Issue No.14 • February 2007 •   HTML version downloads faster • Optional full-size photos 

The free Newsletter and Walk Diary for BLISSTERS Social Walking Group

Copies are available during walks or from the Whistle Stop public house

New Year - New Weather - New Ideas ?

Since Christmas we have accomplished several Sunday walks we previously had to cancel or cut short due to weather conditions.

Thanks to Mary K’s enthusiasm, a sizeable group enjoyed a pleasant walk in and around Alresford on New Year’s Eve, this time completing the intended route, followed by lunch at The Swan in the town centre. The riverside path past the Eel House was still unfortunately closed - reason enough to repeat this excellent walk in the future.

Although New Year’s Day brought welcome sunshine, conditions underfoot dictated a change from the published walk along the Old Coach Road to an invigorating ramble along Riverside, across Longmoor Inclosure, over Warren Hill and back via Rake Road. Exhilarated, most of the group undid all their good exercise with Robin’s naughty but nice New Year Brunch. Thanks to Pam and Ken for this impromptu but rewarding day out.

The following Sunday, lack of support led to cancellation of the published walk, also scheduled for Longmoor. Perhaps we’d seen enough of that landscape for a while.

Eight walkers, again headed by Mary K, were rewarded with a beautiful day that could hardly have been better for our return visit to Beauworth. This time we could actually see the splendid distant views across rolling countryside, we visited Beauworth Church, walked across freshly sown fields, through parkland and charming village streets, and rounded it all off with a good meal at Milbury’s pub. It was well worth persevering, Mary - and one to repeat, particularly for the benefit of those who didn’t make it this trip.

January 21st brought more glorious walking weather and the Surprise Local Walk was voted another Longmoor visit by several who’d never been before. Well worth while, and our reward was a steaming bowl of Scotch Broth waiting for us at the Whistle Stop.







January’s final Sunday again greeted us with brilliant sunshine and at last we made it to the Chichester Ship Canal. In the crisp, clear morning air the view from our starting point took in the beautiful view of the Canal stretching northwards with the Cathedral towering above the skyline.

Past the busy waterfowl, past the angling competition, beyond the children canoeing, the tow-path led us to the Canal Basin where our advance party was already tucking into tea and biscuits! While some made a detour to the city centre, the rest retraced their footsteps. We all stopped for a meal on the way back.

Perhaps, the less said about that the better !










Sunday Away-Day walks have long been an integral and popular core ingredient of our activities and many of you often suggest new ideas. Why not take it that bit further, by pre-walking a route and putting it forward, so you can share the fun of planning a visit to your new destination with all of us ?

Towards Another Successful Year

Hopefully, we’ve seen the worst the weather can throw at us for a while . . . We shall see! Well done all of you who braved the wind and rain during the last few weeks to take part in our regular weekday morning walks, keeping them going, whatever the conditions.

Thanks also to all those of you who made the festive season so successful for the Group and happy for each other by exchanging gifts, Christmas cards and all-round good spirit.

We finally made it into the local newspaper for the first time since we started, with the photo taken during our Christmas Lunch. May there be many more occasions when we can say the same. With your enthusiasm and support we can all look forward to a healthy year ahead packed full of interesting activities.

If you have ideas for new social events, visits, holidays, weekends away, whatever, let us know. If you’re prepared to organise those activities, or to get them off the ground, so much the better. As an informal Group we need to be able to share some of the responsibility for keeping it going.

Beauworth Village and Church













Oh - YES - It did all get eaten!