Southampton

End of financial year at work and I finally get some well deserved rest (well at least I think so). I decided on a visit to Southampton to see my brother and his wife and here is some of what we got up to:

Saturday afternoon we set out for a camp site in the New Forest.



Above: Claire in Rollie (the camper van) - the adventure begins!

Saturday evening we ate expensive but tasty food at the nearby pub.



Above: Mark & Claire at The Three Tons

Sunday morning was spent lounging around in the sun.



Above: Me doing the crossword.

Sunday afternoon we went to Mudeford - an interesting place full of beach huts out on a limb. We could only get there by foot or road train (we chose to put one foot in front of the other several thousand times).



Above: Mudeford beach huts.



Above: My SIL with her BIL (Sister/Brother-in-law!).

On this walk we saw a few Swallows, Sand Martins, Meadow Pipits, Godwits, Shelduck, Little Egret, Oystercathers, Dunlin and Redshank.

Then we came back home, ate a Roast tea and played a computer quiz game that called me slow...

Monday morning and I set out on a bike ride north from Southampton on the cyclepath/footpath alongside the River Itchin. According to local legend, you're not supposed to go swimming in the Itchin because you come out a Scratchin'!

An hour later when I was supposed to be turning round and going back for lunch, and no longer in the area that the OS map shows, I decided to find out where I was near to. 5 minutes later after a change of direction (off the footpath and onto the road) I found a village and a sign saying Winchester was only 4.1 miles away. Decision made, I was going to have lunch in Winchester.

Ate a nice meal in the Slug & Lettuce, did some shopping and cycled back. I showered, changed and was shuffled out the door to visit Lakeside Country Park in Eastleigh:



Above: Mallard ducklings - my first of the year. Presumably this brood has already been depleted from the original number hatched.



Above: My little brother finally learning to run after 30 years!



Above: Me pulling the strings on a stunt kite.

Liverpool beat Man City 3-0 in the Monday night match that we watched at the pub. Good result.

This morning was a bit lazy but we went to Keyhaven Salt Marshes with a picnic for lunch and an afternoon stroll around the 4km walk.



Above: A Turnstone. A digiscoped image (Opticron scope, Panasonic camera). I'm rather pleased with this one.



Above: Spot the 3 Turnstones. Taken by my brother on his Nikon and zoom lens.



Above: Me with my scope.

I'm going back to Bedford tomorrow before I get maimed by my SIL for telling one to many jokes and/or puns!