A run at Northam Burrows Country Park Devon

My second run during my holiday was a morning run from Westward Ho! along the coastline to Northam Burrows. The weather was good warm and dry but the run was hard over a large area of sand dunes.

I really had to watch my feet to avoid going into the many holes. This was a tough run much of it over soft sand up and down dunes never allowing you to get into any rhythm but nevertheless different from my normal runs so the difference was enjoyable.

Sunrise over Northam Burrows

Northam Burrows is dominated by a large golf course home to the Royal North Devon Golf Club. The oldest golf club in England and I had to always keep an eye out for any flying balls. However my run was early in the morning and there were very few golfers about.

Westward Ho! from Northam Burrows

There is said to be a rich variety of birds, insects and wild flowers in the grassland and salt marsh area . Northam Burrows is common land which means there is a right for locals to graze  Horses, cattle and sheep. The path I was following was often blocked by horses and unsure of how they might react I slowed down initially as I passed but they were clearly used to people and were not spooked in anyway by my presence.

Ickworth Park Mordaboys Wood Suffolk

10am 11 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes.

Week to date mileage 16.4

Month to date mileage 16.4

Average weekly rate 33.4

Average Monthly rate 145

Weather: Cold and grey

This was an out and back run of 45 minutes each way through Ickworth Park to Mordaboys Wood. At the end of my run I reached a lovely white house not far from Little Horringer Hall.

The route through Ickworth Park follows the River Linnet which is no more than a trickle at the moment as water levels look very low.

The sheep were plentiful and were willing to pose for a photo.
On this path I saw another two routes I can explore another day. It looks possible to continue beyond Mordaboys Wood out to Westley Village and to make this a circular run.

I could also have cut back through Twist Wood however signs warned of Roe Deer culling so I will give that a miss for a while.

today's long run wasn't planned at the start of the week but it has helped me catch up with my mileage for the week but isn't great preparation for Lakenheath 5 on Sunday.

Ickworth Park Suffolk

8.30am 12 miles in 1 hour 37 minutes.

Year to date mileage 1313

Month to date 117 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 12

Weather: cool but not cold slight drizzle a little fog.

For Boxing day I thought I would do a long run and try a regular course, which anyone who views this blog, will know from previous entries that strange things can happen in the village of Horringer.

I wasn't to be disappointed sure enough there was a further bra in a tree this time a bright blue one. The bright purple flowery one was still there but no sign of the red one which has either been taken down or blown away? Curious, perhaps it is the time of year or may be some kind of fertility ritual performed in the village of Horringer and only there? Unless of course anyone else has seen this elsewhere. Maybe there is a network around the country or all over the world of bra tree hangers.

Seeing a bra in a tree in Horringer doesn't surprise me anymore, I have come to expect it. Imagine my surprise though when I spotted a new addition a folding chair in a tree! Totally broken of course and very high up this tree . Well that's different! I wonder if it is the same people who are responsible? Is there a connection between the broken folding chair and the 3 different bras? What kind of message are they trying to send out? To be honest this spot is fairly isolated and only frequented in the main by farmers and dog walkers.

Oh well, I will continue to look at for further developments on things in trees in Horringer next year.

I continued on in to Ickworth Park , past the house , gardens and lake. Near the lake there seems to be several paths that I am not familiar with but will explore next year. I chose a path running slightly uphill over a cattle grid which took me through Downters Wood and on to Chevington Field Plantation. There were a handful of houses here in the middle of the wood and virtually no sound it was so quiet. I wasn't so sure if I was on private land so I returned home by the same course for a good 12 miles.