Hampshire, Dorset and a smugglers trail

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5 July 2015

Finally I was on the beach with waves crashing onto the sand, sail boats and the ever present Needles in the distance. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I’d left Barton on Sea behind and this was actually Highcliffe on Sea. Not only that but, I’d left Hampshire and was now in Dorset. For a moment or two I stood relishing the slight sea spray on my face and looked back the way I’d come. From the beach it was easy to see the extent of the landslip and it was obvious I’d never have been able to walk along the beach even if I’d been unwise enough to try. Continue reading Hampshire, Dorset and a smugglers trail

Magical mystery tour with roads to nowhere

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5 July 2015

On Saturday night Commando announced he was going ‘somewhere different,’ for his Sunday run and did I want to come along. There is only one answer to those kind of invitations because Commando is good at coming up with interesting venues.
“Where were you thinking of going?” I asked.
“You’ll find out when we get there,” was the cryptic answer.
After the bright sun and blue skies of the day before it was slightly disappointing to wake to an overcast sky and a cool morning. Even so I filled a water bottle with ice, grabbed my rucksack and my mac and got in the car feeling a little excited. Continue reading Magical mystery tour with roads to nowhere

Sun and storms

Cobden Bridge
Cobden Bridge

1 to 4 July 2015

Annoyingly, Wednesday was a beautiful day but I had to go to work. The sky was brilliant blue as I crossed Cobden Bridge and the river looked like it was made of deep cobalt glass. The little ships cast perfect reflections like an upside down, underwater world. The colours seemed especially bright and fresh in the morning light and I could see flowers blooming on the houseboat deck garden. When I reached the slipway two men were trying to get a boat in or out of the water, I couldn’t quite decide which. Their car was right at the bottom of the slipway, back wheels in the water. It looked like a precarious business and I was glad it wasn’t my car. Continue reading Sun and storms