A Run in the New Forest ⚠️ Long post alert - Bridge to 10K

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A Run in the New Forest ⚠️ Long post alert

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10
51 Replies

 UpTheStanley and I are on a little break in the New Forest again to celebrate our wedding anniversary and yesterday we decided to go for a long run.  As breakfast would be over by the time we got back we brought trays back to our room for later.

The weather has been very changeable over the last week with a mixture of sunshine, showers and thunderstorms with lots of localised flooding, so we didn’t know what was in store for us, but the forecast was better in the morning than in the afternoon.

We walked from the hotel to the common land and then set off on a route which would take us near to where the New Forest Marathon is held each September .  Unknowingly, but appropriately, we had both packed our NFM shirts which are a very bright green.  We ran past the village allotments until we came to one of the many gravel footpaths and kept on running.  There were lots of muddy puddles to negotiate and I know it’s daft but I tend to run round them or leap over them rather than splash through and soak my legs with muddy water.  We were very glad we had trail shoes on, but UTS still managed to fall and cut his thumb on a stone as he landed.  He rinsed it with some water and I had a packet of tissues in my belt so we wrapped one around his thumb and continued on.  New Forest ponies were grazing in groups and not at all fazed by us running along.  

We then headed into the bluebell woods, and the heady scent wafted through the air.  Celandines, speedwell, dandelions and violets were all in flower and the deciduous trees were in fresh leaf, the colour of our shirts.  The paths were soft with leaf mould and easy on the legs and moss covered the lower trunks of the old trees like emerald velvet.  

The birds were singing high above us and we could hear the tapping of a woodpecker in the distance.  Groups of ponies were hidden in the trees, and we came across cyclists and walkers, all exchanging friendly greetings. Then a couple asked us if we had seen the deer.  Apparently we had run right past them in the woods.  We came across a couple of dead ends where the tracks turned into camping and caravan sites so turned and took another route, knowing just the general direction we were heading for.  It was very wet in some patches when we took a path through the trees and decided to walk that as we navigated our way over the streams.  stepping on wobbly well placed logs. We ran past a patch of dead trees in a flood meadow.  It looked really eerie - perhaps the remains of a forest fire a long time ago.

We then emerged from the forest back on common land on the other side of our village.   Here we spotted Shetland (I think) ponies like they’d stepped out of a Thelwell picture, alongside their local pals.  We stopped when we reached the village and had a well deserved coffee.  It was just over 10km in 1hr 25 mins, which reflected the photo stops and ditch hopping.  

What a lovely start to our day and hopefully it cancelled out some of the calories we were to consume that evening.  As I write this, we are sitting on the patio in the early evening sunshine, having just had full body massages. This must be be what heaven is like.

Happy running everyone.

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Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5
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51 Replies
Beachcomber66 profile image
Beachcomber66Graduate10

Happy Anniversary to you both. So that was the special dinner; not that I would need magnifying glass and deer stalker to make that my guess number one !

Sounds idyllic . 🙂

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toBeachcomber66

ha ha, you know me too well BC!

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate

Happy Anniversary both 😄 what a lovely way to celebrate 🎈🥂🎈

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toSueAppleRun

Thank you Sola. If someone said I’d be celebrating our anniversary with a 10k run 20 years ago, I’d have thought they were bonkers.

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate in reply toDexy5

Yes, exactly, the running really got to you

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate10

A great way to celebrate your Anniversary 😁🎉🎉🎉Well done both 👍

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toInstructor57

Thanks Instructor57. I hope all is improving with you.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

Making progress thanks , just a few hiccups along the way !

Cowladyrunning profile image
CowladyrunningGraduate10

Happy Anniversary and I love how you are celebrating it. That woodland run sounds idyllic! Have a wonderful stay.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toCowladyrunning

Thanks Cowladyrunning - back to reality tomorrow.

MissUnderstanding profile image
MissUnderstandingAdministratorGraduate10

Happy Anniversary! 🎉 What a top quality way to celebrate. Absolutely loved reading about that run. I’m so envious of you running where there are wild ponies! #rungoals!! 🏃‍♀️❤️🐴

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toMissUnderstanding

Thank you, and we did get to see deer when we were out walking today. 🦌 🦌🦌🦌

Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate10

What a great post Dexy - lovely photos of a beautiful location! 😍Happy anniversary to both you and UTS - enjoy the rest of your stay.🙂

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toSandraj39

I thought of you as I was skipping over the puddles - I’m sure you would have run straight through them.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

Happy anniversary to you Dexy5 and UTS , that was a lovely run both of you had today, enjoy the rest of your holiday in The New Forest

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toAlMorr

Thank you Al, it’s been lovely.

Shake-and-run profile image
Shake-and-runGraduate10

Happy Anniversary to you both. I love the story of your run, All that flora and fauna, sounds wonderful. Xx

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toShake-and-run

Thank you Shakes, as much as I love being by the sea, this little part of Hampshire is so lovely. And although we can drive here in just over an hour, I love waking up here to the sounds of Mother Nature.

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10

a rather lovely long post and hope Stanley’s thumb hasn’t got in the way of a lovely dinner.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toCoddfish

I think he will survive Coddfish . Alcohol is a good anaesthetic, 🍾🥂

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10

Happy anniversary Dexy and UTS, and what a way to celebrate! I’m so glad the weather behaved on your delightful run, and I hope you enjoyed all your well earned calories! Oh the benefits of running! 😋 😇

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

Thank you Cheeky - it sounds like it will be good weather for our get together on Saturday too.

Bluebirdrunner profile image
BluebirdrunnerGraduate10

Happy Anniversary Dexy and UTS🥂🍾🎉🎉🎉

Your run sounds fabulous, I could see it all from your description!

Enjoy your break, what a perfect way to celebrate.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️❤🐎🦌🌳🌳🌳🌷xxx

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toBluebirdrunner

Thank you BBR xx

Week7 profile image
Week7Graduate10

This sounds perfect! Enjoy the rest of your break.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toWeek7

thank you

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10

Happy, happy Anniversary to you both...what a glorious run in such a glorious location.. xxx

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toOldfloss

Thanks, it’s so lovely here.

Mudita11 profile image
Mudita11Graduate10

Happy Anniversary to you both. Sounds like a fabulous run. We are lucky to have this on our doorstep aren’t we? Your words make me want to go and run there right now x

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toMudita11

we hope to see you at Exbury Gardens next month Mudita .

Mudita11 profile image
Mudita11Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

I’ll be there 👍🏻😊

Rowers profile image
RowersGraduate10

Love the New Forest! Happy Anniversary!

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toRowers

Yes, and whatever time of year.

Frenc profile image
FrencGraduate1060minGraduate

That sounds amazing, what a lovely way to spend your anniversary. That’s just how I would like to spend a day, a run, a massage, and nice grub. 😊😊😊

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toFrenc

Not to mention 🥂

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10

Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate your anniversary. Hope the rest of the day was as good xxx

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toSandie1961

I thought how much you and Mr S would enjoy staying in your motor there , but you’ve probably already done it.

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

We’ve had a short break in the van, but we also had a week in a tent at Brockenhurst about 30 million years ago 😂 Beautiful!

apatsyf profile image
apatsyfGraduate10

What a beautiful description of your day, Dexy - a real feast for the senses (apart from poor UTS's finger). Sounds like the perfect Anniversary celebration, lovely surroundings, run, food, more food, massage and alcohol. Congratulations! 🌳🏃‍♀️🥂🍻💐🫖🐎🏃🫕

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toapatsyf

thank you.

Tetleyteagirl profile image
TetleyteagirlGraduate10

what a lovely post Dexy, Happy Anniversary to you both, great photos! love the New Forest too. Enjoy😊

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toTetleyteagirl

Exbury Gardens today before driving home. Just perfect.

Freecloud profile image
FreecloudGraduate10

Happy anniversary to you both, that sounds like my idea of a great way to celebrate an anniversary. My wife would also totally agree (if you removed the running bit 😱).

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toFreecloud

Like parkrun, walking is allowed. 😂

Cmoi profile image
CmoiGraduate10

Joyeux anniversaire de mariage Dexy5 and UpTheStanley , enjoy your celebrations, and long may you run! 🎉🥂

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toCmoi

merci beaucoup Cmoi.

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10

Your run sounds like an expedition into the unknown Dexy! Glad you're having a good time

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toJonathanP

It was JP. I recognised the journey north but the return to the village was definitely a case of guesswork. There’s probably a good reason why the RN does survival training here. 😂

Katnap profile image
KatnapGraduate10

🤣 TailChaser has a thing about celebratory 10k runs!

Well done and congratulations 👏👏👏

🐱 Katnap 🐱

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

Thank you Katnap

buzzards profile image
buzzardsGraduate10

Happy anniversary!

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