It is truly amazing where beauty can be found. A couple of days ago we went for a walk along the towpath of the  Basingstoke Canal, between Pirbright  and Knaphill; near the Pirbright end of the walk is the sight of an old bridge on the military railway, which was dismantled and removed some years ago. When the bridge was removed, the brick work on both sides of the canal were left on site to slowly decay, simply through lack of any further interest. There is no date plaque to say when it was built, but I feel that it was probably constructed during the Edwardian or 1st. World War periods; upon looking it is obvious that even for a military railway great care and pride was taken in the brickwork. Now in its dereliction period, as it falls into decay,. the five arches on either side of the canal are beautiful. Nature is slowly taking over, salts and other minerals are pushing through the bricks and mortar. Various p[ants are using the wall as a climbing frame and the colours around and within the bricks and mortar are astounding.

Seasons are changing quickly; snowdrops and daffodils have been around for a week or so, but this morning when visiting Hatchlands we passed hundreds of cowslips. We all know how unseasonably warm it is at the moment, and to be honest as walker we like the mild weather but, we must ask, Spring half way through February, what is happening? 

Duncan