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leisure

The Itchen Navigation Allbrook to Brambridge

January 8, 2022 By Steve Allen 5 Comments

Nature photo by Steve Allen

By Steve Allen and Derek Johnson

We have been walking this part of the navigation for many years and in our opinion this 30-minute stroll has capture the river and canal in it entirety.

After making your way to Twyford Road and finding the track down to the canal you turn left, which takes you down past properties on the left bank, which dip their toes into the water edge. Look out for the signs of the kingfisher as they look for food. These bird are very elusive so you must have a keen eye to catch them perched on branches as they fish. Or you may see the distinctive turquoise rear as they fly past you at great speed.

Nature photo by Steve Allen
Nature photo by Steve Allen

The view opens out on the right. At this stage, just pause a while to see if you can watch many spices of birds going about their daily life. Some say a small blot on the landscape is Nuttall Construction but I feel this gives a sense of what the canal was used for in years gone by.

Passing under the railway bridge you emerge to meadow land on the right. High on the first pylon it has been known to see up to seven cormorants surveying their territory. In the meadows deer and geese can be seen grazing.

Cormorant image by winterseitler via Pixabay
Cormorant image by winterseitler via Pixabay

After crossing the road, stop a while to look at the lock, check the depth by looking at the ledge on the other bank. At this time the water is high above and we encounter flooding as we progress. As we wonder through the canopy of trees, just be aware of the river and watch for ripples on the waters edge, as this is a sure sign of the water vole as she make her way through the reed beds to her riverbank home.

New growth is starting to show along the edges of the canal; new life is about to begin.

On the left the meadow land opens out in the foreground; the reeds are growing. If you just stand awhile you may hear the distinctive sound of the reed warblers as he tries to encourage a mate to his domain. He loves to climb up the reeds to have a look at you before he flies away. Most odd.

View from the Brambridge walk
View from the Brambridge walk

Depending upon the rainfall, the canal can be clear as crystal. ThIs is a good time to watch the water surface as life is in great abundance on or below the surface.

Many a time I have stopped for a while to take in the peace and tranquility of the canal with its changing moods. Once you are up by the sliuce gates you will see the canal and river side by side, both trying to race one another as they make their through the Itchen Valley.

 Nature image by Steve Allen

Lurking in the deep waters is a predator the river barracuda the pike – we have named her Jaws and have seen her in action taking a grayling or two. The heron and egret find this stretch of the river good hunting grounds. As we cross a wooden footbridge we come to the end of our stroll at Brambridge garden centre on the right. We can be found sitting outside under the canopy having a pot of tea and medium cappuccino and a nice ice buns.

THIS IS THE LIFE – ENJOY ONE OF GOD’S PIECE OF HEAVEN.

Brambridge Itchen walk nature

Brambridge walk (Image by Janet)
Brambridge walk (Image by Janet)

By Steve Allen and Derek Johnson

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Tags: adventure, days out, Eastleigh, family, health, Itchen, leisure, memories, travel, walking

My Adventure in Wales – Zip World Velocity 2

June 29, 2021 By Andy Vining 7 Comments

A zip wire adventure in Wales - Andy Vining.

I’m sharing the video of my adventure in Wales recently.

I went up there to stay in a farm cottage for a week with my wife and daughter. My wife Val has Parkinson’s disease so it was a good change of scenery for her for a few days and it was the Thursday of our Holiday that we ventured out to Zip World.

A zip wire adventure in Wales - Andy Vining.
A zip wire adventure in Wales – Andy Vining.

I had booked in the date and time some day before so we arrived and I got my wife settled into the very nice restaurant there and the staff said they would look after her while I went on my adventure. [Read more…] about My Adventure in Wales – Zip World Velocity 2

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Tags: adventure, days out, family, leisure, travel

Places Leisure Community Celebration Day

February 17, 2018 By chippy minton 7 Comments

Community celebration day

Places Leisure (the new leisure centre at Fleming Park) held a Community Celebration Day yesterday (17 February).  “You’re an active sporty type of person,” the editor told me.  “Go down and see what is there.”

Balloons around the main entrance
The main entrance – festooned with balloons for the Community Celebration Day

I tried to protest that a bit of running each week doesn’t necessarily define an active sports type of person, but actually was quite looking forward to the chance to go and have a look round the facilities. [Read more…] about Places Leisure Community Celebration Day

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Tags: Eastleigh, Fleming Park, hobby, leisure, sports

Review the Watercress Line

January 6, 2017 By Allison Symes 12 Comments

Feature image - Watercress Line

One of my favourite post-Christmas traditions is to ride on the Watercress Line between Alresford and Alton just after the end of the Santa specials and before New Year.

My family used the Santa specials years ago when my son was younger and the present given was always a good one. The downside is these Santa trains are very popular and booking early is a must (not a downside from the Watercress Line’s viewpoint of course) but now my son is older, we can avoid all that! The post-Christmas trains are also busy but not to the same extent and booking is generally not necessary. [Read more…] about Review the Watercress Line

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Tags: days out, leisure, local interest, review, tradition

World Book Night 2016 and the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare

April 29, 2016 By Allison Symes 5 Comments

World Book Night is on 23rd April each year, this being the date of William Shakespeare’s birth and his death.

World Book Night also links to the day of the death of Cervantes (author of Don Quixote), Spain’s literary hero, St. George’s Day and UNESCO’s Day of the Book (which I think is a fantastic title). [Read more…] about World Book Night 2016 and the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare

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Tags: arts and crafts, books, Chandler's Ford Library, Chandler’s Ford community, event, leisure, library, literature, publishing, reading, writing

My Top 10 Terry Pratchett Characters

August 14, 2015 By Allison Symes 8 Comments

What is the best thing about fiction for you? The plot? The characters?

For me, the characters are everything.  The best plot in the world will fail unless it has the characters to “run” with it.

Do you prefer stand alone novels or a series? [Read more…] about My Top 10 Terry Pratchett Characters

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Tags: arts and crafts, books, leisure, literature, reading, review, Terry Pratchett, writing

Top 10 Reasons to Love Books

August 7, 2015 By Allison Symes 17 Comments

I have loved books, especially fiction, since I was very young.

My mother taught me how to read but was told off for it by teachers when I started school because she hadn’t done it in the correct way. I think these days she’d probably be given a medal. Mind, with all the issues in the news recently, I sometimes wonder how any of us of a certain age ever made it through the 1970s! [Read more…] about Top 10 Reasons to Love Books

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Tags: architecture, blogging, books, Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Library, leisure, literature, reading, review, writing

My Favourite Fairytales

July 31, 2015 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

When I was very young, my father gave me The Reader’s Digest of Fairy Tales. These were in two hardback volumes and contained the original versions of the classic stories.

I still have these books, which are bound up with tape to stop them falling apart, as I couldn’t tell you how often I read them. There are also wonderful illustrations of the characters. [Read more…] about My Favourite Fairytales

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Tags: blogging, books, leisure, literature, reading, review, writing

My Desert Island Books

July 24, 2015 By Allison Symes 8 Comments

There are many Radio 4 shows I love but I am especially fond of Desert Island Discs.  My only problem with it is I would want to take at least 8 books with me to the fictional island, as well as the pieces of music.  Since I can’t arrange that, I thought I would share what I love most about stories and list some of my favourites.

One of the first things I pack when getting ready for going on holiday is at least one good book (I also take The Good Book but that’s another matter!).

A good story, whether it is a full length novel or a shorter piece, stays with you long after you have finished reading it.

Writers are lucky here as if it is their story. They get the pleasure of writing it (and reading it first!).

[Read more…] about My Desert Island Books

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Tags: arts and crafts, blogging, books, leisure, literature, reading, review, writing

Sunny Weekend in Chandler’s Ford

June 27, 2015 By Janet Williams 2 Comments

How did your weekend go today?

I had a quick tour from Chandler’s Ford to Brambridge and had a rather enjoyable day.

If you want to know what I got up to today, read on. [Read more…] about Sunny Weekend in Chandler’s Ford

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Tags: Brambridge Park, celebrations, community, craft fair, crafts, event, leisure, local interest, Methodist Church, social

Butterflies in February

February 26, 2015 By Mike Sedgwick Leave a Comment

Butterflies in RHS Mike Sedgwick

Butterflies in February? Poor things will be caught in the next frost. But not if they are in a hothouse.

For the next week or so there is a magnificent display of butterflies in the Glasshouse at the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Wisley.
[Read more…] about Butterflies in February

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Tags: days out, family, gardening, leisure, nature, photography, social, travel, wildlife

What Has Chandler’s Ford Done for Me?

February 20, 2015 By Allison Symes 13 Comments

What has Chandler's Ford done for me by Allison Symes

How many lives do you have? One? Two (the one at work, the one at home for example)? Three (work, home, involvement in amateur dramatics or the church, say)?

I have had multiple lives in Chandler’s Ford but will focus on two: before becoming a dog owner and since then and before becoming a writer and since. Chandler’s Ford has influenced both. [Read more…] about What Has Chandler’s Ford Done for Me?

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Chandler's Ford Library, community, dog, Hiltingbury, Hocombe Mead, leisure, nature, pets, storytelling, train station, travel, viewpoint, walking, writing

Hampshire Libraries and My Love for Graphic Novels

February 18, 2015 By Ben Williams 7 Comments

teenager epicduda enjoys reading graphic novels. Winchester Library has a good collection of comics and Graphic Novels.

I’ve stated before that I like Chandler’s Ford library and Eastleigh library.

One of the reasons is that both libraries have a small but pretty good selection of comics and graphic novels, where I get some of mine from. [Read more…] about Hampshire Libraries and My Love for Graphic Novels

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Tags: books, Chandler's Ford, community, culture, Eastleigh, entertainment, hobby, leisure, library, local interest, London, reading, review, train station, travel, Winchester, writing

Dawn Patrol That Wasn’t

February 15, 2015 By Mike Sedgwick 3 Comments

Dawn Patrol That Wasn’t - by Mike Sedgwick.

The plan was to get to the Gliding Club early and fly the Falke motor glider at first light.

I met my pilot friend in the dim light of dawn and we got the aircraft out of its hangar. After an inspection and a short taxi round to the refuelling bunker we added 25 litre of mogas. [Read more…] about Dawn Patrol That Wasn’t

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Tags: how-to, leisure, travel

Log Fires

December 10, 2014 By Mike Sedgwick Leave a Comment

You must have lit fires when you were young and out in the country.

It’s frowned upon by adults but you have to do these things to learn.

The first lesson is that wet things do not burn. The second is that there is nothing as satisfying as something cooked on your own log fire. [Read more…] about Log Fires

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Christmas, education, family, Hiltingbury, hobby, how-to, leisure, tradition

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Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

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Reviews of local performances and places

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