Probably the biggest barn in Britain

28 May 2018

A while ago Commando came back from a Sunday bike ride with the fast boys raving about a giant barn he’d seen. John, fast boy, founder of the Itchen Spitfires Running Club, Parkrun ED, history buff and keeper of interesting facts told him it was the biggest barn in Britain. Commando said he’d take me to see it one day. Today was that day, although I had no idea where he was taking me at the time.

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Janesmoor Pond, more ups than downs

19 July 2017

Tonight’s RR10 adventure was at Janesmoor Pond in the New Forest, although there was some slight confusion, at least on my part because I thought it was across the road at Stoney Cross. Luckily Commando knew where we were going and we managed to pull into the correct car park . The first job was erecting the tent. This proved slightly more difficult than expected.  Continue reading Janesmoor Pond, more ups than downs

More parkrun tourism and a Bigfoot sighting at Moors Valley

1 July 2017

This Saturday the Pretty Muddy Race For Life 5k was taking place on The Common so, once again, parkrun was cancelled.  This time we decided to go to Moors Valley Country Park to check out the parkrun there. When the boys were young we used to take them there to enjoy all the colourful sculptures and climbing frames built from trees felled by the great storm of October 1987. When he first began running, Commando ran a 5k race there too. All in all I was pretty sure I’d find plenty to amuse me while he ran today.  Continue reading More parkrun tourism and a Bigfoot sighting at Moors Valley

Care For a Walk Ashurst to Totton, limping home

18 March 2017

Thankfully, I didn’t have too far to hobble on my bashed up knee before we reached the New Forest Pub at Ashurst. This gave me a chance to nip off to the loo and examine said knee. It was bleeding, but not as much as I’d expected. More worryingly, it was already quite swollen and red. A little gentle prodding told me this was almost certainly bruising, by the looks of it under my kneecap, which, thankfully felt intact.  Continue reading Care For a Walk Ashurst to Totton, limping home

Care for a Walk – Matley to Ashurst wet dogs, new trees and a fall

18 March 2017

Instead of crossing Beaulieu Road and walking through Denny Inclosure, we headed off across White Moor towards Lyndhurst. This is a walk I’ve done many times on my own so, for once, I knew exactly where I was and where I was heading. This was more than could be said for CJ, who had never walked this trail before. Continue reading Care for a Walk – Matley to Ashurst wet dogs, new trees and a fall

Care For a Walk – Totton to Matley, ponies dogs and a deer

18 March 2017

Care For a Walk day has come round again and, with it, the joy of a walk in the New Forest with zero chance of getting lost or ending up somewhere other than where I meant to. The annual spring walk for Macmillan Cancer Support is planned by Pete and Mike, experts on all the trails and paths because they are lucky enough to live in the forest. This means I don’t have to worry about anything other than putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the scenery. Actually, this time, I did have to worry about not losing CJ, who has discovered he loves a walk too and wanted to come along.  Continue reading Care For a Walk – Totton to Matley, ponies dogs and a deer

Denny Wood, the penultimate CC6

19 February 2017

Today brought the penultimate CC6 at Denny Wood in the New Forest. For once it was an area I knew fairly well as I’ve walked through it many times as part of the Care For A Walk fifteen mile fundraiser. Usually it is muddy and I had the feeling today was going to be no exception. On a different day I might have gone for a wander across White Moor to Lyndhurst and Bolton’s Bench a coulple of miles down Beaulieu Road, or crossed the road and done my usual trick of getting lost in Matley Wood. Today though I was being gentle on my poor old foot with its healing blister. Besides, there wouldn’t be too much time as Commando was running a CC6.  Continue reading Denny Wood, the penultimate CC6

Oh I do like to be beside the sea, Milford on Sea – first published 11 May 2014

On the Saturday night after my May 2014 battle with the Itchen Navigation I was trying hard to plot a short walk that didn’t involve the river. After all the mud and wet feet I’d had quite enough of the Itchen for a little while. Hamble came to mind but it was further than I wanted to go, Millers Pond wasn’t far enough. The old walls were a possibility with maybe a look at the work being done on Town Quay. Then Commando said he was thinking of driving out to the New Forest for a run…of course I jumped at the chance to go with him and have a wander. Continue reading Oh I do like to be beside the sea, Milford on Sea – first published 11 May 2014

Janesmoor Pond, fog, mud and Santas

11 December 2016

Lately life seems to have been nothing but one race after another. This morning we were up early yet again, heading for a race. This though, would be the last race of the year. In an epic piece of bad planning on the part of the people who plan races, there were actually three races going on this morning in different parts of Hampshire. Without a time machine though, we could only go to one and Commando chose the CC6 at Janesmoor Pond.  Continue reading Janesmoor Pond, fog, mud and Santas

Care For A Walk, mud, pubs and sunshine – first published 22 March 2014

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The Care For A Walk fifteen mile hike in 2014 had begun with mud and fallen trees. There were blisters too, thankfully not on my feet. It was drizzly and wet, not the best weather for walking and we’d stopped to let some of the tail walkers catch up. At this point, we still had the hard miles ahead but everyone was still in surprisingly good spirits.
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