Paxton Pits revisited, Cambridgeshire

Last time we visited Paxton Pits, it was a cold, wet, dull day so we wanted to go back to see if the weather had tainted our views. Ali however likes the fact that last time we were tramping through mud, but I didn't and I wasn't looking forward to going back. But, you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, or becuase the sun is shining as I completely take it back, it's quite a gem. The sun was blazing on a February day, surprisingly it was snowing just a few weeks ago.

We took the Heron trail, 2 miles long passing lakes, a marina, gravel paths, a sand quarry...And we actually went the right way around following the signs. Not too many people, but the free car park was full by the time we got back. Ok provision of poo bins which is always a bonus. But I've definitly changed by views of Paxton Pits, it's quite a gem.

Alone in Monks Wood, Cambridgeshire

If you haven't looked on the Natural England website, then you are missing out. They have so many great walks. Todays visit was to Monks Wood, Cambridgeshire, a nature reserve. And as it's just you and nature...no parking fee. The instructions tell you to park in a layby close to the entrance but alas you can only get 3 cars on there...but as there were only 4 of us in the woods, we were fine.

A wide range of tree and shrub species are found in the reserve, including field maple, aspen, hawthorn, hazel, guelder rose, wayfaring tree, spindle, privet, blackthorn and dogwood. We followed the butterfly trail but alas, we are a bit early. It took about an hour to walk around, and we only saw one other dog the entire time. It was a bit soggy under foot but it felt very natural, no playgrounds, no cafe area...but the compromise is no poo bins so guess what Ali had to carry all the way around the walk.

We love Northamptonshire Country Parks

Fermyn Woods is in the heart of Rockingham Forest in Northamptonshire. We seem to be loving the Shires and certainly working our way around them. We love the Northamptonshire website, each country park has a downloadable map and clear signs. It's worth the 45 minute drive to get there. Fermyn Woods has a lot in a small space, and is quite understated on the website. There is a cafe, a huge adventure play area and some gorgeous trails that are clearly marked. £2.50 for car parking again but today I think it's worth it. It's similar to Aspley Woods in that it feels like it's just you and the trees, but with clear signage. We will be back.

Irchester Country Park in the drizzle

Today we visited Irchester Country Park, about 50 minutes from St Neots but the Northamptonshire council website is amazing, they each have maps for the walks and colour coded trails so we are working our way through the country parks. £2.50 was a bit steep, but we started our walk when it was spitting. This former ironstone quarry has a wonderful children's play area as well as a network of long and short trails through 83 hectares of mixed woodland. The park is home to the Quarryman's Rest Cafe, Jungle Parc UK and the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway museum.

We walked past the quarry and viewpoint..into the quarry. The best bit was the sign saying danger. Spitting then turned into drizzle that turned into full blown rain. It was ok until we got about 2 thirds around and went the wrong way, but this time I was getting grumpy and just wanted to be dry. In the dry, it must be gorgeous, it has a troll bridge, multiple tree plantations, ponds, play area, cafe...but all I wanted was to be warm. A gorgeous park but sadly you can hear the road all the way through the trails so it doesn't feel so isolated.

Walking the ice at Barnwell Park, Northamptonshire

Barnwell Park in the Nene Valley, just outside Peteborough has 15 hectares of meadow, rivers and lakes. £2:50 for car park, this well managed country park has abundant poo bins, always a dog owners treat. We walked around the outside of the riverside walk, luckily they had a great pdf map on their website. Trouble was that it has now gone above freezing point, which means all of the snow is turning to slush and ice so we didn't see much on the walk as we had to watch our feet. The circular walk is only a mile long, past multiple frozen lakes. We did the inner route too, past an amazing adventure playground. Until last month the park had a full time shop, but cut backs has meant it has closed it's doors. But it was very pleasant, they have lots of things to do such as nature trails. One problem, it's a long way to go for only an hours walk. But on the way back we found an interesting place name to add to the list - lazy acre.

Wandering through Narnia (Wandlebury Park)

It felt like we were wandering through Narnia as we wandered through Wandlebury Park on the edge of Cambridge. 110 acres of woodland and chalk grasslands in the snow. Not just a sprinkling of snow but ankle deep snow all over. It was like walking into Narnia, I expected to see Mr tumnus any minute. Only problem with the park is that there are no maps except at the entrance, nor any poo bins. However, it had plenty of trails and you can't get too lost. We walked by a gorgeous building, had to get Sailor thorugh a kissing gate which he did with a lot of ease actually. We were pretty much on our own for the entire walk, on a gorgeously sunny day, walking through snow. What better.

Musings of a commuter - stop eating MacDonalds on trains

Its happened again, I'm a eating macdonalds on the train magnet. To be honest I'd rather have a chicken tikka masala eater next to me than the waft of macdonalds being trapped in an enclosed space while my tummy is grumbly.

Bad seat choice today, I keep bashing knees with the woman in front, the mans foot has hit my legs a number of times. Commuter trains aren't made for people over 5 foot, and the heater is so high its burning my leg.

I find the difference between commuters in the morning and evening interesting, they look disevelled now, few on their blackberries, most reading...or wwating macdonalds.

As I was the first on the train, you would have hought that I might have made a seat choice than next to the toilet. I'm just hoping nobody goes so they don't open the door to release the waft of public toilets.

Today is also a bad fashion moment, having gone from home where we still have snow, to Bristol that has none, the boots ansd skirt combo could have been overkill but it won't be long until I'm less fashion victim, more snow pro.

Snow balls in St Neots

I do love it when the United Kingdom comes to a standstill when it snows. What we thought would be a sprinkling actually turned out to be 4 inches of snow blanket. Sailor seemed to find it hilarious to run around and leap about. It makes his wee spots much more visible too. Trouble is that he seems to like snowmen as his toilet stop. We walked to the woods with Phil. Why oh why did i not learn to throw. I was covered in snow from the never ending snowballs he threw. I think I hit him once. I was starting to resemble a snowman! Can't wait to see what chaos this causes tomorrow when people venture to work.

Shingay cum Wendy and Grantchester

I never know what to expect when Phil asks me to visit a place. In the past I've visited rocks in the ground (temple of Mithras) in London, I've got lost in Swansea, I've trekked up and down a hill looking for Caitlin Thomas' grave when it was actually on the back of Dylan Thomas' gravestone, I've been rescued by a coastguard in Jamaica and ben to an outdoor museum in Berlin...so when he asked to visit Grantchester becuase of Rupert Brooke, I couldn't wait.

We should have realised there was a clue before we visited, and that was the fact it was really hard to find anything about it on the world wide wide. My favourite bit was the text on the Orhcard tea gardens website stating "Deckchairs should always be correctly positioned before sitting down. If in doubt ask. Never reposition the chair whilst seated. Never stand up or fool around on the deckchairs -they can bite! " What type of place were we going to with biting deck chairs!

So, off we went to Grantchester, close to the centre of Cambridge. We first visited the Brooke Museum to the left of the car park (it stated this multiple time). I think museum might be an over statement for a long shed but it had some lovely pictures of Rupert and the Grantchester group - Rupert Brooke (a poet), Russell and Wittgenstein (philosophers), Forster and Virginia Woolf (novelists), Keynes (an economist), and Augustus John (an artist).

After the museum, it was time for tea and cake. We walked through the Orchard tea gardens, noting the signs that you should not adjust the deckchairs while seated. Who would do that? How? We tested the deck chairs in -4 degrees, then walked through grantchester trying to find the Old Vicarage. We found the church with memorial, a very english church with wooden door. You can imagine what it smells like. Then we walked to the Red Lion, a gorgeous thatched pub, however it has been taken over by a chain so off we went to the Rupert Brooke instead to warm up while googling where the old vicarage is.

I consider myself to be an ok googler, but oh my gosh there is limited information on Grantchester and the location of the Old Vicarage...later we found out there is a reason for this. It's right next door to the tea gardens where our journey started, just the other way! So, we eventually found it, home to Jeffrey and Mary Archer, with Victorian post box, unique letter box and Rupert Brooke statue in the grounds (Mary is a Rupert fan and wrote a book that we followed).

We continued to the Old Mill, over the frozen river and then back to the car for a country drive back. Something I love about Britain, the very strange twon names. Today's - Shingay cum Wendy. I kid you not, it was went Shingay and Wendy merged but why oh why would you put that word in the middle to join the words?