Tag: Ghost signs

An Old Farts London Day Out

Bitterne Station

On 20 May, one of Commando’s friends was racing at Parliament Hill Fields Athletics Track. A few running friends were going to cheer him on, so it seemed like a golden opportunity for our second Old Farts Railcard adventure. As the track is on Hampstead Heath, not far from Highgate, I was quite excited at the prospect of a cemetery wander. Armed with lots of information about underground trains, cemetery opening times and prices, we set off to Bitterne Station for the first leg of our journey.

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In search of Narrow Hill

Witney Town Hall

We left The Angel Inn refreshed and eager to see as much of Witney as we could in the short time we had. We’d seen the houses of Corn Street where Alice was born and we’d seen the church where several of my ancestors were baptised, married and buried, even if we hadn’t found any graves. I knew that my great great grandfather, Thomas Haley junior had moved from Corn Street to Woodgreen by 1861, but the only address on the census was Private House. Ten years on, he’d moved to West End but there was no address I could trace. By 1881 though, he was living on Narrow Hill and, due to a stroke of luck, I knew exactly which house he’d lived in. After a quick stop to take a closer look at the Town Hall, we set off to find it.

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Lots of small steps

29 June 2019

This week I have been getting my head around the enormity of the two challenges I’ve undertaken. The Million Steps Challenge doesn’t begin until 1 July but I’ve worked out I will need to walk around eleven thousand steps a day. Training for the Clarendon Marathon should more than take care of that.

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Two bridges lite

4 January 2018

The first proper walk of 2018, if you don’t count lots of dashing about shopping or wandering around the Old Cemetery in the mud, was a version of Commando’s two bridge challenge. Frankly, at under four miles, it wasn’t much of a challenge but it was the first ‘just for the sake of walking’ walk of the year and there were swans, mud and some climbing that probably wouldn’t have seemed half as bad if I’d had breakfast before I went out.   Continue reading Two bridges lite

Late autumn rivers and lakes

16 November 2017

This year, with little in the way of wind to ruffle them, the trees seem to be holding onto their autum leaves. Today, as the weather was bright, if cold, I thought a nice long walk was in order to enjoy them while they were still there. CJ and I set off fairly early for the river. We had a plan to walk to Eastleigh and back with a quick stop off for coffee in the Swan Centre. Continue reading Late autumn rivers and lakes

Orange, pink, blue, a splash of yellow and a dash of red and white

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8 to 11 April 2015

My second week of early shift started with a breathtaking Wednesday sunrise over the River Itchen. Pinkening clouds on the horizon painted the gently rippled water where a pair of lonely swans dipped their heads searching for breakfast. I dawdled along the boardwalk drinking in the beauty of it all. Half way along the Suki II seemed to be floating on the dawn sky and the trees on the far bank were half hidden in early morning mist. Through it I could just make out my usual path beside the jetties and the line of little yachts. Continue reading Orange, pink, blue, a splash of yellow and a dash of red and white