In Search of Space, in Hook

Well, not as promised, but possibly as expected I have once again neglected my blog. I have recently started a new job and the first couple of weeks have been a little hectic, getting used to my new commute, and orientating myself around the work. I had hoped to travel by train, but after the first week it became clear that it would take twice as long as driving so reluctantly I have abandoned public transport and taken to my car.

I've managed a couple of lunchtime wanders from my new work location in Hook. The first couple of wanders were simply to stretch my leas and get some lunch, and were not particularly inspiring, but more recently I found a footpath that I'd spotted on google maps, and discovered a more rural setting, and as the title of my blog insists, some space. I only managed a short wander, but this route definitely calls for a bit more exploration, in both directions.

Anyone who has read my blog before will know that I'm a bit of a sucker for railway bridges, especially ones no longer in use, and whilst this one is most definitely in use, carrying the main line between Basingstoke and Waterloo, the bridge is an old brick arch, which is very much to my liking.

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire 

Farm track off Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire 

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire

Tomorrow I'm off to London, so with a bit of luck I'll get an opportunity for some early morning urban wandering before my meeting, so maybe this week will see another blog post ... but then again maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.

In other news, I am desperately trying to find time and energy to read a book I got for my birthday last year called Timekeepers, How The World Became Obsessed With Time, by Simon Garfield, partly because I want to finish reading the book, but also so I can start on a more recent purchase, Post Punk Then and Now.

  

A Wander Along the River Thames near Reading, Berkshire

I thought twice about posting these pictures as although, to my mind, the subject matter is interesting, the sky was overcast and the photos do not perhaps give the impression I was hoping for. However, I eventually managed to persuade myself to share them. They were all taken on the short stretch of the River Thames between Thames Valley Business Park and Reading. It's got a gasometer, a railway bridge, a water tower and a ghost sign ... what more could one ask for.

So let's start with a ghost sign, on what I assume was a former pub, or maybe an off licence.

SIMONDS ALES & STOUT, WINES & SPIRITS

Ghost sign of former pub along the River Thames, near Reading

And now on to various pictures of the gasometer against an unfortunately dull and dreary sky. Although looking as though it's seen better days, the railway bridge in the foreground of this picture is still in use and carries the line south from Reading. Just peeking out behind the gasometer a water tower makes its presence known.

Gasometer and railway bridge, near Reading, Berkshire

The next couple of pictures give a better view of both the gasometer and the water tower.

Gasometer and water tower, near Reading, Berkshire

Gasometer and water tower, near Reading, Berkshire

Perhaps not obvious in the previous pictures, but these structures are massive, as the next couple of shots hopefully illustrate. And for anyone with an interest in gasometers, I can highly recommend the book London's Lost Power Stations and Gasworks.

Gasometer near Reading, Berkshire

Gasometer near Reading, Berkshire

    

Walking, woods, edgelands and metro-land (summer holiday reading)

A bit of a change of style for my latest post, but still roughly on the same topics. I am, I must admit, a very slow reader, and I go through stages of reading lots and then perhaps don't pick up a book again for a few months. My reading list however over the past few weeks, including some time on holiday where I truly managed to shut off and relax for a while, needless to say had a wandering and psychogeographical element to it. 

Richard Mabey - The Unofficial Countryside

Robert MacFarlane - The Old Ways, A Journey on Foot

Richard Mabey - A Good Parcel of English Soil

Roger Deakin - Wildwood, A Journey Through Trees

The Unofficial Countryside was, amazingly to me, written back in 1973. A forerunner perhaps to the much more recent Edgelands by Paul Farley and Michael Symmons Roberts, The Unofficial Countryside chronicles the countryside outside of recognised national parks, the areas between towns and the official countryside, the edgelands. Growing up myself in a London Metro-land suburb in the 1970's, many of the descriptions are familiar to me and left me with a strong urge to revisit the playgrounds of my youth. It brought back in particular one vivid memory of a road bridge on the West End Road at Ruislip Gardens, over the Yeading Brook, just next to the tube station, beneath which there were two small tunnels which carried the brook under the road. You had to climb over the small bridge wall to access the brook at that point, and I'm sure 40 years later that access is almost certainly much more restricted. I remember one of the tunnels was straight and you could clearly see light at the other end. The other had a bend towards the right in it, and it took some courage for a 7 or 8 year old to brave walking into the darkness. Happy days though.

A Good Parcel of English Soil is one of the short books published as a series to commemorate 150 years of the London Underground. This book took me back to my childhood even more than The Unofficial Countryside. Its descriptions of parks, territories, gangs (of a much more innocent nature than today's) was spot on and could have been straight out of my after school and weekend exploits around Ruislip. It's also inspired me to visit areas of Metroland like Chesham, Rickmansworth, etc., that I've never been to. I just need to find the time. I was so impressed by the first book in this series I have just ordered the box set.

Robert MacFarlane's Old Ways didn't bring back any memories in the same way as Richard Mabey's books did, but it did inspire me to get out and about, and take more notice when I'm walking in non-urban areas. I rarely give a thought as to the age or purpose of a footpath, byway or bridleway when I'm walking or cycling along it.

I'm still only halfway through Wildwood, so will possibly comment on that one another time.

    

Rural cycling - Hampshire/Berkshire borders

The awful weather at the end of last week, plus the imminent nearing of the end of the financial year, meant that any plans for another Urban Wander last week were put on hold. Well, actually that's not strictly true as I did wander the streets of London after work, but it was wet and dark, so needless to say I have no pictures of that wander.

I did however force myself to get out on my mountain bike today, and despite the cold, damp and foggy start to the day I ended up having quite a satisfying 18 mile ride, and have hopefully burnt off some calories following last night's gastro-extravaganza at a friends house. As I mentioned though, the weather was not too great so I had pretty much given up hope of taking any photos, but a bit of brightness on the homeward leg allowed me to get this quick shot of the Hampshire-Berkshire boundary post. I was pleased that I didn't have any litter in this picture, which is sadly more than I can say for many of the lanes I cycled down, which were strewn with fast food wrappers, paper coffee cups, sandwich wrappers, crisp packets, and tin cans. To make matters worse, the hedge rows had been recently trimmed  and a lot of the litter was now shredded and sodden, making it a near impossible task for the parish litter wardens to clear it up.

County Boundary post between Hampshire and Berkshire

Also this week, on the days I have taken the train into London, I have been wondering more and more what it would be like to travel the other way which would involve taking the train to Taunton instead of London. In recent times I think I've only been west on the line as far as Hungerford, although more years ago than I care to remember we travelled from Paddington to Castle Cary for the Glastonbury Festival, but I don't remember much about the journey.

In other news, as a self-confessed slow reader, I am still working my way through both Brendon Chase and Lights Out for the Territory, although have not found enough time to make a lot of progress this week.

    

Autumn leaves

After delivering one of my kids to a football match last weekend on the outskirts of Reading, between Sulham and Tilehurst, I managed a short walk before kick-off. The ground was wet underfoot, and impassable in places, so I had to be careful where I trod. I'd never been to this area before so it was quite a pleasant surprise. The only downside was that the M4 motorway could be heard despite being a mile away.

 Autumn, near Reading

Autumn, near Reading

Autumn, near Reading