BROFE'S BOLLOCKS

Winter seems like it is starting to approach as me and Tom headed out to Ratley. I think it is in Oxfordshire but may straddle the Oxfordshire Warwickshire border. Anyway it was a little frosty, but the going was good to firm and the views were amazing. We came across this obelisk not too far into the stomp, but no real idea what it commemorates. A little gallery of the views before we hit the pub. Blast through them why don't ya?! Entered the village, and pub not too far no

I have been meaning to explore this stretch of river, that enters the Tone river just at the back of our house, for a good while. I recently met a new neighbour running a little guesthouse up the road, and her and her workaway guy fancied it, so off we went. It starts just up a track (which used to be a drivable lane) but very quickly the road and the valley walls rise high above the river floor. Some lovely views and great stretches of river, but all seem very inaccessible.

I first discovered this great urban walk one Sunday afternoon a while back when I had to entertain myself while my brother and the lads competed for the "Ryder Cup - Coventry junior rugby clubs version" on a Sunday afternoon. I have repeated it a few time since and is a great way to work up a thirst for the Red Lion (where the beer is half decent albeit extortionately priced). I am trying to catch up on posting stuff from ages ago that I didn't get round to yet, so all I will

I was reminded today, by social media, that a few years ago I hiked up Mt. Tanigawa with my friends Steve and Kaz. I was surprised at first not by the length of time ago (9 years) but by the time of year as it is a lot cooler here today than it evidently was that day. Anyway it was a great day out and here's a few snaps. We started from the top of the Tanigawa ropeway (going all the way up from the bottom is for nut jobs in my opinion). So, first of all, the obligatory foothi

I have been trying to put a new neck on a cheap precision bass copy that has a neck that is warped into the Andromeda galaxy 3 billion...

There has been an absolutely phenomenal amount of snow up here in Fujiwara this season, and up in Tenjindaira Kieron and crew are...

I haven't been boarding they this season, or snowshoeing, but I needed to do something, so I just took a stroll up to the local ski...

We drove over to Kenilworth, parked up just outside, and took a walk through the fields around the castle. Although I have been doing...

I have been too topical the last few days, so I had better get back to the historical stuff. We stayed with Mina's mum in Finsbury (I...

Still at a bit of an impasse waiting for the boiler to get fixed, but was rescued for a few hours by Dave Hadlum and Scotty Yarker. Scott...

Well I have been back about a month, so I had better blast some random pictures up. After arriving and getting a negative PCR result, I...

Cracking day for a recovery stroll after watching Coventry Rugby grab a dying seconds win against Hartpury 34-33, and hearing of Coventry...

No, I had no idea where it was either. You head from Cov to Corley, through Fillongley and Furnace End, and hey presto!Very nice day for...

The Stroll & Slurp Initiative stayed in town yesterday, so I tried to find interesting municipal stuff to look at. That wasn't too...

Tom Duff picked me up just after 10 and we headed off to the Brinklow area, just outside Coventry. Nice day for it, very occasional super...

In early May, 2009, I was up at Serenity on my own, and I was feeling a bit intrepid so I decided to attempt a small hike up to the top of the mountain above Sugadaira ski resort. It nearly killed me but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a rocky outcrop at the top, and hikers would occasionally appear from out of this rocky bit. Most confusing. I nearly killed myself getting over there, through a big snowdrift down on the left that two women assured me was safe, and I could

Vilo and Megumi arrived, and a few others. A pretty action packed day was had up at Sugadaira. I have decided to just do this day as a photo album. Click on'em to see them bigger. As always. It was one of the clearest days we’ve ever had up there. Swings and roundabouts, no new snow, but the views were spectacular.