Columns on mild adventures, transitioning and health and fitness.

By Nick Mabey. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR from here on) provokes some of the strongest feelings and opinions the average football fan can muster these days, so I thought it time I gave it some prolonged attention here.  For those wondering why I’m distracting myself from Saints’ league position at this time, firstly nothing

By Katie Isham. Let’s go back in time a little, to the late 19th century. Thornhill Park was still an estate, but a sprawling parkland one of over 400 acres. It was initially formed by Michael Hoy, later passed to his widow, Elizabeth and then after her death, to her nephew. In its heyday, the

By Nick Mabey. It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted. Mostly because I’ve moved house and celebrated a significant birthday with a long holiday, but also because I thought I’d rest for as long as possible in the euphoria of that amazing Wembley day in May. The feel-good factor seems a long way off

Words and pictures by Katie Isham. Someday, we’ll go on a walk that doesn’t involve consecrated ground, but that day is not today my friends. This walk meanders through a graveyard, past some of the greatest oaks known to exist and possibly the greatest country gate vista ever viewed.  First, getting to Minstead: it’s not

By Katie Isham.   Cemeteries are for everyone. The dead shouldn’t get the monopoly. They are beautiful places and perfect for a wander or a sit. Two of my very favourite things.  In the heart of Southampton, at the centre of a triangle made of the hospitals, the woods and The Common, is a resting place

Saints fan column by Nick Mabey.   I’ve been wanting to write this for a while, but the games have come so thick and fast that it is been hard to squeeze it in. And Saints’ fortunes have remained tantalisingly unknown throughout. Every match now means something and yet afterwards our future is no clearer

By Nick Mabey. Well, this is strange.  As the Championship promotion race builds to a climax, Saints find themselves with a three-week gap between games. Even stranger, this ‘Spring sabbatical’ (as I’m calling it even though no one else is) follows a mad eleven games in 41 days and preceded an even more bonkers nine

By Katie Isham. A walk through the moors seems like a good idea, until you have to load up backpacks and drive the busy country lanes to the wilderness. Well, here’s the simple solution: take a winter trip to our local moor in the suburbs. Only as far as big Sainsburys. Surely we can all

By Nick Mabey We love a record at Saints. If I am being honest we don’t have the most impressive trophy cabinet for a club that’s spent so long in the top division and so records offer some solace and a welcome substitute. And at the moment all the talk is of our latest entry

By Nick Mabey. Half way through the season and how are we doing? Yes I know there is one more game before the actual half way mark but Christmas excess means my final article for this year is – in the words of Elvis – now or never. It’s been an eventful first half to

Words and images by Katie Isham.  We’ve just had National Tree Week (25 November – 3 December) . I know what you’re thinking: surely every week is tree week? Indeed, it should be. But it’s not. So this seems like the perfect excuse to celebrate the wondrous trees in our lives. Especially as Southampton has

By Carolyn Thomas.  Those who find the lead up to Christmas all rather too saccharine may be delighted to lose themselves in the latest collection of creepy tales of terror and paranoia by local author Oli Jacobs. His newest nine short horror stories, wrapped up in a volume called Sertraline Dreams, reveal dark family secrets,

By People’s Pride Southampton. In their latest column, People’s Pride Southampton looks at the impact of transphobia on transgender people and the wider community, ahead of Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20. In the current political landscape, a heated debate rages over the rights and protections afforded to transgender individuals. This debate often centres

By Nick Mabey. As we head into the third international break of the season (only two to go, both in March), it’s been quite a four-week spell for Saints since the last one. We’ve played five games, winning four and – importantly given our earlier travails – suddenly become a more solid, better-organised team.  We

By Katie Isham. With the daylight hours fleeing and biblical downpours part of our daily routines, conditions are perfectly ripe for mushroom season.  Abundance is the word on the street. Maybe not the street, but the soggy, boggy woodland trails. The fungi explosion is happening right now and you should be there to witness it. 

By Katie Isham. Of all the parks in the city of Southampton, St. James’ Park in Shirley may be my favourite. Don’t tell the others.  But there’s a certain something about this one that makes it impossible not to love. Maybe there’s bias in the fact it’s home to some of the best free tennis

By Nick Mabey. Am I the only one who thought the days of wild swings in emotion supporting Saints were over, at least for a while? Sure, it has been a turbulent summer in terms of players leaving and joining, but that was always going to be the case. Our new manager, Russell Martin calmly

By Katie Isham. It’s the end of the summer holidays. What’s everyone been up to? Some people go cruising round the Caribbean. Some people go sightseeing through Italian villages. But the wisest people go for the most exotic locations around: exploring the wild woods of Southampton.  On the eastern banks of Southampton Water, hidden behind

by Nick Mabey. The season is well underway now and there’s always much to talk about.  A clampdown on time wasting and dissent is hitting the headlines, even managing to upstage VAR and the transfer window this year.  I’m hoping it’s just the start of a refereeing revolution. At the start of every season, referees

by People’s Pride Southampton volunteer Frida Eliasson. Picture: Mike Daish. Pride has undergone a growth spurt since its inception in the UK, with the first Pride Parade being held on the 1st July 1972, marking the three-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This first parade garnered a modest turnout of 200 people protesting the inequality

By Saints columnist Nick Mabey.  The new season is suddenly upon us – how did that happen? One minute I’m lapping up the Ashes in between so-called summer showers, next moment I’m switching my attention from weather maps to the Saints website, the Echo and various supporter Facebook groups. I’m not ready yet, I just

By Katie Isham.  Long summer days call for another farm outing. Our city is blessed with fields of farms stashed away in the suburbs. One of these is Southampton City Farm in Millbrook.  There’s been a farm on this site since the mid-1970s so if you’ve never been, what are you waiting for? If you

by Nick Mabey.  I can usually tell how excited I am about the forthcoming season by how early I renew my season ticket.  This year my deadline was 30th June, if I wanted to get the early bird discount, and I actually renewed on 20th. I reckon that’s about a seven out of ten on

by Katie Isham.  Did anyone else know there’s basically a jungle in town? Rollesbrook Greenway is a stretch of woodland running through the terraced streets of The Polygon in Southampton’s city centre. A mere stone’s throw from the immaculately manicured lawns of the city parks, here grows the absolute contrast: a cutway through nature as

by Nick Mabey.  They say all good things must come to an end. Thankfully the same is true of all bad things and, for Southampton FC, this season has been the worst for quite a while. It’s finally over and, now the dust has settled after a crazy 4-4 draw with mighty Liverpool, I can

by Katie Isham. Time for a proper safari, with wild animals, expert guidance and big camouflaged jeeps. Well, two out of three at least. We’ll keep to our trusty feet for this mild adventure.  In the dip of the valley of Station Road, amongst the suburbs of Sholing is an institution that many locals will

by Nick Mabey.  It has been longer than usual since my last contribution to In Common.  Like many fans of Southampton Football Club I have been through a range of emotions over the past few weeks; mostly anger, sadness and fear, but occasionally glimmers of hope.  In trying to put my finger on exactly what

by Katie Isham. Time to look up as well as around. This safari discovers some of the tallest buildings in the city including a giant that is now officially the closest you can get to heaven in Southampton. Centenary Quay is a development perched on the east bank of the River Itchen, looking upstream at

by Katie Isham.  Easter is a time of new life, hope and a healthy smattering of eggs. Spending some time on the farm seems fitting.  Aldermoor is home to a budding farm, just off a busy bus route and surrounded by a labyrinth of residential streets. Nestled in the dip of Aldermoor Road, the poly

by Nick Mabey. It’s the beginning of April and we still have a quarter of the league season to go.  Thanks to the World Cup every team has at least ten games to play and some as many as 13, when normally it would be five or six.  Normally by this time of year there’s

by Nick Mabey. Earlier this week it was International Women’s Day and so I thought I’d take a break from the protracted misery, stress and occasional hope of the men’s team’s relegation battle to focus on celebrating the progress of women’s football, locally and nationally. This year’s theme is  #EmbraceEquity.  As the IWD website puts

words and pictures by Katie Isham. Word on the street is spring is here. Some might say it’s fool’s spring, but let’s embrace it anyway. The treasure we’re hunting for today is never bothered by winter regardless: these tiny, mighty flowers laugh in the face of hail and welcome the canvas of snow to highlight

by Nick Mabey. When I wrote my first ‘life at the bottom” article, on 4th January, I didn’t know it would be a series. Saints had just sunk to the bottom of the league and I’d hoped it would be temporary. Six weeks on we’re still there, and there’s a reasonable chance we could be

words & photos by Katie Isham. Between Southampton and Eastleigh sprawls much green space. But it’s disappearing. The grassland that was once rampant, is incrementally invaded by housing estates and development. It’d been a few years since visiting the fields I’d once discovered after seeking an alternate car park for The Cricketers (funny how the

by Katie Isham. Sometime last year, something magical sparked on the streets of Sholing, Southampton. The ordinary green telephone cabinets took on a brighter look. Neon animals crept out of the undergrowth and onto the metal canvas. Or so it seemed.  In truth, local artist Joanna Rose Tidey was behind this beautiful transformation. She spent

by Nick Mabey. Three weeks after I last wrote we remain rooted to the bottom of the league. In that article (click here to read it) I said that if we didn’t beat Forest we could give up hope.  Well, we didn’t beat Forest and yet hope is not lost. Why? Because, after that horrible

by Katie Isham. A new year seems apt for a visit to the Old Town area of our fair city. This part of our history is wonderful to visit any time, but during the dark winter days when moonlit moments outnumber the daylight hours, it’s an interesting time to wander up and down the cobbles

by Nick Mabey. How does the joke go? We must be the strongest team in the league, we’re propping everyone else up. That’s how it’s been for Southampton since the season resumed on Boxing Day. Rock bottom. It’s been a while since we were stuck at the foot of the Premier League but that’s where

by Katie Isham. Here we are in the darkest months of the year, and this year, for one reason or another, feels particularly dark. So, it might be the perfect time to take a wander through the light.  Beyond the Romsey borders, is an enclave of botanical beauty: Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. Right now, there’s

by Nick Mabey. Almost exactly 12 hours after England’s sad exit from the World Cup I found myself inside St. Mary’s stadium with 800 other hardy (or is that foolhardy?) souls. We were lined up for the start of the inaugural Southampton FC 10k race, an event that started and finished pitch side at the

by Katie Isham. Dip a toe into the Itchen Navigation. Not literally. Keep your walking boots on. But we’ll wander a small section of the trail that runs alongside the river to get a taste of what those dedicated long-distance walkers find so alluring.  Start in Bishopstoke, on the edge of Eastleigh town centre. Eastleigh

by Nick Mabey. It’s November and the World Cup is in full swing. That’s not a sentence I ever imagined saying, and yet here we are. It wasn’t even a plan. We ended up here because someone realised, too late it seems, that it would be too hot to play the World Cup in the

by Katie Isham. Our Suburban Safaris have sprawled across the city of Southampton and beyond. They’ve visited parks, gardens, woodlands, beaches, cemeteries, streets, shops and many a café.  The definition of a suburb is an area outside, yet near a city, and consisting mainly of homes. For this safari, we’re going a little outside the

by Nick Mabey. After what feels like months of speculation Ralph Hasenhuttl is no longer manager of Southampton FC. Tuesday 7th November saw him sacked with immediate effect following a run of results in 2022 that, spread over a season, would have seen Southampton relegated.  It’s a cut-throat business – managers are either sacked or

by Katie Isham. There’s some corner of an English field, in a park by the sea, where a gate leads to remembrance. Through an avenue of determined oaks and tired leaves clinging to the autumnal branches, a path cuts through a valley to the final resting place of many taken too soon.  Netley Military Cemetery

by Katie Isham. This Suburban Safari explores somewhere a little further afield. In fact, we’re venturing into a PO postcode. Don’t leave! I promise it’s for a good cause. Or two good causes in fact.  Next week sees the glorious relief of half-term for many students and teachers. Blessed autumnal days to get outside, soak

Photo: Southampton’s Sékou Mara, left, during the Premier League match between Saints and Everton on Saturday 1st October 2022, at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, England. Picture: Chris Moorhouse/Southampton FC. words by Nick Mabey. It has been a while since I posted. The football has taken a depressing turn and the manager situation seems so unstable

 by Katie Isham.  The leaves of the calendar are falling as their tree-based counterparts tumble to the ground; October is here and the season is perfect for booted adventures through a forest. No need for extended rural journeys when you can safari through the suburbs and step straight into the local woodland.  Netley Common is,

by Katie Isham. Southampton being a sea city, we’re never far from the coast or the numerous bridges spanning the city’s waterways. This safari takes a mooch about under the biggest bridge to marvel at the architecture, enjoy the scenery and maybe even join some activities occurring by the water.  Start by the city side

by Nick Mabey. Before the season kicked off, Ralph Hasenhuttl was the bookies’ favourite to be the first manager in the Premier League to lose his job.  After losing our first fixture heavily at Spurs, Southampton were priced as second favourites to be relegated.  And, when the team trudged off at half time losing to

by Katie Isham. Once again, our old friend summer has one foot out the door. No doubt expedited by the lack of rain, the trees are shedding their leaves like confetti. Time to get out and enjoy the last warm days of summer.  On the outskirts of Eastleigh, is a park, Fleming Park. And on

by Nick Mabey. Image: Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters celebrates his equaliser in front of the Kingsland stand, during Saints’ first home game of the season against Leeds United Picture: Chris Moorhouse/Southampton FC We’re back. The Premier League celebrated 30 years in existence this month and Saints duly commemorated the occasion by registering one point from their

by Katie Isham. Right gang, buckle up: we’ve got three modes of transport to conquer in a very short distance. Ferries, trains and those trusted wandering shoes.  Town Quay starts the adventure. Located at the bottom of Southampton High Street, it’s the home of Southampton’s ferries. Bypass those Isle of Wight showboats, we’re just nipping

by Katie Isham. Summer is well and truly here: it’s time to get outside and play out.  Try to recall the long summer holidays of youth. How much time did you spend indoors? The days of hanging around with your friends at the park or making up games in the garden seemed endless.  My own

by Nick Mabey. This is the time of year for dreamers.  The dawn of a new season before a competitive ball has been kicked. This is the time for fans to dream of what might be over the next ten months. Southampton FC sit proudly joint top of the league with the other 19 clubs

by Katie Isham. The Common. Such a place that needs the grand definite article to herald its arrival. I’ve thought long and hard about a Suburban Safari to take in The Common but it’s impossible to capture in a singular visit. You could have a daily walk on The Common for a year and see

by Nick Mabey. Back ‘when I were a lad’ the gap between football seasons seemed to go on forever. Tired, bruised players disappeared for months or so it seemed. The same players, with one or two exceptions, would roll back in tanned and heavy for the dreaded pre-season training after a long summer off.  In

by Katie Isham. Somewhere in a nearby magical land, in a kingdom behind a Co-Op, where the grand towers of industry watch over the landscape, there is a pathway from the suburbs to the shore. It may not have grand beginnings but it opens out onto one of the greatest escapes along Southampton Water.  Head

by Nick Mabey. When I was a small boy transfers were worn like tattoos on our arms and windows were something we looked through while watching Play School. Nowadays the two words have joined forces in a twice-a-year cultural ritual for every football fan to suffer/enjoy (delete as appropriate). At Southampton this year speculation is

Picture: Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse, Saints fans’ Player of The Season, in action against Liverpool in the last game of season at St Mary’s/Chris Moorhouse/Southampton FC.   by Nick Mabey.  It’s that time of year again. No sooner does one season end I’m asked to reconfirm my commitment to the cause for the next one.  Yes

words and pictures by Katie Isham. A Suburban Safari should be a chance to explore another side to favourite locations; to make time to appreciate the beauty in the everyday steps taken. But also, provide joy in finding a hidden surprise amongst the familiar. And most significantly, to observe life, in all its forms, along

by Nick Mabey. The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed this column is a week later than usual. I could make up some fancy, but oh so plausible, excuse for this but, truth be told, my writing has hit the doldrums in the same way as my football team has.  In fact the only exciting

by Katie Isham. This time of year is synonymous with the bluebell explosion of the British woodland. You’ll find local enclaves at Manor Farm, Victoria Country Park, further out into the New Forest and of course, in the Old Cemetery on The Common. But for now, come explore the rural route leading from Botley to

by Katie Isham. Start this exploration in the centre of Romsey, the market town northwest of Southampton. Don’t worry though, we’re not staying amongst the hustle and bustle of the town centre. We’re heading out to the suburbs.  From the centre, travel east along The Hundred, one of the most dramatic road names in a

by Nick Mabey. Congratulations to Southampton FC women on winning the FA Women’s National League Southern Division this week. They’ve been top all season and clinched the title with a couple of games to spare. The icing on the cake was being able to lift the trophy after beating Portsmouth in front of over 5000

by Katie Isham. When everything is busy and life is loud, there are few better places to go wander than around the walls of a thirteenth century monastery, especially when the roof is now cobalt blue skies pouring down from heaven to light your walk through the crumbling walls.  Netley Abbey is a treasured part

by Nick Mabey. When I was growing up I assumed that adults were perfect. Of course I read and watched the news so was aware that some adults were not. But in my world all the adults that mattered to me must be perfect.  Surely that’s why they called it growing up? As you can

by Nick Mabey. Picture: Kyle Walker-Peters in action against Watford. Credit: Chris Moorhouse/Southampton FC It’s all my fault. Mea Culpa. Four defeats in a row and I am feeling totally responsible for Southampton’s nosedive in form.  To understand why, you need to read my last In Common article (click here).  In it, I tempted fate

by Katie Isham. Safari today not to a specific place, but to a moment, a fleeting moment at that; a slice of existence right now, to the glorious zeitgeist of blooms and blue skies before the March winds rally and leave our loves strewn across the ground to become mulch. Buckle up, we’re going magnolia

by Katie Isham. This may seem like a rural safari, but we’re just ahead of the curve. The suburbs are coming. Out on the periphery of Southampton, on the other bank of the River Hamble, housing estates are multiplying, stealing space from green fields for our ever-increasing population. The ceramic looking structures are new additions,

by Katie Isham. In the east of Southampton lies Bitterne village. Not what one would usually think of as a village, but still more than worth a visit. It may not have the popularity of the city centre or the cool kid chic of Portswood, but Bitterne is a vector of variety. Join me to

by Nick Mabey. It’s been a good few weeks to be a Saints fan.  Performances and results are in the ascendency and everyone is smiling again. So goes the rollercoaster that is supporting a football team. Whenever we have a spell like this we get a lot more media coverage and this time was no

by Katie Isham. It’s time to go get lost in the trees again. Is there anything more wholesome than pulling on some wellies and going wandering in the woods until you a) get lost b) lose a welly in a muddy puddle c) get lost, lose a welly, get found and go home for a

by Nick Mabey. If you hadn’t noticed, the Premier League is in the middle of a two-week winter break (23rd January – 7th February). I get a bit twitchy when there is no football at this time of the year. So the idea of a two-week vacuum has not been very warmly received (excuse the

by Katie Isham. Okay all, admittedly, it’s pretty grim right now. Grey days and even greyer moods. Even the sun seems to have gone into hibernation. Despite the days getting longer, the lack of sunshine is shrouding life in abject winter gloom.  Ocean Village is a locale of Southampton often linked to summer days. Those

by Nick Mabey. After four years of a form of nothingness with our previous owner, and many months of speculation, on 4th January the Saints were finally taken over by a new company, Sport Republic. If the previous regime was marked by inertia and silence, or perhaps more kindly no dabbling or asset stripping, these

   by Katie Isham. Short days of January call for a short walk. Time is tight and we must make the most of our precious daylight hours when we’re not constrained by work or that seasonal existential dread exacerbated by the current state of the world that keeps us holed up on the sofa.  Take

by Nick Mabey. I was very sad to hear Sam McQueen had been forced to retire from professional football at the much-too-young age of 26 after a three-year series of problems stemming from a serious knee injury sustained while he was out on loan at Middlesbrough. Sam has told his story on film and I

by Katie Isham. After all the panic / excess / stress / chaos (delete as appropriate) of the festive period, the time is right for some outdoor indulgence. Nothing beats getting outside for some big space, big air and big colour. Consider this a preventative attack on the January Blues: let’s counter the blues with

by Nick Mabey. It’s that time of year again. While the majority of European football leagues take a well-earned winter break for some quality family time, the English league does the opposite and squeezes as many fixtures as possible into the festive season. We can’t even blame the TV companies or the Premier league for

by Katie Isham. Fake furs on folks. We’re going further afield this week. In a way. Who knew there lies a whole magical kingdom within the suburbs of Bitterne Park?  Some creative, imaginative kind souls have designed a walking trail to cast light on the tales of Narnia from the glowing windows of Southampton homes.

by Nick Mabey. In football terms it’s the worst feeling in the world and, recently, the Saints have been rather good at causing it.  Since our current manager, Ralph Hassenhutl, took charge in December 2018, the team has conspired to drop 71 points from winning positions.  The tabloids and TV experts delight in reminding everyone

by Katie Isham. When the days are cold and short, it’s time to make the most of the sunlight hours whilst you can and head on down to one of the country parks within the Southampton postcode. Is there any better way to warm yourself up on a blisteringly cold day than by tramping through

by Katie Isham. As the autumn days tumble into winter, you could do worse than kick some leaves on a walk around one of our city centre’s fine parks. We’re spoilt for choice in terms of green spaces within the walls of Southampton, so maybe it’s prudent to combine a park outing with a chance

by Katie Isham Just off an industrial estate in the western corner of Southampton, there’s an entrance to a beautiful magical kingdom. Not where you’d expect to find some magic, but believe me, it’s there. Tucked away past the plumbing merchants and self-storage, you’ll find a safari worthy of any suburb. Testwood Lakes is a

by Katie Isham. It’s that time of year when every passing day brings a new hue to the landscape. The colours and the position of the leaves change with every blustery wind or cold snap. It’s that time of year to go and witness the passing of the days. Park at the Riverside car park

by Katie Isham. On the eastern bank of the River Itchen, nestled in a bend of the waterway that cuts a beating heart through the city, is a nature reserve. It truly is a reserve for nature at its simplest. Hidden away from the road and any through traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, Chessel Bay

by Katie Isham. September is a busy time. Everyone has so many things to do yet the days are dwindling to do them in. So join me this week for a power walk though some pines. But just because it’s a shorter walk, doesn’t mean it’s any less exciting or important. Sometimes, we need that

by Nathan Goldsmith. As summer turns to autumn, I take on the third and final part of the Itchen Navigation from Southampton to Winchester (parts 1 and 2 here and here). This part of the walk is the shortest (around 4 miles) and begins from Shawford Station, following the route from Shawford Down to Twyford

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 convenience.  The handlebars are too flexible,

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 about to drop. So I say,

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 considered “ugly”.  Now, don’t get me

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 disclaimer – Southampton University, please don’t

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 on from my previous column (Walk:

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.  Sandwiched between the High Street and

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 at any minute.” When I re-read

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 during the long summer sunsets of

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 bonnet of the silver cars. Its

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 took a wander through Redbridge Wharf

by Katie Isham. For a walk that’s under two miles long, this loop makes you feel like you’ve been on a hike through several different landscapes and even navigated a few eras. The sort of walk where, by the end, you’re surprised to remember some of the sights from the beginning. Just the sort of

by Katie Isham. Could it finally be summer? What better to do on a summer’s day than to wander by the seaside?  However, for a city on the coast, Southampton only has a few spots to actually be beside the seaside, and even then, there’s no sand for comfort. We Sotonians are built of tougher

by Anna-Maria Bauer. Paths are created by walking. I have heard this phrase so often that I normally don’t even think about the meaning when I say it. But then, I started walking and had to admit to myself: It’s true. The first step was taken a year ago. The flight ticket to Australia had

by Nathan Goldsmith.   “The spring is sprung, The grass is riz. I wonder where the boidies is. The little boids is on the wing. Naa, dats obsoid; The little wings is on the boids”   There are different variations of this poem – and a number of different people said to have written it

by Katie Isham. Don’t tell too many people but, a mere skip from Southampton General Hospital, tucked away at the back of a 1960s housing estate, down a road guarded by the endemic sight of Tesco that used to be a pub, there’s a gateway to a hidden woodland. These woods may be named after

by Katie Isham. Well, everyone else is doing it, so I suppose we’d better jump on the bluebell bandwagon! If you glance at social media, the whole country has been skipping through ancient woodland in the last few weeks. Bluebell photos  have been outnumbering Line of Duty theories, and that takes some doing.  Yet despite

by Katie Isham. Meet you at the bridge?  Fellow eastsiders will be all too familiar with the hassle of crossing the mighty River Itchen to get into Southampton city centre. And as a teenager, it was a trek comparable to crossing the Sahara. But cross it we did, every Saturday to migrate to the teenage

by Katie Isham. Restrictions are lifting, travel is allowed and so the time has come. We’re visiting the Solent shoreline.  A trip to the beach is not just about the destination: it’s about the feeling of space you get by the sea. It’s that feeling you get nowhere else, and after another long lockdown, we

by Katie Isham. The recent Spring Equinox has lifted me out of my winter slumber. I took this as a shot in the arm (not the one I’m after, but this’ll do for now) to take a more positive view. Time to fling open the doors and spend an afternoon sprucing up the garden.  But

by Katie Isham. Last weekend I went on holiday. Hold on, you might scream, we’re in lockdown. How did you wangle a holiday? Okay, you got me; I didn’t actually go on holiday, but I felt like I did for an hour.  I embarked on a fifteen-minute drive (hedonistic, I know) to the town of

by Katie Isham. If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. Or not. You’re sure to find trees. Don’t roll your eyes – I saw that. Of course there are trees, but over at Telegraph Woods there is a colony of beautiful, breathing, heaving trees to meet; you’ll feel

by Katie Isham. What better way to spend Valentine’s weekend than by rekindling your love for an old favourite? Sometimes in life we take for granted what we have. We take for granted the beauty we wake up to. We take for granted the sights we see every day. We don’t always take the time

by Katie Isham. At the risk of ruffling some feathers, this Suburban Safari includes minimal movement. In fact, it’s best to stay as still as possible for the duration. You may be permitted a twitch or two.  When was the last time you spent a solid hour in your garden? I know it’s not really

by Katie Isham. In the current lockdown and amid rising fear in this wave of the pandemic, we are torn. Torn between staying away from other people or finding some space outside to get some fresh air.  Obviously we all want to stay safe and distance ourselves from others as much as possible, but it’s

by Gen Preece. Thank you so much for all your kind and positive feedback for part one! Writing it seems like a lifetime ago now and I’m now even more excited to return to personal training and boot camp where I’ll be working with a lot more pre and post natal mammas. Here’s Part 2, which

by Gen Preece. Written two days before I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Viviana Milly Preece, dedicated to everyone pregnant during Covid19 And that, my beautiful readers is why things have been a bit quiet from me! These past 17 months since becoming a mum have been some of the most wonderful, joyous, mind

by Katie Isham. On New Year’s Day, I’ve taken to undertaking a “Big Walk”. One involving a big drive followed by a long walk, preferably by the sea, incorporating a stop for a hefty calorie intake before going home to warm up in the way you can only when you’ve been outside cavorting with nature

by Katie Isham. In a year as dark as 2020 has been, it’s no wonder people are keen to bring light into their lives. The streets of Southampton are ablaze with twinkles; this is the year everyone has raided The Range for more rope lights and flashing neon than you’d find in Vegas. Southampton has

by Katie Isham. At least once a week I treat myself to a walk to work through Woodmill in Southampton. Sometimes more when the roadworks are rampant. But it’s never for very long. So I thought I would give myself time when I wasn’t racing the clock for a short wander along the River Itchen. 

by Katie Isham. As Halloween is almost upon us, I thought it would be apt to go on a spooky Suburban Safari – a Cemetery Safari if you will. And the largest, and if I may dare to say, the most dramatic cemetery in the city is Southampton Old Cemetery.  Located in the south-west corner

by Katie Isham. There are a good few Country Parks adjoining our fair city, so I thought it was time to visit one of them. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not usually a fan of a Country Park. It’s a little too prepared for my tastes. You have a brown sign to lead you

by Katie Isham. The days are getting shorter (and wetter by the current forecast) so it’s time for a snappier safari. Sometimes you don’t have whole day to wander and discover; sometimes you want to escape the daily grind and pop to a nearby location where you can immerse yourself in nature and treat yourself

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. I don’t know about you, but I get a little antsy if I haven’t visited some type of shoreline for a while. So it was time to dip into the joys the Southampton Water can offer – although I draw the line

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. As I mentioned when first embarking on the Suburban Safari venture, a holiday is just a break from the routine. Doing something different for enjoyment. It could be relaxation, or it might be exploration. In an ideal world, it would be a

by Katie Isham. Somewhere nestled between where the tarmac triceps of the M27 and the M3 lock in an arm wrestle, is an unexpected oasis of calming activity.  Lakeside Country Park, Eastleigh, is a mere mile from the M27’s junction 5, but it seems like lightyears away from the angry driving of reality. If you

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. I love travel. My summer months are usually filled with adventures: far-flung holidays, long weekends immersed in a festival, a few days by the coast, or up-at-the-crack-of-dawn day trips to bustling cities. This year, my passport is languishing in the kitchen drawer whilst

by a neurotic woman. I have spent most of my life being a very busy person. During my professional life as a teacher, I always had projects lined up, often redecorating a room in my house, to see me through the school holidays. Weekends tended to be filled with teaching preparation and housework. When I

by a neurotic woman. Last week I watched a short video on Facebook which, in the opening shots showed a man falling out of bed in the morning, slobbing around in an undressed state all day and who was evidently in lockdown, living on his own and depressed. The video then showed us his home

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this, the final entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings

musings by Chris Richards. These are strange days, we’re living in today Like Robbie Williams wrote in his first solo single (except for his George Michael cover of “Freedom” – also pertinent!) these are strange days and I really do want to be “Old Before I Die”. This pandemic, lockdown, unprecedented time, however it’s being

by a neurotic woman. Phobias are not really something that I have ever suffered from previously. I really don’t like rats or mice but I don’t think that this would be classed as a phobia. I don’t have an irrational fear of them, I simply become a little hysterical should I discover one scampering around

by Martin Brisland. Since WW2 ended in 1945 we have talked about events being “since the war”. We are now at a new watershed, a line in the sand. Perhaps in the future we will refer to post 2020 events as being “since the pandemic”? I do not aim here to apportion blame for failings

by Laura Fewell @mathstuitioncovid19 It must be one thing for parents to be worried about their job due to the pandemic, but another to suddenly have a new one: teaching! I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks that I’ve learnt over the years as a maths tutor that will hopefully help a parent adjust

by Lucy Rose A few words before we start… Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at

by a neurotic woman. I have never been much of a curtain twitcher. This is simply due to the fact that I discovered a long time ago that, usually, there is nothing of great interest to peer at furtively, unless one happens to enjoy the sight of people getting in or out of their cars

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at

by a neurotic woman. I normally do my weekly shop quite early on every Saturday morning. Whilst I wouldn’t say that I actually enjoy it, I don’t mind it and am happy enough to walk purposefully through the store, making fairly automatic decisions about my purchases along with fellow shoppers. Now though I realise what

A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Picture: Scott Chalmers Photography Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Gen Preece. Have you noticed the supermarket’s Seasonal aisles become filled with Christmas stodge earlier every year? This year I saw it on offer before Halloween had even arrived! It’s not always easy to say no to. Especially when times feel stressful and days are colder and darker. And that’s before tins even start appearing in the office.

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Lucy Rose. A few words before we start… Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the latest entry of my series, Transgendered Substantiation. The series has been adapted from blogs I wrote for my website during my transition, based on my thoughts and feelings at the time. They almost

by Gen Preece. If being stressed out is stressing you out, here’s how you can stop it snowballing (this does work!) In part one, we established what we need to remember, forget and recognise. Now we will explore how restoring balance can successfully minimise the effects and damages of stress, which I hope you find just

by Gen Preece. Stress: what we need to remember, forget and recognise Change your perception, change your response and watch the stress fade. Here’s how. We all feel stressed from time to time, whether it’s getting stuck in traffic, dealing with an annoying work colleague or bigger things, like unexpected life-changing events. I believe one

by Gen Preece. Most people I meet these days ‘firefight’ their way through the day, certainly most of the ladies that contact me about personal training or joining boot camp, who are struggling to juggle work, kids, home and family life. There may be a bit of structure there, eg the daily routine of rushing to get the kids