Swan Lake Park

10th May 2022

This afternoon was the first time I'd been to "Swan Lake".

Despite having lived here 32 years and it being all of a mile and a half away along the river.

Lots of wildlife, geese, ducks, swans, coots, even a deer.

Also an awful lot of men wearing waders in little green tents.

A pleasant afternoon's ramble was had.

Come for a walk in the snow.

 A Wint'ry Wildmoor Walk

Monday 8th February 2021

Lockdown local walking in the cold cold countryside.

Level Crossing Closure

Sandhurst’s local level crossing has been closed. It’s quite likely that a majority of local residents didn’t even know that there was a level crossing being that it was on a footpath in the woods. Indeed until last year neither did I until I spotted on a map that a footpath crossed the railway near Ambarrow Wood and went to take a look. I found that it was fenced off and temporary closure notices were in place. A walk up that way yesterday evening to see if it had reopened revealed that the closure was made permanent in January 2020

Harveys Public Level Crossing crosses (or rather crossed) the Reading to Guildford railway line south of Crowthorne Station on the West side of Ambarrow Court. 

Map copyright OpenStreetMap contributors

The crossing carried Sandhurst Footpath 9A across the two railway tracks on wooden boards and was protected only by iron “kissing gates” and signage warning to stop look and listen for trains. Around 80 trains pass this point each day at up to 70mph, although most will be going slower due to the closeness of Crowthorne Station. There is good visibility up and down the line in both directions.

I can’t find any record online of any incidents at the location but Network Rail seem to have a policy of seeking to close as many level crossings as they can anyway.

Footpath 9A and its crossing also formed part of the long distance Three Castles Path between Windsor Castle and Winchester Castle (the third being Odiham).

As a result this path is now half a mile longer, it being necessary to walk up one side of the line, cross over on Kiln Bridge, and walk back down the other side to regain the route. It’s not an unpleasant diversion but probably not as interesting as a pedestrian level crossing.

The crossing from Kiln Bridge to the north.

The crossing from the Ambarrow Court side.

Official closure notice.

Footpath diversion route.

So now we no longer have a level crossing. Few will miss it I suppose. 

I wonder how long it will take the council to remove the Public Footpath fingerpost sign that still points through the chainlink fence across the railway tracks on the eastern side?

Rail Travel

Today I made the mistake of thinking that traveling by train from Sandhurst was a practical proposition. All I wanted to do was visit Oxford for a day out. This should be a journey of around an hour via Reading but unfortunately the GWR* timetable is a work of fantasy fiction.

Having walked the mile in light drizzle to Sandhurst Station,which has no facilities whatsoever, you can't even buy a ticket and should really revert to it's former, less pretentious title Sandhurst Halt I was greeted by the sight of a display showing that the 0953 train was expected at 1000. No, wait 1001. No, hang on, make that 1002. And counting...

And in the distance I saw... nothing much.

An attempt to check the situation using GWR's web site revealed that it was actually slower than it's trains but using the National Rail site instead revealed that "this service is disrupted" and "you probably won't make your connection". Given the lack of ticketing facilities at the station and that previous experience of GWR "train managers"** suggests they'd rather hide in the cab abusing themselves**** than come out and sell you a ticket, there was no "probably" about it. Having to queue at the excess fares window at Reading like some potential criminal*** would ensure that the onward journey would be further disrupted. I'm not sure I'm up to the stress of that sort of challenge on my day off.

So, what to do? Pointless waiting for a train that if it ever came (I once waited on that platform for two hours while they kept promising and cancelling services) wouldn't get me where I wanted to go at the time I wanted to go there. Walk back home and get the car out I suppose.

Except now I'm not sure I can be arsed. Perhaps the Ashmolean will have to wait for another day. A day that won't involve fucking useless GWR.

Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

*As First Great Western have now decided to rename themselves in a desperate attempt to garner some of the glamour of railway's "Golden Age".
** What was wrong with the title "Guard"?
*** Which is how GWR regard their passengers, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34708944
**** That's a guess but as good a guess as any.

Sunday Dog Walk to the balancing pond.

Ok, it's not that far, Grace doesn't do far any more, a little under 2 miles.

On the positive side I did spot the Kingfisher by the pond for the first time albeit briefly. Much too briefly for any chance of a photo.

Also with excellent timing made it home just before the rain started.

Link to GPX file for anyone interested in the route.

I can't work out...

If the workers installing it went home early or whether this is what passes for entertainment in Sandhurst today.

Similarly confused as to why two teenaged lads were walking past here last night carrying bunches of smouldering paper? Perhaps they'd forgotten how to make fire like the alleged native Americans who carried it from camp to camp.

'Orrible Stuff!

Snow Feb 2nd 2009

Afternoon Stroll

Wildmoor Heath












Wildmoor Heath












Pylons across Wildmoor Heath












Footbridge across the railway, Little Sandhurst