Category: 2016

The walk that never was

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7 January 2016

On Thursday morning I had an appointment with the dentist. Driving there was an option but parking is in short supply near my dentist and I really could have done with the exercise after a very lazy December so I decided to walk. After my appointment I thought I’d have a wander in Hatch Grange which is nearby and then maybe through West End Copse for good measure. I fact I might even walk through Hum Hole on the way there too, three woods in one walk, how much better does it get? Continue reading The walk that never was

Never trust the weatherman

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6 January 2016

Last night the weatherman on the evening news told me the country would be shrouded in mist and fog for most of the day. My weather app appeared to agree. All Autumn I was waiting for a chance to take photos of mist swirling over the river but all we had was rain. This looked like it would be my chance so I went to bed thinking about an early morning riverside walk, swans emerging from eddies of mist, maybe even black swans. Continue reading Never trust the weatherman

One door closes, another opens

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5 January 2016

With a feeling of disappointment, CJ and I turned to leave St Edward the Confessor church. We’d expected to see stones from Netley Abbey at the base of the tower but there were none. I’d hoped to find a longer footpath but I hadn’t. We were heading back to the path and the gates when I saw what I thought were gargoyles at the base of the arch of one of the doors. A closer look, showed there was no pipe for water to come out so technically they were chimeras or bosses, used to frighten evil spirits. They were quite badly weathered but I took a picture of the best one anyway. This was when I noticed the door was open. It felt like my lucky day after all.
Continue reading One door closes, another opens

The secret of the curious gateway

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5 January 2016

According to the weatherman Tuesday was going to be the best day of the week. In fact it looked like it would be the only dry day. Obviously a walk of some kind was in order and I had a place in mind. For a long time now I’ve been wondering about a curious gateway along Abbey Hill at Netley, not far from the abbey. Countless times I’ve passed it on the way to somewhere else and wondered where the path leads but I’ve never had the time to check it out. Today was the day I did. Continue reading The secret of the curious gateway

From the pub to the church

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2 January 2016

Surpisingly, while I was standing in front of the Red Lion, the rain stopped. Maybe I could continue my tour a little longer and go from the village pubs to the churches, or at least one church. There may have been a lot of pubs in Bitterne Village but there were also a lot of churches, most of which are still standing at least in some form. Obviously the people of Bitterne are more fond of their churches than their watering holes. Continue reading From the pub to the church

And now for something completely different

Lances Hill Toll Gate and house
Lances Hill Toll Gate and house

2 January 2016

As the last  walk of 2015 was an old favourite I’d planned to go somewhere new for the first walk of 2016. In fact I even had an idea where but weather warnings and the need to stay home to wait for a delivery meant this went out the window. The rain poured down.  The delivery was vital. Our washing machine died on Christmas Even and the new one was due to arrive at some unspecified point between seven and two. Commando was soaked to the skin when he returned from his Parkrun. Maybe I’d wait until tomorrow… Continue reading And now for something completely different