost at least one family member. Today, armed with details from a crew list published in the Daily Echo, CJ and I decided to explore some of their stories. Continue reading Titanic tales from the Bitterne crew

The Running School part five and a bit of a dilemma

21 August 2018

Today was my penultimate Running School session and it was yet another very hot, humid day. Luckily, as it was a later appointment, Commando was picking me up so I’d only have to walk one way. Due to Paul being on holiday it had been two weeks since my last session but I’d been practicing like mad trying to keep my fitness up. So far, it seemed to be working. The pain in my leg has been much diminished and walking feels much less of a chore and more of a pleasure. This didn’t mean I was looking forward to a work out with Paul though. Continue reading The Running School part five and a bit of a dilemma

The magic of Winnal Moors

5 August 2018

Of course I couldn’t stand in the park gasping at the wonderful views across Winchester forever. Eventually I dragged myself away, walked back down Blue Ball Hill, which was certainly the easiest direction to tackle it from, and headed somewhere far more familiar. It was now around twenty past nine and Commando wouldn’t be back at the car park until just before eleven, so I had more than enough time for a stroll around Winnal Moors. Continue reading The magic of Winnal Moors

The Soke and the oldest church in Winchester

5 August 2018

A quick look at the map made up my mind. The top part of Blue Ball Hill looked to be devoid of houses and I could see the square tower of a church a little way along St John’s Street. Old churches are almost impossible to resist and I could always walk back up and explore further afterwards. With this in mind I began to walk along St John’s Street. There were so many interesting looking houses, it was slow going and, as I walked, I realised I was gradually going downhill, slowly losing all the altitude I’d gained with so much effort earlier. Continue reading The Soke and the oldest church in Winchester

Blue Ball Hill and the Blue Boar

5 August 2018

Commando is pacing the Winchester Half Marathon again this year and this morning was the first of the pacers training runs. Although it meant getting up earlier than I’d have liked, it’s hard to resist a couple of hours wandering around Winchester on my own so I decided to go along. We arrived at the Colebrook Street Car Park just after eight and, after synchronising our watches and a little chat with the other pacers, I set off onto the empty Winchester streets. Continue reading Blue Ball Hill and the Blue Boar

Inspecting the damage

28 July 2018

This morning, while Commando was running round parkrun, I went back to the Old Cemetery for a closer look at the fire damage. According to the Echo, not always the most factually accurate of local newspapers, two Titanic memorials were damaged by the fire, along with a World War I grave belonging to Kate Trodd, a nurse who served in the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Whether I’d be able to locate any of these damaged graves remained to be seen.  Continue reading Inspecting the damage