Pootle with Mum

Friday 2 April

We fancied a couple of hours of aimless bumbling around and decided to try and locate where in Bailey Park the former open-air swimming pool would have been. The pool was apparently opened in 1938 and closed in the mid-1990s, although it wasn’t demolished and filled in until around ten years later. This picture taken in 2003 shows a picture of the then-derelict pools.

Looking across the yard of the tyre place to Blorenge beyond

There’s an Abergavenny Lido Group campaigning to bring an open-air pool back to the town - no idea what their chances of success are. This plan from the website of the ALG shows the footprint of the pool at the north-west side of the park, which helped us locate it.

We walked through the town and across Fairfield Car Park into the park beyond. This bit of the park seems to be set up as some sort of sensory garden. Beyond this, there was an abandoned-looking stretch of grass which was pretty clearly the former pool site. It’s this bit circled in black on this snip from Google Maps.

Site of the open-air pool

We left the park at the north end and turned right along Park Avenue and then left onto Hereford Road. We walked up as far as the junction with Grosvenor Road and looked briefly for any evidence of the railway cutting that crossed under the Hereford Road at this point. There’s not much to be seen – the wall on the west side of the road is quite high and on the right there’s just a small patch of wasteland before some housing begins. Guessing much of the trackbed has been built over.

Blorenge, looking south from Hereford Road

Bridge over the former railway line, courtesy of Street View

The railway line that passed here was the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway. Mum and Dad had an interesting 1916 map of the town, which showed this line clearly. The line ran between Abergavenny and Merthyr Tydfil, stopping at such places as Govilon, Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale. It closed to passengers in 1958.

We turned down Richmond Road and went down the steps onto Ross Road, where we joined a path running through a grassy area between the road and the river Gavenny. This eventually reaches a footbridge, which we crossed and walked up along the river coming out on Sycamore Avenue, just by the a residential conversion of the former Pen-y-Fal Hospital.

The River Gavenny from the footbridge

Path alongside the river

The hospital is shown on the 1916 map as the 'County Lunatic Asylum'.

The snip from the 1916 map also shows the Asylum Chapel, which for a while now has been in the process of conversion into apartments. The development appears to be on the market via Savills.

Pen y Fal chapel

After leaving the Pen y Fal site we walked briefly down the road and turned left onto Coed Glas Lane and followed the lane through to where it comes out on Holywell Crescent. We made our way back to Mum and Dad’s house via Holywell Road and Fosterville Crescent, stopping for a snoop at this enormous semi which has been a single residence until relatively recently but is now undergoing conversion.

Houses on Fosterville Crescent

House undergoing work

Walk around Blorenge summit plateau, 4.98 miles

5 July

Well, it's been a while. Did this little walk while spending a week's leave this last week staying at my parents' house. When there I always enjoy looking up at Blorenge, a cuddly-looking hill to the south of the town, and had been idly pondering a walk up it. This week got around to trying a route out of Chris Barber's The Seven Hills of Abergavenny, which includes four walks on Blorenge - I chose 'Around the summit plateau', which is a bit of a cop-out in terms of actually climbing the hill, as most of your ascent is done in the car driving up the B4246, which has great views and one positively hairpin bend.

Keeper's Pond	Summit of Blorenge (albeit I didn't actually climb it)
Looking down towards Abergavenny	Another view

Parked at the car park just off the B4246 next to Keeper's Pond at around 9:00 am - just me and a dog walker (and his dog) there - and took a brief stroll along the path around the lake, to admire the views. The little lake - which was glinting v. prettily in the sun - is apparently artificial; the book informed me it was constructed around 1820 as a water supply for the Blaenavon Ironworks and Garnddyrys Forge. From the pond I walked a bit further along the road to the Foxhunter car park, next to two prominent masts, and then took the pretty obvious path across the moorland that leads straight to Blorenge's summit. Had the summit to myself so stood for a minute attempting to think deep thoughts, and taking a selfie.

Followed the path onwards towards the edge of Blorenge's steep north east face which overlooks Abergavenny. Again, had the place to myself apart from the sheep. Admired the views for a while, then attempted to 'contour around the lip of the escarpment to the left', as advised by the book. Path initially not too obvious but became more so further on. Followed the path back to Keeper's Pond. It apparently joins an old tram road en route though I can't say I noticed the point where this happened.

The route as shown in Chris Barber's book

Fire and brimstone; more August activities

Received this inspirational pamphlet through the door recently. As evidence for life after death, it features a number of quotes from dying people who had behaved shortly before death in a manner interpreted as meaning they saw glimpses of “the other side”, including one Augustus Toplady, a hymn writer, who cried out “Oh, what delights!”, shortly before, presumably, dying, and a May Wilcox, who allegedly threw up her arms exclaiming “Oh, do you hear the music!”. Presumably the delirium of fever had been ruled out as a possible cause. Less fortunate souls included a Mr W, who allegedly cried “I am in the flames! Pull me out!”, an Unnamed Infidel, who saw a great high wall rising around him, and one Sir Thomas Scott, who, somewhat puzzlingly, cried “Begone you and your trumphery.” It ends (right) by suggesting ways in which one can avoid ending up in the lake of fiery torment, including sending for a free leaflet on how to prepare for Heaven courtesy of A & M McBride of 61 Sealstown Road. Thank God there are people like them who are willing to share their knowledge.

Overdue catch-up with Claire back in August at The Bull at Sonning, where we had a lovely Friday evening dinner sitting outside. Claire has recently left the hospital near Oxford she has been working at and has started a new job as an assistant Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, part of the NHS’ IAPT service. She had been doing a week or so’s training over near Shinfield when we got together, but is apparently going to be based in Bracknell, which she didn’t seem too thrilled about. We had a look around for George Clooney, who has apparently been to The Bull since moving into the village, but no sign. Claire noted that she’s been going there more often than usual in the hope of seeing him, but no sightings as yet. Uri Geller has, conversely, recently left Sonning to move back to Israel, after living in the area for many years.

Cat

This cat, believed to be resident two doors down, has recently been spending more time in our garden, and a few weekends ago I had to chase it out of the dining room more than once. There are two small children and a dog resident at its own house, so we feel it may be searching out a quieter environment. Have some sympathy with it, but we are reluctant to condone its coming into the house as Harley is (perhaps naturally) nervous of cats.

Afternoon with the Clarks on 22 August. Arrived at their house to be greeted by Ray Sr, who gave me a brief update on how things were with the family, then Carol and I walked around the corner to Ray’s sister Caroline’s house, where we spent a few hours at Caroline’s younger daughter Leonie’s tenth birthday party, though in practice we were able to spend most of it sitting in the kitchen chatting while Leonie and her friends did crafty things in the front room. Had a couple of slices of Meat Feast pizza, plus a few dips in a chocolate fountain that had caused Caroline’s husband Tony a certain amount of stress in the preparation but which turned out OK in the end. Tony and Caroline told me about Cosmo, a restaurant on Friar Street that I’ve never been to but which apparently has an amazing chocolate fountain – indeed Tony had a photo of it on his phone. Perhaps it’ll have to be tried. I have reservations about ‘casual dining’ (presumably, aka help yourself buffet) but perhaps I should overcome these.

The following day I galvanised Ruth into going for a Sunday walk with the promise of early evening dinner in The Griffin afterwards. We took the 25 to Peppard Stores, the last stop on the line, and then walked up to Peppard (via the ‘ravine’ referred to in the Wikipedia piece) and turned down Church Lane to the church. Saw Henley House through the trees, according to this Geograph entry the former rectory; looks as though it was for sale a couple of years ago.  After wasting some time on a bit of footpath confusion, gave up and took a footpath leading from near the church south to Sonning Common via Spring Wood, where we passed Sedgehill Spring before coming out onto Blounts Court Road, where we went for a drink at the Butchers Arms. Ruth picked up a soggy bag of runner beans from among some for sale outside someone's garden.

Soggy runners

Barbecue

Went down to Mum and Dad’s for the August Bank Holiday weekend. Had a fairly quiet time with a wander around Abergavenny on the Saturday afternoon and a family lunch with Hannah and Henry on the Sunday. A barbecue was attempted and didn’t work badly, but then it unfortunately rained most of the time we were actually eating. Dad insisted on sitting outside claiming the air helped his breathing, so Ruth and I gamely sat out with him while the others huddled in the conservatory. Ruth took the train back to Reading on the Monday while I stayed over until the Tuesday morning, mainly to avoid the gridlock caused by the festival departure day. Mum and I went for a pleasant walk around the town house-snooping in the afternoon.

Found Harley in this entirely unacceptable position last weekend. Told him he is not a cat and should get his bum off my pillow. I blame Willow - he never jumped up on the furniture until he saw her do it.

Festival of Spirit; quiche; London delights

On the last Saturday in July took myself to the annual Peace in the Park ‘Festival of Spirit’ event held at the Global Retreat Centre, as I’d never been. As with all the GRC’s events, it’s free to attend, something I have wondered about previously. In true loving the planet and the all-seeing supreme consciousness fashion, I took the bus from Caversham to Nuneham Courtenay (about a 50-minute journey) and walked the mile up the drive of Nuneham Park to the house. The event was all very feel-good and I enjoyed a pleasant few hours, though didn’t stay beyond mid-afternoon. Going to one of the GRC's events is worth it just to get access to the lovely grounds, quite aside from anything that might be laid on, so I spent much of the time just wandering around, including doing the Tree Trail. Went to Cello in the Chapel and a guided meditation in the Higher Power Pavilion. Decided against a session with the Emergency Optimist as was put off by the queue; she was evidently striking a chord with people in need of a shot of optimism. Briefly considered some Self-Mastery Cards.

I was presented with a couple of leaflets during the course of the day, one about veganism, given out with my lunch by the caterers Veggies and one about the Compassionate Revolution. Never had any inclinations towards veganism (partly through laziness at what must be the sheer effort involved, plus probably accepting never eating out in a restaurant again, plus liking meat – the last one’s probably the deal-breaker); probably should engage with the CR but not honestly sure I will. Veggies would have more chance of converting people if they made their veggie burgers tastier; it was one of the dullest things I’d ever eaten. Bung in a bit of chilli? Salt? MSG?

Grounds of Nuneham Park

Had our Strategy & Information Office ‘Summer Event’ on the Friday afternoon prior to Peace in the Park, a day characterized by torrential rain the whole day, somewhat to my relief given that the event was scheduled to end with ‘Games’ from 3pm to 4pm and I had had nightmare visions of being corralled into some sort of team ball game (one of the finest things about leaving school, IMO, was never having to participate in one of these ever again). In the event, the ‘Games’ consisted of an amusing array of giant Jenga, giant Connect 4, skittles and similar (Twister was also brought out, but no one seemed to want to play that - probably, like me, not finding the thought of possibly ending up with nose pressed against a colleague’s thigh all that enticing). These delights were all from a large storage box in the OU’s Pavilion Bar, where the afternoon was held (NB bar not actually open).

Since Willow’s death, Harley has been re-exploring the ground floor, having been more or less banished upstairs by Willow during her residence. Ruth swears she spotted a binky in the living room during his first weekend without her. Willow was given to chasing Harley out of the living room if he dared to enter, sometimes tearing out a lump of his fur for good measure. Why they couldn't just co-exist I've no idea - unless rabbits just don't do that. But then they live in burrows in the wild. Perhaps they're so tightly packed there that resistance isn't really possible. Subsequently, Ruth appears to be wavering and on the verge of deciding that Harley may well need another companion. I am resolutely ignoring this.

As a follow up to May’s Wine Tasting Experience, Helen kindly delivered the two bottles of Calle Mayor Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 that I’d ordered as part of the communal case we bought from the company Pieroth. Now pondering a suitable occasion to drink one of them, with appropriate company, as obviously they just shouldn't be slugged back as part of relief of finishing a week's work, etc, and Ruth doesn't drink red wine (making her, to my mind, not a proper wine drinker).

As our recent purchase of a splendid new Bosch fridge-freezer made our old freezer redundant, I advertised it on Reading Freegle (Freecycle as was) at 12.30 a couple of Saturdays ago and was surprised when it was taken by just after 1pm. In fact I had four replies to the ad in the first hour. People are obviously hovering in desperation for secondhand freezers. Now worried in case one of the people I didn’t offer it to was more worthy. Tend to adopt the approach of offering it to the person who can collect first, as by the time I get around to advertising stuff I’m already at the stage of no longer wanting it under my feet.

Nia racing Daddy

Paid a flying visit to Abergavenny on the first weekend in August, partly to visit Dad who has been ill with pneumonia; Ruth came down on the train and Dave and family joined us on the Saturday. In an attempt to relieve Mum I offered to bake quiches to accompany lunch, continuing recent enthusiasm for quiche-making. Nia baked two jam tarts with offcuts of quiche pastry I gave her – she had a good go at negotiating for more pastry but I managed to resist. Alys spent some of the day on her all-singing all-dancing playmat. (At one point I went into the sitting room to find Alys gone – Dave had taken her upstairs for a nap – but the playmat still emitting relentless tinkly music, while Dad stared at it from the sofa with a “Make it stop” expression. I managed to find the off switch.) We went for a short walk down to the water meadows in the afternoon. Nia appeared not too thrilled with much of the walk, though cheered up briefly for a race with Daddy.

Learned that sadly the cutting of our black bamboo hadn’t survived. The pruned section of the other bamboo we’d donated seems to have taken well, though unfortunately Dad doesn’t seem to like that one.

After 10-hour day on Friday compiling updates and report on the National Student Survey data, had intended to do a bit more this morning but couldn’t in the end face it. My update to Judith at close of play on Friday risked turning into babbling about how I didn't feel I'd done enough, at which point she told me to go home and have a relaxing weekend. Consequently, I ignored work this morning and went out to Asda instead to purchase a mop and some drain unblocker, as the bathroom in the flat was in desperate need of a clean. I indeed know how to enjoy myself. Bathroom is now, hopefully, sparkling.

Met Violetta, from the next flat to mine, in the bin store on Friday morning. She noted how nice it was to meet a fellow resident as she'd feared there might be no one else actually alive in the building. 'Tis the way with flats mainly rented to working people, I guess - you'd have to rely on bumping into someone else in the corridor either on your way out to work (when most of us are probably not at our most conversational) or on the way home.

Had a day in London yesterday, officially to meet up with Helen, whom I don’t think I’d seen since her wedding last September, but I generally make the most of the Travelcard by going in early. Had myself breakfast at Carluccio’s (naturally) before taking a walk down through Bloomsbury and past Coram’s Fields and Great Ormond Street Hospital to find the Premier Inn that Ruth and I have booked into for my birthday next weekend. It’s close to Lamb’s Conduit Street (love London place names; no idea which part of a lamb that is ...) and comes out on High Holborn right next to the Kimchee. Walked from there down to look at the Walkie-Talkie (quite a long walk) as we may also be going there next weekend. On the way, passed the gardens in the ruins of Christ Church Greyfriars, which I'd not seen before. Then took a bus to Oxford Street and wandered around briefly before going for a cold drink in the café of The Photographers' Gallery, where Helen and I had arranged to meet. The last time I’d been there was five years ago prior to the refurb, though I have to say I think I preferred the café’s previous position on an upper floor. It served nice food though and was surprisingly uncrowded considering it’s just off Oxford Street – we got tables with ease for both lunch and afternoon tea.

We’d come to see the Shirley Baker ‘Women, Children and Loitering Men’ exhibition - fascinating photos of what looked like incredible deprivation, though Baker's point was evidently the destruction of the community life in the terraced streets that resulted from the 1960s slum clearance programmes. As a ticket gives you access to all the gallery’s exhibits we also looked round the We Want More exhibition on the top two floors, though I think all that clever visual imagery stuff might have passed over my head somewhat. After tea and some excellent chocolate cake and a gander at some of Helen's wedding photographs, we made our way out past some deafening garage music which had set up camp on Ramillies Street, me muttering in grumpy old woman fashion though I don’t think Helen was far behind. Wandered down Oxford Street a bit to prolong our chat, though I hate fighting against the crowds and eventually made Helen turn off down a side street.

We parted around 4pm, her to buy sheets in BhS and me to return to Euston. Helen and her new husband Greg have been living in one room in a house shared by seven people until quite recently, which from her descriptions sounds horrendous. Thankfully they've now moved into a flat of their own. Concluded that neither of us is suited to house-shares - though I have pondered for some while the possibility of moving into some sort of commune in later life. My boss Judith appears to be pondering a similar 'house shares for old people' type of plan. We concluded at lunch last week that there has to be a market for that. Both Ruth and previously Ray have been of the view that someone of my general anal-retentiveness and tenacious cling to personal privacy would be manifestly unsuited to any sort of shared living arrangement, but they are both of course wrong.

Various walks

River Ouzel near Woolstone

My app-aided walk motivation continues. Have been continuing the early morning walks to work, taking the bus part way and then various permutations of a quite pleasant walk along the canal and via Woolstone and Ouzel Valley Park. Have been occasionally meeting Matt en route, as he has abandoned his usual bike two days a week due to back problems. Spotted this sheep-like installation close to the Neath Hill Roundabout South bus stop.

Brief rundown of selected walks lately, with accompanying fascinating snippets:

Walk Saturday 28 March, to Whiteknights and back, about 6 miles in total 

Took a walk up to Whiteknights a few Saturdays ago intending to purchase kimchi at Seoul Plaza, though in the event it was closed – should have twigged that the university term might have ended. On the way, noticed that the former Wells Hall on Upper Redlands Road is being demolished. It has I think stood empty for a number of years. According to this blurb about the site development, the hall was built in 1974, so not sure why its age renders it no longer suitable as student accommodation given that there appear to be no plans to demolish the much older Wantage Hall on the neighbouring site. As ever, one suspects a bit of a campaign against 1960s and 1970s architecture. I always thought Wells was quite a pleasant-looking building and from memory of going into it a couple of times while I was a student at Reading, well-designed enough.  The hall as was can be viewed on this aerial pic taken from Haslams website, with Wantage Hall to the left of it in the picture:

Walk Good Friday, around Caversham and Emmer Green, about 3½ miles

Trotted out early on Good Friday to get some air before driving to Wales to see family. Wondered, as I often have, how the really quite old-looking Tudor Cottage on Surley Row must have looked before any of the much newer housing around it was built. This Geograph photo has a bit of interesting blurb. This Caversham Heritage Map mentions Tudor Cottage and notes that Surley Row “gives a glimpse of Caversham before the Industrial Revolution”.

Walk 4 April on the Clytha Estate, about 3 ½ miles 

Went for a pleasant walk on the Saturday of the Easter weekend with Ruth and my parents, starting from the Clytha riverside car park and going along the Usk for a bit and then through some attractively flower-bespattered woodland, over fields etc to the Clytha Arms, where we had lunch. After lunch we walked up the road to Clytha Castle, an ornate folly “considered one of the outstanding 18th-century follies of Wales” (surely that’s a pretty small demographic – how many are there?). It was built by William Jones of the nearby Clytha House, apparently with the purpose of 'relieving a mind afflicted with the loss of a most excellent wife'. Fair enough - who among us, after losing a loved one, hasn't wanted to rush out and build a pointy building on a hill?

The picture above right features my parents both having a bit of a snoop beyond the board that said ‘Go No Further’. Being exceptionally law-abiding, I was lurking behind it to take the picture. I think Ruth had sloped off into the woods.

Clytha Castle is available for holiday lets via the Landmark Trust and is advertised on their website thusly. Though the LT, from the random selection of properties I browsed, are not quite as expensive as I’d imagined, they are a bit up themselves for my taste, not providing televisions, radio, telephones or any similar new-fangled nonsense. Well, if one can't amuse oneself for a week's worth of evenings playing Halma and embroidering things, one presumably should buzz off to Pontins.

Walk Easter Sunday in Abergavenny, about 3 miles 

Took a bit of early morning exercise on Easter Sunday before driving to Lambourn for lunch with Ruth’s aunt. Pootled up the Monmouth Road turning into various side streets for a snoop, before completing a circular walk along the water meadows. Was struck by this imposing (and somewhat scary) house on Belmont Road, which was so odd-looking and so much bigger than the houses around it that I did a bit of Googling later to see if I could find out more about it. According to this article from Wales Online, the house is called Fairlea, and was once the childhood home of the crime writer Ethel Lina White – whom I had to confess to not having heard of, but turns out Dad’s mum was a big fan. White’s novels seem to have inspired a couple of films, one the 1946 thriller The Spiral Staircase, which Mum, Hannah and I subsequently watched last Sunday. The SS is apparently based on White’s novel Some Must Watch, and the Wales Online piece has it that the layout of the staircase at Fairlea inspired some of the scenes in the novel. (Bit sad about Dr Huw – hope he found somewhere else nice to live.) This ad via Prime Location has pics of the interior, including the staircase.

Walk before work, 24 April, about 3 ½ miles

Had to climb over a fence. Near the Middleton allotments. Am becoming ever more intrepid.

Walk with Ray to Cosgrove, Saturday 25 April, about 6 miles

Wolverton Viaduct

Ray on the aqueduct

Ray hasn’t been too well lately so I was keen not to overdo it, but he arrived yesterday full of enthusiasm to get out, so we set off up the road to Haversham and then turned left into Ouse Valley Park, where we proceeded under the viaduct and then turned right to join the Ouse Valley Way past an extensive caravan park on the other side of the river, before meeting the canal at the aqueduct. Turned right and walked northwards up the canal past a wad of boats – mainly narrowboats but a few others in addition – until we reached the junction with the ‘Buckingham Arm’, a stretch of canal apparently abandoned in 1964 but evidently now under renovation. The restoration project sounds interesting though challenging given that the A5 now blocks the route. Install a lift bridge??

Horse tunnel

We walked up as far as Cosgrove and used the horse tunnel to cross the canal and have a pootle around the village, which is quite pleasant and seems to have gone in for a Cotswold stone-type look. Unless we missed it the village doesn't have a shop, but there is a pub, The Barley Mow, where we would have gone for a drink if we hadn’t been too early. After a quick circuit of Cosgrove we retraced our steps to the aqueduct and then carried straight on along the canal back to Wolverton Park. We had a quick lunch at Buskers before Ray left to set up Maurice at Laurence's place, where he was apparently doing the overnight security.

Have spent the rest of this weekend pleasantly mooching about the flat (bar a couple of hours' shopping this morning) and enjoying the view from my balcony now that it's (almost) warm enough to sit out there. Increased numbers of narrowboats chugging past, which I assume is a sign of impending summer.