Dedham Vale is just to the North of Colchester, right on the border between Essex and Suffolk. It also happens to be an area of outstanding national beauty and as every – when you see that signifier on the map it’s worth a look. Rolling hills, winding lanes barely a car-width wide, farms, fields and streams as far as the eye can see.
Today was my last long run ahead of the Chiltern Challenge 50k in two weeks.
The original plan was to follow the North Downs Way from its start in Farnham to Dorking – however the trail isn’t marked as well as I’d anticipated and I lost it somewhere after Newland’s Corner and Dorking.
What better way to celebrate my birthday than heading out for a long run. Well, it also helps that the Chilterns 50k is but a few weeks away and I need to up my mileage if I want to stand a chance of finishing in one piece.
Continue reading “Long run: Newlands Corner to Old Woking via North Downs Way and Wey Navigation”
This weekend we travelled to Neuffen, a little town near Stuttgart famous for its ruined fort on top of a mountain, appropriately named Hohenneuffen.
We kicked off the Bank Holiday Weekend with a long run through The Sands in Surrey, with a stop over at what’s left of Waverley Abbey, the church and monastic buildings of the first Cistercian abbey in England, founded in 1128. 70 monks and 120 lay brothers lived there until the 14th century. You can find out more about Waverley Abbey on the English Heritage website.
Continue reading “Long run: 12.6 miles around The Sands with a stop over at Waverley Abbey”
For years I’ve run along the Thames Towpath between Putney and Hammersmith Bridge and I’ve never paid too much attention to little Beverly Brook that is about half way between the two bridges.
Continue reading “City trail: A pair of shoes & a little curiosity”
Bits and Bytes 