by Anna-Maria Bauer. They say you never unlearn how to ride a bike. Maybe that is because most people, once they know how, don’t let nine years go by before they get back on the saddle. Nine years? Well, I blame it on the Vespa. She says it was...
Columns
Suburban Safari: Fish and Ships on the Sea Wall
by Katie Isham. Guys, I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but I think autumn is upon us. The days are dwindling, the blackberries are plumping and the schools are back in session. I know it’s been particularly hot this week, but don’t let that fool you: that mercury is...
Suburban Safari: Eling Loop
by Katie Isham. If you’ve followed these Suburban Safaris for any distance, you’ll know I have a fondness for the friendless. Of course I love a picture postcard view and a garden in splendid bloom. But I often find the real jewel in the ugly. Or what may be...
Suburban Safari: The Secret Garden
by Katie Isham. If I told you that this Suburban Safari visits Valley Gardens, would you know where we are? I’m not sure many residents of Southampton could point it out on a map. But I guess that’s the thing with secrets; there’s always an element of secrecy. Small...
Walk: The Itchen Navigation, Shawford Down
by Nathan Goldsmith. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Brighton – where my partner lives – and the New Forest – where I work – recently, and so coming back to Southampton to stretch my legs when I get a chance feels like a real treat. Following...
Suburban Safari: Town Quay: From Park to Pier
by Katie Isham. Parks and boats are a staple of life in Southampton. This wander will show you the best the city centre has to offer. No longer must you choose between waves and flowers. Here you can enjoy both. With a bonus of some historical sights as well. ...
Cancer in a Time of Covid: update
by anonymous. In November 2020, I wrote a piece for In Common about my then partner’s first few months of dealing with breast cancer during a pandemic. At the time I wrote: “There is a very thin line that holds the fabric of our lives together. Things can change...
Suburban Safari: Peartree Pollinators
by Katie Isham. Slap-bang in the middle of Sholing, there sits a park. At first glance, it’s a basic public amenity. A big wonky trapezium of grass where people can walk their dogs, footballers have somewhere to play on Sunday mornings and youths have a location to loiter aimlessly...
Column: Vienna to Southampton – wild horses
by Anna-Maria Bauer. We see the first one in the small car park, in the middle of the New Forest, that is more of a heathland here. It stands very close to the bonnets, fearless, one horsepower among many. Its rich brown coat shines almost as much as the...
Suburban Safari : beside the river and behind the curtain in Redbridge
by Katie Isham. Southampton is famous for its docks. They spear the heart of the city and have provided employment, transport and stories for centuries. The docks are a constant source of activity but it’s a place few of us residents get to see up close. This week I...