My mum would have been 101 today
Richmond Park babes
Solent Way (part 3) Beaulieu to Hythe
The 3rd part of the long-distance Solent Way goes from Beaulieu to Hythe. At just over 6 miles it isn’t the nicest of walks, much of it being along the sides of busy main roads.
Trains to Lymington followed by the 112 bus (Tuesdays & Thursdays only) to Beaulieu took me to the start of the walk. At the end there was the ferry across Southampton Water and then it was on to Southampton station and the return journey home. A long and exhausting day even though the walk was relatively short.
The next section is a short 6 miles from Southampton to Hamble.
The 60 miles of the Solent Way
- Walk 1: Milford on Sea ⇒ Lymington (9 miles) (✓ 4th July 2019)
- Walk 2: Lymington ⇒ Beaulieu (10 miles) (✓ 4th May 2022)
- Walk 3: Beaulieu ⇒ Hythe (6 miles) (✓ 10th May 2022)
- Walk 4: Hythe ⇒ Hamble (7 miles)
- Walk 5: Hamble ⇒ Lee On Solent (7 miles)
- Walk 6: Lee on Solent ⇒ Portsmouth (6 miles)
- Walk 7: Portsmouth ⇒ Hilsea (7 miles)
- Walk 8: Hilsea ⇒ Emsworth (8 miles)
Solent Way (part 2) Lymington to Beaulieu
The 2nd part of the long-distance Solent Way goes from Lymington to Beaulieu. At just over 10 miles it isn’t the nicest of walks, being along the sides of extremely large fields and mainly on quiet, country roads. ie There’s not much to see in the way of views.
It’s almost 3 years since I did the first part of the Solent Way. I hadn’t expected this delay in progressing through the 8 parts. The next section is a short 6 miles from Beaulieu to Hythe, followed by the ferry across Southampton Water for the 3rd leg, Southampton to Hamble.
The extremely pretty Buckler’s Hard looks as if it could justify a longer re-visit but on this occasion I was just passing through. On leaving I spotted this lovely boat being worked on in the boatyard and I got talking to its owner who, amazingly, lives only a few miles from me.
The 60 miles of the Solent Way
- Walk 1: Milford on Sea ⇒ Lymington (9 miles) (✓ 4th July 2019)
- Walk 2: Lymington ⇒ Beaulieu (10 miles) (✓ 4th May 2022)
- Walk 3: Beaulieu ⇒ Hythe (6 miles)
- Walk 4: Hythe ⇒ Hamble (7 miles)
- Walk 5: Hamble ⇒ Lee On Solent (7 miles)
- Walk 6: Lee on Solent ⇒ Portsmouth (6 miles)
- Walk 7: Portsmouth ⇒ Hilsea (7 miles)
- Walk 8: Hilsea ⇒ Emsworth (8 miles)
Box Hill to Guildford (15.4 miles)
A warm, sunny day made for a gruelling 15.4 mile hike along the North Downs Way, from Westhumble (near Dorking) to Guildford. I was expecting it to be about 12 miles and I intended it to be a bit of a training session in preparation for a 16 mile walk along part of the long-distance, Solent Way. Not only did I underestimate the length but I also improvised an extra bit at the end in order to pick up the River Wey, just to the south of Guildford. But I now know 16 miles is within my capabilities. Not only that, I’m expecting the Solent Way to be fairly flat, whereas today’s walk was up and down and totalled over 2,000 feet elevation – (walking up Snowden is just over 3,000 feet elevation!)
Weybridge on the Thames
A walk followed by a sandwich lunch at the Old Crown pub. A traditional pub and some good food.
From a walk on the Downs
Wakehurst, Sussex
Large, attractive gardens with some wonderful, tall trees.
It’s my birthday
Happy birthday
to me!
I had a lovely birthday in Bushy Park with our daughter and the two little ones, followed by chocolate cake back at their home.
And then to open some lovely presents (see below) including some Nordic walking poles.
Iris and Chloe hiding coins in Bushy Park fallen trees,
hopefully bringing joy to other kids when they find them!
Sutton 1 Leyton Orient 0
A goal up after 20 minutes, Sutton went on to produce a dire performance at the end of the first half and for the whole of the second half. With just 30% possession overall, and not a single attack on goal in the second half, I don’t know what went went wrong but it was not pretty.
Sutton 1 Leyton Orient 0
50 years ago!
50 years ago!
We made it!
This is me on our wedding day, in a pink suit. Probably the last outfit I wore with any colour in!
2 moments of euphoria, 4 of disappointment
Yesterday I had a day out with my son and son-in-law to the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium. My local team, Sutton United, were in action.
It was my first visit to the new stadium and what a magnificent place it is. I had been to the old stadium three times, I think, having watched a schoolboy’s international and a couple of dull (as I recall) full internationals. Other than these games and a match at Fulham (!) it was quite an experience being at an event involving a large crowd (30,000). The full capacity is 90,000!
In these Covid times I was grateful for having chosen good (ie more expensive) seats, so we were sat in a quite sparsely populated area of the stadium. Nevertheless it was impossible not to be in close contact with crowds of people within the general area of the stadium as well as on public transport. Fingers crossed that we remain virus free!
It was a good game and Sutton were unfortunate to have had victory snatched away in the 96th minute of the match. A pizza and a pint at a pub near Waterloo Station rounded off a wonderful day. Apart from the result.
things change 