Monday 1st March 2010

Walk and Ride

It is the 1st March, not quite the official start of spring, but the weather is looking better, a clear blue sky, and bright sunshine.

Once the chore of doing some food shopping is out of the way, it is about 11:00am and I suggest we get ourselves out and enjoy the day.

Kathleen has made tentative soundings about joining in with the "Boys' Walks" on Wednesdays. I have tried gently to point out to her, that although I am absolutely sure she can stand the pace, she may have to make other adjustments (ie perhaps she will not be in charge). This is relevant later, bear with me.

So it is decided that today we will doing a walk which makes use of our "free" metro pass (before the expected government spending cuts take them away). The plan is to take the Metro to South Hylton, from where we will walk home via Cox Green. I have not actually done this before, so I am not sure how far it is, but I manage to sound convincing enough that no questions are asked at this stage.

Lunch is packed into the backpack, and off we go to catch the Metro at Brockley Whins.

As we travel towards South Hylton, the problems start.

First complaint I have a few spots of mud on the backpack, from a previous outing. I point out, Lesson 1, if she is to join in with the "Boys' Walk", she has to learn to put up with a bit of mud without complaining.

Second, she starts asking probing questions about how far the walk is to be, and suggesting ways of shortening it. Lesson two (for the "Boys' Walk"). You do not question the route. If the walk leader (ie the person with the book or map), suggests a "short cut" which it turns out is longer than the original route, you do not complain. It so happens I have neglected to bring the map, but I know (roughly) where we are going, so (metaphorically) I am in charge.

We arrive at South Hylton and leave the Metro, walking down the hill towards the River Wear and the Golden Lion pub, then west along the south bank of the River, under the A19 road bridge. You have to admit it looks very pretty, and it is a beautiful day.

Now the questions start about how far it is to Cox Green (and the only bridge we can use to cross the River). "Just around the next bend" I answer. I do not actually know it at this point, but it is just under four miles away. Most of the track is fine for walking on, not too muddy despite the recent snow, ice and rain we have had. But we do come to a particularly soggy bit just before Cox Green Golf Course. We have to climb on the fence and walk along the fence planks to avoid walking in six inches of squelchy mud.

Not a word of complaint, full marks.

We happen upon a seat by the track, and stop to eat our lunch. "where are the napkins?" asks Kathleen as I unpack the food and flask from the backpack. Napkins!, Napkins!, this is training for the "boys' walk" I tell her, the boys don't take napkins with them!

Two (or maybe three) bends in the River later, and you will observe, still no sign of Cox Green village, or a bridge. My morale boosting comments of "it's not far now", "almost there", "we should be there soon" etc, are not well recieved.

Eventually the Bridge at Cox Green comes into sight.

Harmony returns.

We cross the bridge, and turn east along the North bank of the river, following a well marked cycle track / pathway, through woods, past a Northumbria Water Office building, and then past the Wildfowl Centre. Continuing along the signposted cycle track / pathway, to Low Barmston, then over a bridge which takes us over the A1231 Washington Highway, past the Nissan Training Centre, along Cherry Blossom Way, to emerge on the road past the main Nissan Factory. This is retracing part of the "Walk to Durham" route, you may recognise. Cross over the A19 at the Nissan flyover and then follow the track alongside the A19, to the Mill Garage BMW dealer, and home.

On checking the map, we have walked ten miles.
Not a word of dissent (well almost not a word), 8 / 10 I think.

Democracy in Action

Just noticed this in our local authority website:

Labour candidate Ken Stephenson has been elected to represent the Primrose ward on South Tyneside Council.

The ward's 6,307 electors went to the polls today (Thursday 25th February) in a by-election following the sudden death of Labour Councillor Barrie Scorer in December.

The results are as follows:

Ken Stephenson (Labour) 854

Pete Hodgkinson (British National Party) 566
Aaron Luke (Independent) 213
David Alan Rice (Independent) 174
Anthony James Lanaghan (Conservative) 124

Susan Heather Troupe (Liberal Democrat) 100

The turnout for this election was 32.25% and Labour win with a 288 majority.

Nice to see "democracy" in action, the "winner" is elected with only 13.5% of the people elegible to vote actually voting for him. Worryingly the BNP are a close second.

Election Posters