Tag: Humidity

Monks Brook, heat and an invasive species – first published 14 July 2014

My mid July walk in 2014 had started off on a sour note but had soon improved when I had an up close and personal visit with a black swan. As I walked on towards the reed beds and, ultimately, the White Swan pub, I sipped my water. The early morning rain combined with the sun seemed to have sucked up all the air and left behind a damp stickiness. Even along the river there was little breeze and my pace slowed considerably. Still, I told myself this was not about speed but about getting out and walking, enjoying the nature around me and the sun on my skin, if not the sweat trickling down between my shoulder blades. Continue reading Monks Brook, heat and an invasive species – first published 14 July 2014

A floral tour of Monks Brook Meadows

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21 July 2016

The medical bods can’t seem to decide whether Commando is suffering from a stress fracture or a ligament issue. Either way the advice is rest, ice, elevation and two weeks off work. While he was at home finally doing what he was told, CJ and I decided to go for a walk. It was another hot, muggy morning so sticking close to water and shade was the order of the day.  Continue reading A floral tour of Monks Brook Meadows

A boundary stone reprise

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14 July 2016

Today I planned to take CJ to see the boundary stone on Old Redbridge Bridge, then cross the flyover to Totton, visit Eling Tide Mill and come back via the boardwalk across the Test estuary. In the end, events conspired against us and things didn’t turn out quite how I expected. Continue reading A boundary stone reprise

A phone disaster and an RR10 at Manor Farm Country Park

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22 June 2016

Today began with a text message from Vodafone to say the new phone I ordered a month ago had finally been delivered to the shop. So the first job of the day was to make sure all the photos on my current phone were downloaded onto my iPad. The second was a three mile walk into town with no photo stops because, once I got the new phone, they’d all be erased. Well, that was what I thought anyway. 

Continue reading A phone disaster and an RR10 at Manor Farm Country Park

Sport mode and Kenyan Hills

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20 June 2016

This afternoon I had my second outing with the fancy pants camera.
“I’m going to the Itchen Bridge to do Kenyan Hills,” Commando said, not long after he got up. “Why don’t you bring the new camera and get some practice using sport mode before the RR10 on Wednesday?”
“What are Kenyan Hills?” I asked.
“Basically you run up and down hills one after another to improve your stamina. The running club usually do them on Monday training sessions, six times across the Itchen Bridge, but I always miss them because I have to work.”
Frankly it sounded very much like torture that should probably be banned under the Geneva Convention, especially on humid days but Commando did have a point about practicing with the camera so I went along. Continue reading Sport mode and Kenyan Hills

hungry, thirsty, lost and worried- first published 18 August 2013

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While Commando was running his eighteen miles to train for his first marathon I’d walked across White Moor, skirted Matley Woods, negotiated a muddy field and was heading for the shelter of the trees. As usual, I was lost and there were two choices of path. Why does that always happen? Continue reading hungry, thirsty, lost and worried- first published 18 August 2013

Dog days of summer

5 to 8 August 2015

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It was already sticky and uncomfortable when I left for my Wednesday walk to work and, after two short weeks, I was feeling quite sulky and cross at the prospect of four ten hour days ahead.  The sky was a mass of puffy fish scale clouds that seemed one step away from mammatus clouds, those rare upside down   bobbles of cloud hanging downwards where most coulds puff upwards. As I walked I eyed them, hoping they’d change but they didn’t. Continue reading Dog days of summer

On the edge of thunder

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15 to 18 July 2015

This week was all about humidity and on Wednesday morning that meant  hot and wet. A blanket of thick cloud was doing its best to drop rain but not quite succeeding as I walked through the gloom along the Boardwalk. Colour was provided by spiky purple knapweed and a second flowering of ragwort like a tatty bouquet. Near Horseshoe Bridge a patch of pink toadflax stood out amongst the purple. There was a feel of thunder in the air. Continue reading On the edge of thunder