Cleaning the Wandle May 2013

Every clean up brings its own surprises. There is always a regular supply of carpet, shopping trolleys, bicycles, plastic bags and bits of corrugated iron. This time it was a ludicrous number of scaffolding poles (in the water), a dozen or more water cooler bottles (on the bank), a toilet and a scooter.


Water cooler bottles

We are so fixated on the river and its banks that is too easy to forget the Wandle Trail which is the more publicly accessible aspect of the river. It is the walking and cycling trail that follows the river for 15 miles from Croydon to the Thames.


Wandle Trail

Just before lunch my friend Paul took a tumble and filled his waders with water, yuck. Fortunately he is of similar build to me and I had brought a spare pair of jeans. So he was able to change into dry togs but he did keep to the bank for the afternoon.

At lunchtime we were offered copies of the hot-off-the-press Catchment Vision for the Wandle - the result of extensive consultation - to be followed by the Action Plan.  More on the Wandle Catchment Plan.


A vision for the River Wandle

At the end of the day I bugger off home but the dedicated few remain to load the rubbish onto the truck and the equipment into the van.


Loading the van

More photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633470214869/detail/

Thames Path 08 - Marlow to Lower Shiplake

Marlow, England. Sunday 05-May-2103

No team photo today - just the three of us: me, Mary and John.

Marlow is clearly a lovely little town but we had no time to take in the atmosphere. Sunday morning was a cereal-based, slow-release carb breakfast and an early-ish start for the second day - off at 9:15.

http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_bourne_end_henley.html (second part)
http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_henley_tilehurst.html (first part)


Sundial in Marlow

We soon left the town and were into the countryside - classic Thames with swans.


Swans a-swimming

Open country past Culham Court with views and charity runners and wild flowers.


Wild Primrose


Thames Path


Comfort break at Henley

After 9.5 miles we reached Henley and a chance for Mary to adjust her socks. Turns out her right little toe was blistered and she limped on for another 2.5 miles to the lunch stop at The Baskerville at Lower Shiplake.

After lunch we decided, reluctantly, to call it a day and caught the train home. Even so it was a good walk and a good start point for the next leg.



More photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633464780097

Distance this leg 18.7 km
Previous legs 158.1 km
Total so far 176.8 km

Thames Path 07 - Windsor to Marlow

Windsor, England. Saturday 04-May-2013.

Seven turned up for the first half of the bank holiday weekend, two-day walk.

http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_windsor_bourne_end.html
http://www.thames-path.org.uk/thames_bourne_end_henley.html (part)


Mark (me), Pete, Blanche, Andrea, Mary, Alan, John

Perfect walking weather, warm, sunny, still and dry underfoot.


St Mary Magdalene Church, Boveney

The path took us mostly through countryside with all manner of fascinating buildings to see.


Blanche, Andrea, Pete

Mary wanted to up the pace to 3.3 mph which meant we managed Maidenhead, where the A4 crosses the Thames, by 12:30 for lunch at the Blue River Cafe. Seven miles down, seven to go to Marlow.


Maidenhead Rail Bridge - 1838 The Sounding Arch.

I.K. Brunel designed this bridge. The brick arches are the widest and flattest in the world ~ each span is 128 feet with a rise of only 24 feet.


Between Cookham and Marlow

After lunch it was another two and a half hours walking to our end point at Marlow where Pete and Blanche, and Alan and Andrea peeled off for the train back to Windsor to pick up their car home.

Mary and I checked into The George and Dragon for a relax in the bath. John had no reservation due to a mix-up but found accommodation nearby. Then it was out for some serious steak in The Chequers and a good night's sleep.



More photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633480029170/detail/

Distance this leg 24.4 km
Previous legs 133.7 km
Total so far 158.1 km

My commute to work

“Isn’t it dangerous cycling in London? I wouldn’t fancy doing that” is the most common response to learning that I commute by bike.

The answer is “Not if you choose your route and don’t cycle like a plonker”.

The first part of the journey is along the Thames Side Path and through Battersea Park; the second half is through the quiet residential streets of Pimlico. And I stop for red lights

This is where I join the river just three minutes from my house.



At the nearer end of the Grade II listed Battersea Park is Albert Bridge - my favourite of all the London Bridges and very pretty at night all lit up like a spider’s web covered in dew catching the sunlight.



Once inside the park I pass the Peace Pagoda - usually the chosen location for personal trainers putting their clients through their paces.



Then it is over Chelsea Bridge and a fine view over my shoulder of the iconic Battersea Power Station the largest brick building in Europe.



After a few hundred yards I enter the tree-lined streets of Pimlico which takes me most of the way to my destination.



On the way I pass Tachbrook Street Market although I am usually there before the traders have begun to set up their stalls.



Distance 4.9 miles, time 28 minutes. Faster than public transport and far pleasanter.

Urban Gardening - Raised Beds

We commissioned our gardener to make us a raised bed out of some recycled hardwood lab bench tops we bought at an architectural salvage yard. However we completely failed to convey our requirements and what he built was nothing like the picture in our heads.

The wood had a variety of tap and sink holes. We intended that he cut a number of long thin planks that ran the full length. Instead he cut across to get the full width where he could. The result is a shorter, taller bed with a single-sheet slab side instead of a longer lower bed with more attractive planking sides. Ho-hum, it’s done now.

So we moved it out of sight down the side alley and planted potatoes in it.

Next it was a trip to Home Base to buy some substantial, commercially made, assemble-it-yourself beds. That took a lot of drilling and screwing together - thank goodness for the power screwdriver.

Mary wanted them to be moveable so that meant wheels and a base to support the lining. That meant more trips to Home Base and more sawing and drilling and screwing.

The result, although I say it myself, is two fine, sturdy and smooth moving beds. Mary loves to rearrange furniture (it’s a girl thing) so that suits her just fine.

Now they are all planted up with herbs and we just have to find names for them. I’m favouring Torvill and Dean.

Previous namings:
Compost bins: Tom, Dick and Harry, Gertrude, and “The Bin With No Name” 
Big shed: Jabba the Hut
Small pair of sheds: Arthur and Jackson

Jazz Brunch at The Wharf, Teddington

Teddington, England. Sunday 28-April-2013.

The Wharf in Teddington does a Sunday Jazz Brunch so off Mary booked and off we went on the train. The Wharf is right on the river, as you might guess from the name, and has a nice, bright conservatory suitable for a sunny day. We ate well whilst listening to Tracy Ray and the Mojos.

Mary is keen to get in as much walking practice as possible ready for Bob and Lynn's Coast-to-Coast in August. So we decided to augment our Thames Path walk with a little post lunch stroll as far homewards as we felt like.

Unfortunately we added to our journey by walking about a mile in the wrong direction due to some confusion as to which side of the river we were - caused in part by the way the river twists and turns.

Then at Richmond the path was flooded due to the high tide so we took a detour inland as you can see on the map.

Unfortuately where we rejoined the river it was still flooded. Nothing for it but to take off our socks and shoes and paddle round the corner.

After nearly 9 miles we decided we'd walked off the lunch and it was starting to get toward dusk so we switched to the train at Kew for the rest of the jouney home.

Mum's 86th Birthday

Normally we just send a card and telephone and sometimes visit depending on the day of the week. This year Mum's birthday fell on a Saturday and, seeing as how she is recovering from her hip replacement, we decided a full gathering was in order.

Pete (BIL), Ian (bro), Geri (Mum)

All three siblings and partners plus Jane's youngest with girlfriend all went down to Farnham for afternoon tea.

Leoni (gf), Tom (nephew)

There was a bit of a cake theme going - all three housholds brought cakes. Leoni is practising for a bake-off which is apparently in preparation for Chris (Janes's middle son) and Hannah's wedding next month - delicious.

Almond and Pear Cake with Raspberry glaze

Sarah baked scones (with strawberry jam and cream) and Mary dispatched me to Konditor and Cook in Waterloo for a Nine Magic Cake set.

Cakes and Scones

It was only just over two weeks since Mum's hip replacement so there was progress but don't expect a Cossack Dance anytime soon. Up and down stairs is OK and leg action is definately "walk not shuffle" but pain management still requires a steady diet of codeine and paracetamol at the prescribed level.

Jane (sis), Mike (Dad), Sarah (SIL) and (off camera) Mary (SWMBO)

There was present opening and general chat. Then we went home again. That's all folks...

Sotto Le Stelle 09 - Wiring decisions and more

A packed weekend in Puglia:

• Mino's 60th birthday party
• Renting valuable storage space
• Discussing electrical wiring
• And, of course, eating and drinking with friends

We were due to fly out on Saturday but brought our flight forward when Carole told us about a surprise party for Mino's 60th.



I was doubly pleased to be there as Mino did such a fantastic job for my 60th birthday party in Puglia.



Loads more photos of Mino's party on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/minomaggi/

Friday it was off to Sotto Le Stelle to inspect the progress.



The main progress was all pipework: mains water, hot and cold heating system pipes, waste water, and gas pipes. Not just across the floor but up to the roof where the boiler lives in a newly created niche. English boilers are generally installed indoors, the Italians seem to favour an external wall cupboard.

Saverio has also fixed the bathroom door opening to make it symmetrical - what was he thinking to make it otherwise?



On the last visit we saw a sign saying "For Rent" on the door to the basement space under the building. Typically Italian it had no name or contact number. Pietro was able to track down the owner and arranged for us to meet and discuss renting some space. We did not want a car space but just some room for bikes, olive nets, tools, etc.

The basement itself had the same vaulting as the apartments above. Apparently it used to contain an olive press - the older owner pointed out where the presses used to stand and the circle where the donkey walked round to power the press.



We agreed a price for this niche and moved stuff out of Trullo Azzurro - all part of preparing to let out the whole of the original place once Sotto Le Stelle is ready for us.

Sunday was time to meet up with friend for pre-prandial drinks and then off to Osteria Sant'Anna for a serious Sunday meal.



Monday we went back to meet with the electrician to discuss the placement of sockets and lights. He was supposed to have done the work the week before we arrived but he was delayed. It worked out better that way as we were able to make some adjustments to the placements for the better.



One of these was the adjustments was emergency lighting which is now an Italian legal requirement. We were able to say "Not there, that is where the cupboard might go".

Then it was lots of window shopping to measure up candidate tables, chairs and beds. This table also comes in an extending version and is four times the price of the Ikea equivalent but Mary hankers after this one.



More pictures on Flicker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633321809636/detail/

Cleaning the Wandle April 2013

A beautiful sunny spring day - such improvement of the last three "brass monkey" events.


The equipment

These are the tools of our trade: blue plastic trugs (some muck buckets, some halved chemical barrels), litter pickers, gloves (left and right), grapples and ropes, waders (with steel toe caps and steel shanks), wheelbarrows. Big excitement - loads of brand new waders.


Kibbitzing

So that's four in the water, eight on the bank and twelve on the bridge spectating!

The bloke is the wetsuit was pretty cool. First one of those I have seen. He could lay back and float downstream to join the others; he could rummage deeper than we could - unless you want a wader full of Wandle water; very useful addition to the team.

It was a good session. I stepped off the bank straight onto a traffic cone. That level of "productivity" continued for the rest of the session. All manner of bikes and prams and curtain tracks and heavy duty plastic bags (and Bows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air...)

On the Monday my fingers always ache from all the gripping of slippery debris. I read that Yehudi Menuhin used to exercise his fingers with a rubber band to strengthen them. No need, all he had to do was come down to King George's Park on a second Sunday and haul junk out of the Wandle.

More pictures on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633242605997/

Dorset Walk for Wildlife 2013

Since our friend Bob retired he spends a lot of time volunteering for local nature organisations around Ringwood. They roped us in for a sponsored walk just across the county border in Dorset: the Dorset Walk for Wildlife 2013.


Mark (me), Mary, Bob, Lynn

Being keen walkers they signed up for the long, 14 mile, walk - none of that wimpy 7 mile stroll. The walk started at Leeson House Field Centre, Langton Matravers. It was a clockwise tour of the Isle of Purbeck heading initially East to Durlston Head and the castle.



Durlston Castle

From there we headed West along the coast path.


The Dancing Ledge

One of the checkpoints was at St Aldhelm's Chapel (over 800 years old) where we had a short lunch stop. Then it was North and East to start the return loop.


St Aldhelm's Chapel

The first time we did this stretch of the South-West Coast Path the joke was, looking at the map, "What do all these brown lines very close together mean?" Of course they mean steep contours and some serious thigh exercise down and back up the V-shaped valley.



So much beautiful coastline.


Chapman's Pool

Well over half way round we stopped at The Square and Compass at Worth Matravers for a swift pint then the final couple of miles back to the start point.



The Garmin cannot agree with itself on the exact distance but it was over 14 miles in just under 5 hours. My heels were complaining the next morning and my calf muscles for the next couple of days.



Full set of photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/sets/72157633208346432