Lines in history

Your Walk the Lines issue was poignant for me. My dad was a railway employee all his life and enjoyed taking the family on rambles that included disused railway paths, many of which he had great knowledge of. His work spanned the demise of the steam trains and the closures from the 1960s. Sadly he died three years ago, and wasn’t able to enjoy the opening of a new circular trail where I live in Hampshire – The Watercress Way. It’s a delightful route using existing footpaths and sections of the DidcotSouthampton line and the Mid Hants railway. The short section of disused railway between South Wonston and Kingsworthy is barely a few steps from my home and this, together with other parts of the northern section of the Watercress Way have been the mainstay of our everyday local walks since lockdown. My dad would have loved to have seen and walked these paths with us, hearing the clarity of birdsong and pointing out all the flourishing wildflowers that I cannot name! But even without him, these lovely walks have lifted our spirits and given us hope. Penny Mead, Winchester

Kes the conkercolour Cocker is an inveterate explorer, often finding his way into the unlikeliest of places when we’re busy putting the magazine together. In fact he’s hiding out in this issue for you to find! Spot him (not on this page) and you could win over £45 worth of Lifeventure goodies – just email the page number where you found Kes to: ifoundkes@LFTO.com by August 12, 2019 putting ‘Kes August’ in the subject line.

And congratulations to Roger Guy from Bath who spotted Kes following the Hallisseys onto the Anderton Boat Lift on page 77 of the June issue, and wins this month’s prize!