Strid Woods again

I went for a walk in the Strid Woods last night for the first time in what felt like ages. It was a lovely evening for a walk and several pied flycatchers were busy feeding young. Amongst other species I saw wood warbler, treecreeper, curlew, oystercatcher, sand martin plus lots of wonderful baby blue tits and great tits

It's about time I started doing some proper running again and to that end I have penciled in Abbey Runners Anniversary fell race on Thursday evening. This is a cracking event starting and finishing in Kettlewell and first run a couple of years ago to celebrate the club's 25th anniversary. I ran that year and it was what inspired my training routes passing between Upper Wharfedale and Littondale. Highly recommended!

Song for my father

Charcoal, sunshine and godwits

Me and Stef did most of what we planned over the weekend. I had a decent drive down on Friday afternoon / evening and after a quick visit to Waitrose we had a barbeque and a couple of drinks sat out on the patio

On Saturday we drove to Hurst and walked over to Lymington via Keyhaven (the photo above is one I took of Keyhaven harbour last year), and back with our binoculars. Highlights of our birdwatching walk included a redshank with three young, several pairs of whitethroat also feeding young and a mixed group of ringed plover and dunlin, some of which were in beautiful breeding plumage. We also popped into the Chequers pub for a drink and in the evening went for dinner at Stef's local tandoori restaurent. The weather was fantastic all day!

Yesterday we went to Titchfield Haven in the afternoon and were lucky enough to see two young avocet chicks along with many of the usual suspects e.g. shellduck, shoveler, littel egret, common tern, a very smart-looking meditteranean gull and around 20 black-tailed godwits

Seconds

Very sad to hear news of the passing of Martin Rushent whilst I was driving back from Southampton this morning

Plans

I'm heading down to Southampton straight after work this afternoon. Me and Stef have planned a chilled weekend at her's, which should include a bit of birdwatching at Pennington and Keyhaven a BBQ and possibly a run (albeit a shortish one) on the South Downs, maybe around Butser Hill or the Meon Valley

Next weekend I'm flying to Bangladesh before going to India on the following Thursday so it will be good to take it easy, especially after a Lakeland all-nighter two out of the last three weekends

Weekend

Naylor's, Crosshills

Our club run last night started and finished at a brewery! Naylors Brewery in Crosshills to be precise

It was a lovely evening for a run out (I wore vest and shorts for the first time in what felt like ages) and a good number of us ran out of the village and up to Cowling Pinnacles and back in the sunshine

After the run we went into the brewery tap at the side of the brewery and along with our Pinnacle Blonde or Pinnacle Bitter we ate some really rather tasty pork pies which Sam brought over from Herds the butchers in Keighley. All in all a splendid Wednesday evening and one which just about dispels the rumour that the KCAC lads and lasses couldn't organise a p*ss up in a brewery!

We could send letters

For Morgan. I think he likes Roddy Frame

Austwick Amble fell race

Me and Stef went over to Austwick on Bank Holiday Monday to run the Austwick Amble fell race. This is a great circular route of around 8miles and 1200ft climb with a good amount of very runnable ground and a fast downhill finish on a track and latterly a country lane

I was really pleased to finish in just over 72minutes and my legs felt surprisingly good after my BG little more than two weeks ago. Stef enjoyed herself running round at the back. I think it did us both good to get out after the events of the weekend and I'd recommended the race to anyone who loves the Dales and especially classic limestone country. Results here

Gil Scott-Heron R.I.P