The Wednesday Walk 30th December 2009

The Plan

Meet at Sue's for a short walk from Whitecliff to Poole

The Leader

Wendy

Who Turned Up

Wendy, Sue, Tricia, Beatrice, Trudy, Tony H and David.

The Walk

The weather being seasonably wet, we were in no hurry to get our feet pounding the sodden ground, so opted for a short walk that would have the benefit of cover when we got to Poole. For cover, ladies, read shoe shops. We gathered at Sue's house and then drove to Tricia's for morning coffee. Trudy joined us there. Diane and Tony, sorry you were unable to be with us because of Tony's back trouble. Refreshed after our coffee, we drove to Whitecliff and walked along the harbour shore to Poole. With no wind, the water was calm as a millpond. We inspected a number of eateries in Poole before opting to try the Italian restaurant on the quay.

After lunch we wandered up through the town and then went on through Poole Park. Some diversion was provided by the exercise machines situated within the park, This is where the fit and active walkers demonstrated just how fit they really were. See the pictures above for evidence. Finally, we drove back to Sue's for tea, mince pies and Christmas cake. Many thanks, Sue.

The Restaurant

Italian Gossip on Poole Quay. The deal was two courses for £6.95. The food was very nicely prepared and presented. The amount on the plate varied from "just about enough" to "not enough" depending upon the dish chosen. Obviously they are not in compettion with the pies at the Foresters!

The Wednesday Walk 16th December 2009

The Plan

The Christmas Lunch walk

The Leader

Wendy

Who Turned Up

(For the walk) Wendy, Trudy, Trisha, Beatrice, Ros, Tony H, Sue and David

The Walk

Not so much a "Winter Wonderland" walk, more a "Light Snow on your Nose" ramble through muddy woodland. We drove to Fiddleford Manor where we left the cars and set out through the woodland towards The Bull at Sturminster. The air was freezing but the ground was easy going to start with. Once we got into the woods we met up against slushy mud, and we handn't gone far before it started snowing. Wendy called it a blizzard and Ros called it a flurry. Take your pick. There were light moments and there were one or two heavier falls, but neither settled on the ground. The outdoor scene (above) was photographed during a snowfall, but the snow doesn't show up. We arrived at the pub nicely in time with the ten others who were joining us for our Christmas celebrations, including our two Sahara trekkers safely back in the UK! After lunch, the two drivers were taxied back to there cars and the walking party removed to Beatrice and Tony's for afternoon tea.

The Pub

The Bull at Sturminster Newton. Ros had booked the party in advance and our table was set out in what had once been the skittles alley but was now revamped for diners. The atmosphere was very pleasant and the company was good. Most importantly, there was a general agreement that the meal was excellent. Well done, Ros.

Next Week

Meet at Sue's for a walk along the shore

The Wednesday Walk 8th December 2009

The Plan

To walk from Coy Pond to the shore

The Leader

Wendy

Who Turned Up

Wendy, Sue, Ros, Trudy and David

The Walk

The day promised better weather than last week. We drove to Coy Pond, left the car beside the top end of the gardens and set off towards Bournemouth. As the walk was generally more civilised than usual we didn't bother with our boots or trekking gear. The gardens held a surprising array of colourful blooms that, by rights, should not be visible at this time of the year. We saw fuschias, roses, hydrangias and even - would you believe it - a large strawberry tree pregnant with fruit. (See picture above). There were other flowers as well, but space (and botanical knowledge) restricts the ones I can list. We had a short break in Bournemouth for morning coffee (and cakes!) courtesy of M&S. It's not just coffee, it's M&S coffee!!! Then we walked along the shore from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe pier and had our lunch in the Harvester at Boscombe. We had a table with a view out over the sea and, during lunch, we came to the conclusion that the surfing waves were better alongside the two piers than in the vicinity of the mega-bucks artificial surf reef. I'm sure someone must be able to explain that.

After lunch, we took the cliff-top path back along the shore and stopped for a short while in Bournemouth to see what bargains were on offer in Borders' Book Shop. We did experience a short spell of light rain on our walk back up through the gardens, but nothing that would deter hardy walkers. Finally, we enjoyed tea and home-baked cake at Trudy's.

The Pub

The Harvester at Boscombe Pier. This was the first time we have eaten here. It was a standard Harvester Pub with the standard early bird deal and free salad. The chips could have been hotter but, otherwise, the food was okay. No pies were consumed.

Next Week

We shall be having our Christmas Lunch at the Bull, Sturminster Newton.

The Wednesday Walk 2nd December 2009

The Plan
To walk from Delph Woods to Corfe Mullen

The Leader
Wendy

Who Turned Up
Wendy, Trisha, Ros, Sue, Trudy and David

The Walk
It wasn't so much a walk as half a walk and a cold shower. We made the wise decision to position Sue's car at the Lamb's Green pub before we set off walking from Delph Woods. Very soon it started to rain and it didn't actually stop raining before we got to the pub. Okay, it wasn't too heavy by comparison to what came down later, but it was wet. Having said that, the chosen route always was a good walk and we tried to enjoy being out in the open. Nevertheless, we were all feeling a little bedraggled when we reached the pub.
As we were finishing our lunch we saw that the rain had increased from 'steady' to 'heavy'. Trish and Ros decided to chance a walk back to the Delph Woods car park while the rest of the group opted to go back in Sue's car. When we got to the pub door and saw just how heavy the rain had become, the two keen walkers decided to opt out also. That was a very wise move as the 'heavy' rain turned to 'total cloudburst' within five minutes.
Back at Wendy's we enjoyed a nice cup of tea and cakes.

The Pub
The Lamb's Green at Corfe Mullen. The food was good and the open chicken pie was judged to be well up to standard. They also had a special deal with a main course at £5.95 and a soup or sweet for an extra £2. Sadly, we didn't finish either Wendy's or Trisha's crossword. (Trisha - the answer to 1 across is Out of Range!)

Next Week
We will meet at Trudy's for a walk from Coy Pond to the shore.