Random Pointless fact of the day

[Reg Smeeton]

I was never much of a walker, but you can go on those swan pedal boat things in Exeter. I presume it's on the River Exe. 3 of us went on and drank Pimms out the bottle. I had an exam the next day. I think it was one of the years I passed.

 Its not too late,  the Exe estuary is one of my favourite places for bird watching.   At least you knew you had an exam the next day....the    trick, is not to know, until someone mentions you have an exam that day.

[flammableBen]

I'm not smooth enough for that to work out, and I'd already failed that year once. Happy times though.

I like to think back on those times as care free and fun, but in reality I spent a good proportion of it panicking about how I was failing my degree. Although never enough panic to do anything about it. The day in my last year when I finally admitted to myself that I'd pretty much gone past the point of it being worth worrying about was a happy one.

On a more related note; when drunkenly trying to get back to halls from one of the pubs/clubs on the quay, keeping an eye on the river was a good bet when making your way over the maze of roundabouts and main roads.

Or you could risk the walk via town for some kebabery action.

[Reg Smeeton]

 *bump*  can I pick the brains of Dave, the guru on all matters Ray? Or any other norvern dwellers.

 Out walking today  Yeovil  thought I'd explore a bit of the Ray, now as a southerner, I don't get out that way too often, the last time in fact I was following the old railway from roughly South Cerney. On that walk to my dismay, the railway route got obliterated by Priory Vale, in a jumble of roads....at the time something called Moulden Hill, was earmarked for a country park.

So today I thought I'd avoid the road mess, and followed the North Wilts canal, which even had a small aquaduct at one point over the Ray...this led me into what I took to be Moulden Hill and what a pleasant surprise it was...now I figured that it should be possible to wander around this and meet up with the railway.  This used to be walkable no probs, but I ran out of time having to walk back to OT, I know the S and C have some plans for extending to Moulden Hill....is anything happening with that?

Is it possible to follow the Ray up to the S and C station, even though no paths are marked on maps?

[Bogus Dave]

S and C?

[Samdy Gray]

Swindon and Cricklade, Daffyd.

[Bogus Dave]

I have no clue what that is, let alone where it is. Sorry reg.

[Samdy Gray]

A quick look on Google maps suggests it's possible, Reg.

[Simon Pieman]

Simon Cox followed his 'offside' goal against Hereford this season with a fine hattrick against Northampton.

[Bogus Dave]

Are you sure? He still wont score another.

I think i may know what your on about come to think of it. Is it by a little hill/ridge in the road. I rode my bike past it once back in t'day. I went on all the little roads though, not sure about walking there.

[Reg Smeeton]

Are you sure? He still wont score another.

I think i may know what your on about come to think of it. Is it by a little hill/ridge in the road. I rode my bike past it once back in t'day. I went on all the little roads though, not sure about walking there.

Oh well...no harm done by asking...sometimes you can't beat a little local knowledge.

 I might ride my bike out there sometime for a further exploration.

[Bogus Dave]

As i remember it i rode to purton and then tried to go to cricklade and got lost. It was a long time ago though, so memory may have dimmed since then. Hope that helps

[Reg Smeeton]

As i remember it i rode to purton and then tried to go to cricklade and got lost. It was a long time ago though, so memory may have dimmed since then. Hope that helps

OK I'll remember next time I cycle from Purton to Cricklade the potential for getting lost.

I did notice a thing called the Purton Timberland Trail, links into Moulden Hill, could be useful for linking up footpaths of which there plenty around Purton. Do you know Ringsbury Camp....it's a hillfort, bit of a land that time forgot out there?

[Samdy Gray]

Ringsbury Camp is ace. Affectionately known as the "Roman camp" to villagers, but it's actually Iron Age. Spent many a day up there as a kid. Some good rope swings across the double banks.

[Reg Smeeton]

Ringsbury Camp is ace. Affectionately known as the "Roman camp" to villagers, but it's actually Iron Age. Spent many a day up there as a kid. Some good rope swings across the double banks.

I'm guessing it's still the case, but there are some ace meadows out around Ringsbury, which have survived because of traditional farming methods.

Think I've walked around by Brockhurst Wood, and had it down as a remnant of the ancient Braydon Forest....access isn't much good though.

[Ardiles]

i used to love the cycle path as a kid.i used to ride my bike from toothill where i lived, to go to my cousins house at the lawns and would only need to cross 2 roads to get there.
same when i'd go to park south to cut my nans lawn for her.
aint been along there for a while, so will dig me bike out in the summer and go back along there

I have a similar memory.  Used to live in Freshbrook when I was a teenager and, for a while during holidays, I had a job working in the kiosk at Coate Water.  The cycle path from Toothill to Old Town was brilliant.  I used to be able to get home on my bike in less than 20 mins with a following wind.

It's a shame to think that the countryside along side the path is being built on...but people have to live somewhere, I suppose.  Strange to think that during our lifetimes we can all think of parts of Swindon that used to border countryside that are now completely surrounded by other suburbs/areas.  How many folks in Greenmeadow, for example, are now regretting the fact that the countryside is 30 mins further away than it used to be?