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wildlife

Exploring the Itchen Way

July 19, 2020 By chippy minton 3 Comments

Mansbridge

I’ve written before about how one of my favourite local walks is the stretch of river from Bishopstoke to Highbridge.  As part of our “keeping it local” lockdown exercise, over the last couple of months Mrs Chippy and I have been exploring the rest of the river.

We started by running the stretch from Woodmill to Winchester and back.  No, not all in one go; that would be silly.  We took it in four stages – each stage a round trip of around 8 to 10 km (sorry to die-hard imperial measurers, but I measure exercise in kilometres – probably because the numbers build up more quickly).

The longest stretch was from Bishopstoke to Woodmill.  It takes a lot of perseverance as, once you leave Bishopstoke, there is no crossing point until Mansbridge, 6 km away (the M27 doesn’t count).  It’s also (possibly for the same reason) the least busy part of the path; we passed very few people. It was quite a surprise to see lots of people once we reached Mansbridge and completed the short section through Riverside park to Woodmill. [Read more…] about Exploring the Itchen Way

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Tags: community, days out, Itchen, nature, walks, wildlife, Winchester

Signs of Spring

March 29, 2019 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Feature Image - Signs of Spring

What are the signs of spring you love the most?

I adore the lighter evenings and start to spot these in February (though that’s weather dependent). Being out with the dog a lot, you notice when you have that little bit more daylight before needing to get the torches out. [Read more…] about Signs of Spring

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Tags: community, HIltingbury Recreation Ground, music, spring, wildlife

Spring has Sprung!

March 18, 2017 By Nicola Slade 2 Comments

Spring in Chandler’s Ford always reminds me of why we chose to move here – it’s so pretty! Dropping my children off when they were at Thornden always meant a detour along Nichol Road to see the blossom trees. [Read more…] about Spring has Sprung!

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, local interest, nature, wildlife

Hocombe Mead Survey: Your Help Needed

December 3, 2016 By SO53 News 2 Comments

Update 20 March 2017:

We have been awarded £28k from @veoliaenvtrust for improvements to Hocombe Mead Local Nature Reserve #ChandlersFord https://t.co/K8gtzhEBDk

— Eastleigh Borough (@EastleighBC) March 15, 2017


[Read more…] about Hocombe Mead Survey: Your Help Needed

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, community, dog, Eastleigh Borough Council, Hocombe Mead, local interest, nature, walking, wildlife

In Praise of Royal Victoria and Itchen Valley Country Parks

September 4, 2016 By chippy minton 8 Comments

A few weeks ago, faced with a small clutch of younglings (and two grandparents) to entertain, we visited two of our local county parks – Hampshire County Council’s Royal Victoria and Eastleigh Borough Council’s Itchen Valley.

These proved to be outstanding choices. I’ve visited both parks before, but being accompanied by such a range of ages helped me to appreciate what marvellous leisure assets these places are. [Read more…] about In Praise of Royal Victoria and Itchen Valley Country Parks

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Tags: days out, Hampshire, history, nature, recommendations, review, travel, wildlife

Days Out: Coach on Fire Today but Chandler’s Ford Children were Safe

June 11, 2016 By Janet Williams 5 Comments

I have just picked up my teenage son from Kings Road this evening as he returned from a trip to Brownsea Island this morning with Chandler’s Ford Cubs and Beavers.

It turned out to be an eventful day.

My son asked me if I had read the news during the day.

I didn’t. [Read more…] about Days Out: Coach on Fire Today but Chandler’s Ford Children were Safe

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Tags: days out, Hampshire, nature, recommendations, review, Romsey, travel, wildlife

My Favourite Short Walk – Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook

March 12, 2016 By chippy minton 8 Comments

One of my favourite short local walks is the stretch of the Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook.

It is a rural idyll, yet never more than a few hundred yards from the built-up area and/or railway yard. [Read more…] about My Favourite Short Walk – Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook

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Tags: community, days out, Eastleigh, local interest, nature, recommendations, review, Southampton, travel, walking, wildlife, Winchester, writing

How Do You Get to Hiltingbury Lakes (without Getting Lost)?

February 27, 2016 By Janet Williams 9 Comments

It was a rather strange day today.

We went for a walk to Hiltingbury Lakes in the afternoon, and somehow got lost. (It meant we couldn’t find the lakes; or, the lakes simply disappeared!) [Read more…] about How Do You Get to Hiltingbury Lakes (without Getting Lost)?

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Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, days out, Hiltingbury, local interest, memory, nature, recommendations, walking, wildlife

Bats and Hallowe’en

October 30, 2015 By Mike Sedgwick 3 Comments

Having a quiet evening and sitting with the door and windows open listening to the rain hammer down and waiting for the next flash of lightning. In flew a bat, large, about 40cm wingspan.

It did half a dozen circuits of the room and then found its way out. It reminded us that it is Hallowe’en back home. [Read more…] about Bats and Hallowe’en

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Tags: culture, nature, Sri Lanka, storytelling, travel, wildlife

Hidden Hampshire: The Monarch’s Way

October 30, 2015 By Allison Symes 5 Comments

Some of the fringe benefits of owning and walking a dog include getting to discover some beautiful areas of Hampshire. Some of these are on our doorstep in Chandler’s Ford.  One of those is The Monarch’s Way, which is a short drive away, and takes you into some glorious countryside.

This post shares some of my thoughts on the walking and wildlife found in and around The Monarch’s Way.  [Read more…] about Hidden Hampshire: The Monarch’s Way

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Tags: adventure, Chandler's Ford, days out, dog, Hampshire, history, hobby, Hursley, nature, recommendations, review, travel, walking, wildlife

Delightful Hut Wood – Have You Been Yet?

May 9, 2015 By chippy minton 15 Comments

Explore Hut Wood off Chilworth

Hut Wood is one of those delightful bits of countryside that is just on our doorstep, yet few people seem to know about.

Well, there is an excuse – it’s managed by the Forestry Commission, but even their website doesn’t admit to its existence.

The wood lies to the west of the road from Asda in Eastleigh to Chilworth, just before the bridge over the M27 link road. [Read more…] about Delightful Hut Wood – Have You Been Yet?

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Tags: days out, Eastleigh, hobby, local interest, nature, recommendations, review, travel, walking, wildlife

Forced Landing

May 6, 2015 By Mike Sedgwick 2 Comments

Our gliding flights in the Pyrenees were going well. A friendly rivalry arose with the two pilots of another glider and we were determined to outdo one another.

Today was my turn as pilot in command of our 2 seater, Whisky Bravo. The tug plane took us from Santa Cilia airfield on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees towards the local hill where there was some rising air. [Read more…] about Forced Landing

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Tags: adventure, gliding, hobby, how-to, nature, science, social, storytelling, travel, wildlife

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

Days Out: Blashford Lakes

February 8, 2015 By chippy minton 5 Comments

Blashford Lakes New Forest review chippy minton

For my latest suggestion of places to go for a day out I’m going to turn to what I call the New Forest’s best kept secret – mainly because I’d never heard of it until a couple of years ago.

Blashford Lakes, near Ringwood, is a set of former gravel quarries that have been flooded and turned into a nature reserve. It is run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. [Read more…] about Days Out: Blashford Lakes

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Tags: charity, days out, history, hobby, nature, recommendations, review, travel, wildlife, Wildlife Trust

The Hiltingbury Woodpecker

November 5, 2014 By Roger Clark Leave a Comment

Photoblog:

What I appreciate about Hiltingbury is the beautiful wildlife and especially the comical Greater Spotted Woodpecker, who visits several times a day. [Read more…] about The Hiltingbury Woodpecker

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Hiltingbury, nature, photography, wildlife

Letters to Steve Brine MP: Chandler’s Ford Cares About Climate Change

October 21, 2014 By Stephen Dominy 5 Comments

Last weekend, I spoke at the Fairtrade event at St. Martin in the Wood Church about why we are passionate about tackling climate change. We also want to urge our politicians to act, to create a better, safer world.

We are collecting signatures from Chandler’s Ford to give to Steve Brine MP. We are raising our voices for the things we love. [Read more…] about Letters to Steve Brine MP: Chandler’s Ford Cares About Climate Change

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Christian Aid, Christianity, church, community, election, Fairtrade, good neighbours, Hiltingbury, nature, politics, St. Martin, viewpoint, wildlife

Learning From Children – Horse Play

October 18, 2014 By Mike Sedgwick 1 Comment

Have you had to learn new things because of your children or grandchildren?

Horses have never featured much in my life. Not since, as a boy, I was put on one and sent off onto the beach at Cleethorpes. The horse ambled into the middle of a tidal puddle and sat down. I fell off into the cold water and the horse ran away. [Read more…] about Learning From Children – Horse Play

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Tags: family, hobby, memory, nature, storytelling, travel, wildlife

Neighbourhood Killer And Child

September 20, 2014 By Roger Clark Leave a Comment

Neighbourhood killer feature

Off Vancouver Island last Monday, we saw a Killer Whale with baby. It went on to take a seal – this type of Orca is a mammal (rather than fish) eating one. Baby seals and dolphins are its main food.

Oddly enough an adult seal on seeing an Orca will take to land. Baby seals [Read more…] about Neighbourhood Killer And Child

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Tags: adventure, nature, photography, travel, wildlife

Squirrel In Hiltingbury

July 6, 2014 By Roger Clark 4 Comments

Photoblog:

I took this picture in our back garden this afternoon in Hiltingbury.

[Read more…] about Squirrel In Hiltingbury

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, Hiltingbury, nature, photography, wildlife

Mealworms & Cockroaches

July 3, 2014 By Janet Williams 3 Comments

My husband entered the house with a tub of mealworms and a tub of 6 cockroaches. I nearly phoned a solicitor.

We have a lizard (a blue-tongued skink) and she eats strange food.

When the pet shop in Eastleigh ran out of locusts last week, my husband bought mealworms and cockroaches instead. [Read more…] about Mealworms & Cockroaches

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, education, health, nature, pets, science, viewpoint, wildlife
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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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