The haunted coach and horses of St Ann's hill

I've been out training again today, I only done about ten miles today, as I'm a bit stiff from yesterday's mission.

For dinner last night Larraine cooked a home made Hungarian Goulash, considering her disabilities, she is a great cook. She does however make the odd mistake when measuring ingredients, she doesn't seem to know the difference between a tea spoon and a table spoon! So due to her ever so slight misjudgement, we overdosed on Paprika and Caraway seeds. Not knowing how this might effect my tummy, I was tempted to put a portable commode! in my rucksack, before I set off training. Luckily I survived my journey with out having to do an emergency stop!

I set off walking at about ten thirty in the morning and I headed for Thorpe Village, on the way there I have to travel up a country lane called, Ten Acre lane, on the left hand side of Ten acre lane, there is a small very well kept cemetery, where my mum and dad are buried. I always give them a little wave when I'm passing there. I also own my own plot there. I can have two coffins and six urns of ashes, so the council told me! I don't have that many relatives, so I'm considering sub letting, I've got to make some money some how! "Only Joking!"

I turned right at the top of Ten acre lane and headed for St Mary's church, which is a beautiful little church in a scenic part of Thorpe Village. I then went up a footpath called Monks Walk, this takes you on to Chertsey. The path goes through the centre of a Theme park called Thorpe Park, which I'm certain many people have heard of. As you pass through the footpath, in the distance on the right hand side you will see St Ann's hill. Its a great place to take your children, as its very green and woody, fantastic for hide and seek! It allegedly is haunted by an old time coach and horses, which are seen thundering across the hill, in the dead of night. You've probably got more chance of catching that, than the local bus in this area!

Chertsey's claim to fame is that Bill Sykes got Oliver Twist to break into a house there. I think they got away with the TV and Video!

I walked through the out skirts of Chertsey until I got to Chertsey bridge, then over the bridge and left down the river Thames, through Laleham park. Walking through there and down the river to Staines is very nice. You get to see loads of different boats and houses, which I can't afford, but its still nice to see them. One of the locks on this part of the river is called Penton Hook Island and its open to the public free of charge, and wonderful in the summer.

When I finally got to Staines, I popped into the local conservative club for a refreshing pint of coke, with loads of ice, plus a vitamin filled sausage sandwich. The club have been kind enough to allow me to put up the poster about Larraine and I doing the marathon, so I'm sure that the members there will sponsor us and Sense! very generously.

That's it for today!

Clive.