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THE LYNDHURST Directory

Edition 72

It has been an unusual two years, that is for sure and here we are in December 2021. I have to admit that I have had some difficulty ‘gearing up’ to the festive season, but I think I have finally decided to let my hair down and enjoy some time with family and friends, which is after all what this holiday period is all about for many. Good company, good food, time to laugh and appreciate each other. Our loyal local trades and services certainly appreciate all your calls and bookings. Each and every one of them wants to wish you a Happy Advertise with us Holiday Season and thank you for all Take your business to new heights your support over this particularly with our affordable advertising challenging time. Without you, some of packages! Supply your own artwork or these companies would have struggled use our in-house design and brand much more, so a big appreciation from expert. To chat to Debbie or the sales all of them! team, give us a call: In the new year we are looking to add more local clubs and societies again, so please let us know if you would like some promotion. We are here to help you. If you have a business that would benefit from our thousands of magazines which go out every month, please give me a call or send an email. I would love to help you. Stephen, myself, Julie, Mel, Tracey, Steph, Chris and Jannike wish you a really special Christmas. May you eat, drink and be merry. Very Best Wishes,

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The amazing unlovables of the animal world British invertebrates come in all shapes and sizes, each with a part to play in the local ecosystem. But some aren’t winning any popularity contests. Here’s why we should all try and embrace some of our unlovable species.

Angle Shades Moth

Slugs and snails are hated by gardeners the world over for chewing unsightly holes in treasured flowers and shrubs. Their slimy appearance and eating habits make them unwelcome in the immaculate show gardens that many of us know and love. However, in the nature-centric garden (the kind we prefer here at the Wildlife Trust), slugs and snails are very important and should be tolerated. They are a vital food source for all sorts of birds, mammals and reptiles, and are a part of the natural balance. Leave them be and you may be amazed at the wildlife that follows. Spiders have inspired some of our bestloved novels and comics, but did you know without them the world might be overrun with swarms of insects. Despite this, spiders carry formidable reputation. House spiders are incredibly helpful in the house and the garden, keeping flies and other pests in check. In autumn and winter it may seem like there are more spiders in your home than usual, but they are just more active at this time of year. Though they can appear large and sinister, the UK house spider is harmless.

a food source for many creatures – providing another vital link in the food chain. Moths are often overlooked in favour of their often more colourful cousins - butterflies. They are dismissed as brown and dull, but in fact many species are bright and colourful, and with over 2,500 types of moth in Britain, there’s an amazing amount of diversity to be discovered! If you want to get a closer look at these flighty little visitors, why not set up a simple light trap using a white sheet, washing line and torch? Claire Thorpe

Encourage spiders in the garden by providing logs and stone piles for them to live, feed and breed in. Spiders are 6

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Hampshire Art Studio offers art workshops for groups From company team building and problem solving to improving mental health and well-being. Hampshire Art Studio offers a range of exciting art in its fully equipped studio in idyllic surroundings beside the River Dever in the Test Valley, Hampshire. They cater for both groups and individuals. Using their experienced tutors they offer art workshops that are designed to help businesses build their employees' team spirit and morale. The classes encourage thinking out of the box, getting rid of the word ‘can't', building confidence and helping with problem solving. Well-versed in looking after groups of all kinds, Hampshire Art Studio believes art has an important role to play in people's wellbeing, too - focussing on creativity allows people to manage stress, explore solutions and feel good about themselves. A proven fact is that art has a real role to play in unleashing creative thinking, problem-solving and building teams - all making a significant impact on employee morale and the way companies perform. Hampshire Art Studio would love to chat to businesses and other organisations about how to increase team spirit and therefore productivity. It suggests a Christmas morale boost may be the way to kick start these art workshops - a different kind of office Christmas Party - ‘the Art feast', a morning of creativity and then an afternoon feast - what better way to celebrate the festive season! Organisations can also make use of something unique - visual facilitation - a way of illustrating words with pictures. Visual images are recalled by individuals 95% more than words are. So meetings can be presented by using both! While you're presenting, a talented illustrator will draw on a board beside you the significant points of what's being said so the audience can ‘listen in pictures', too really livening up the presentation in a unique and colourful way and ensuring that more people retain the information and understand it. No more ‘death by Powerpoint'! Creativity is also good for the soul and has many healing properties, not least changing a person's thinking and view of the world and themselves. Getting involved with art can

have powerful and lasting effects on health, helping to protect against issues such as anxiety and lack of confidence, a common experience especially for people returning to the workplace after lockdown, working from home and being furloughed. And of course it's sociable and fun! Add to this the beautiful surroundings the studio is set in overlooking the River Dever and you have a winning formula. Says Clare Dryden, co-founder and owner of Hampshire Art Studio; ‘Using art to improve a team's creative thinking is more important than ever as companies come together once again in the same building. And it's also crucial that we look after our mental health and find ways to help businesses with this - art can play a really important part. We're very proud of what we can offer all groups here at the studio or in the workplace'. "We've used Riverside for a number of meetings and team-building events. Its tranquillity and stunning surroundings completely facilitate the group you are working with to explore new thinking and fresh ideas without the need to spend time creating that environment." Sainsbury's "A huge thank you for your wonderful hospitality, we all very much enjoyed the yoga and motivational art classes and the food was outstanding. We have spoken about coming back for another offsite in the near future." First State Investments (UK) Limited "Thanks again for organising the Instant Pause workshop last week - the art was terrific". Twinings For more information about Hampshire Art Studio visit https://hampshireart.studio

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1. What is the opening line to 'Let it Snow'? 2. Which Christmas carol was originally written in Latin as 'Adeste Fideles'? 3. What type of pudding do the carolers sing about in 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'? 4. Which carol includes the lyrics, 'Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis'? 5. How many types of birds are mentioned in the Twelve Day of Christmas song? 6. In the words of the famous carol 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing', to whom is glory proclaimed? 7. Which Christmas carol is commonly known by the title 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire'? 8. Which famous Xmas song sends 'tidings of comfort and joy'? 9. Which Christmas carol was composed by Rector Phillip Brooks following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he had felt mesmerized by the town in which Jesus was born?

11. Which famous Christmas carol was written as a poem by C. F. Alexander, the same inspirational poet credited with having composed the hymn 'All Things Bright and Beautiful'?

12. The famous song 'White Christmas' originally featured in which 1942 musical ﬁlm starring

Bing Crosby, Fred Astair and Virginia Dale? 13. Which Christmas carol includes the lyrics, 'They looked up and saw a star, Shining in the east beyond them far, And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night'? 14. Christina Rossetti wrote a poem that was to become the basis of which famous Christmas Carol? 15. What is the ﬁnal line of the famous 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' song? 16. Which carol was originally composed by James Pierpoint in 1857 for Thanksgiving? 17. In the words of 'Away in a Manger', what was the Lord Jesus asleep on? 18. Which Christmas carol begins with the lyrics, 'Sleigh bells ring are you listening'? 19. What type of tree is mentioned in the Twelve Days of Christmas song? 20. Which Christmas carol includes the lyrics, 'From now on, our troubles will be out of sight'?

10. Which song repeats the catchy lyrics, 'pa rum pum pum pum'?

Find the answers on Page 34

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company policy of delivering the highest standards possible at all times. ‘Our service is simple. If your double glazing has misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 25 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Whilst a number of tradespeople perhaps don’t focus on customer care as much as they should do, we make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. Locally Cloudy2Clear service the Lyndhurst area and

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Brilliant Books to gift this Christmas Make your Christmas shopping a breeze with these fantastic reads for all your nearest and dearest. For the foodie: Bringing a double Taste: My Life Through Food whammy of by Stanley Tucci festive cheer with You may know him best from a tale that features films such as The Devil Wears both Christmas and Prada or The Hunger Games unicorns, this sparkly franchise, but more recently storybook is designed actor Stanley Tucci has been to wow and delight. making a name for himself as a Published by Ladybird certified gourmand. For the film Recounting his life fan: in food, from nights Will by Will spent around the Smith and bustling dinner Mark Manson table of his Italian Charting his American family transformation as a child, Tucci from a fearful creates a delectable child in a smorgasbord of tense West life that any food Philadelphia obsessive will find home, to one of irresistible. Published the biggest pop by Penguin stars of his era and then one For the romantic: of the biggest White Christmas movie names by Katie Flynn in Hollywood history, Will’s is Sunday Times bestselling not just a story of success, but author Katie Flynn returns with also one of faith and courage. this heart-wrenching historical Published by Century Books fiction which begins in 1938 For the curious: and stretches across Europe. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! It tells the story of a courageous 2022: All True! German girl named Rozalin All Weird! All Sachs who flees her home Wild! as the Nazi revolution rises, Get ready to encountering love, tragedy astound with and adventure on her way to thousands of becoming a woman. Published strange stories, by Arrow Books unusual feats and hair-raising For the little one: oddities from Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Christmas around the world. Unicorn What young child’s stocking Bursting with would be complete without brilliant facts, everyone’s favourite porcine? fantastic stories

and eye-popping photographs, this all-new edition of Ripley’s is sure to be a hit. Published by Century For the history buff: The Story of the World in 100 Moments by Neil Oliver From much-loved historian Neil Oliver comes a whole new insight on our past, told through 100 remarkable, unforgettable stories. In his brilliant and excitingly ambitious new book, the Coast presenter takes us on a whistle-stop tour around the planet and through a million years, to give us a unique and invaluable grasp of how human history pieces together.

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Fascinating, brilliant and mind-bogglingly expansive, The Story of the World in 100 Moments is the gift for anyone curious about the place in which we live. Published by Bantam Press

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QUIRKY FACTS by Mica Bale With autumn in the air, perhaps just the fleeting promise of a last-minute Indian summer and the kids or grandkids back to school, who fancies the opportunity for a sit down and a coffee? Well, as the nights are beginning to draw in, why not make yourself a cocoa and curl up for another five quirky facts from around our magnificent county?

PHOTO: JAMAIN

As one of the county’s most recognisable local breeds, the Hampshire Down Sheep has been part of the landscape for generations. In fact, did you know that 2021 marks 160 years since the Hampshire Down Sheep was recognised as its own breed? Today the Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders Association works hard to unite members and preserve this heritage breed.

Did you know?

Interestingly the village of Barton Stacey is among the oldest in the county with origins dating back to Neolithic times. For a period of time, the settlement was a royal manor and came under the ownership of Edward the Confessor. As time went on the village was largely a farming community however despite all those years of history, the settlement very nearly came to an abrupt end when a stray spark nearly burnt out the entire area. The blacksmith’s ﬁre caused a spark which soon ignited the nearby cottage. Countless houses and belongings were lost however the county and indeed the country were quick to provide relief and monies were raised by strangers from across Britain. Thankfully today the village is still standing despite the ﬁre which threatened its existence. 14

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Did you know that Hampshire is home to one of the most unusual Special Sites of Scientiﬁc Interest? Greywell Tunnel is a disused man-made canal tunnel, built as early as the 1780s? Through disuse and a resulting lack of maintenance and traﬃc, the tunnel has been naturally repurposed by local populations of bats! Many bats come to the tunnel to hibernate and remarkably, the tunnel is home to the second largest colony of Natterer's bats in Europe.

Perhaps an usual gift to bestow upon your nearest and dearest, did you know that East Tytherley was given to Queen Philippa by her husband King Edward III in the 14th century? Interestingly, as the Queen ﬂed the Black Death in London, her entire court moved to the simple Hampshire village, no doubt causing quite the stir. The Queen was said to have loved the settlement however, as she relocated her court, she brought with her the Black Death and caused devastation in East Tytherley as a tragic result.

Have you seen arguably Hampshire’s most impressive, if not unusual, folly? Although follies are, by nature, unusual or quirky, surely Massey’s Folly is one of the foremost examples of such a structure, so much so that the creator of the folly himself was not exactly sure of its purpose! Complete with 17 bedrooms and even two towers, the folly took more than 30 years for local rector Thomas Massey and just one other worker, a bricklayer, to ﬁnish. Remarkably, as Massey was so unsure of his plans, he repeated tore down elements of the folly until it was eventually fully constructed!

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12 Days of Christmas Wordsearch Words to ﬁnd: PARTRIDGE DOVES HENS BIRDS RINGS GEESE SWANS MAIDS LADIES LORDS PIPERS DRUMMERS Can you sing the full song? Here are some hints

10 11 12

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Reimagining the Matrix Another excellent – if familiar – adventure on the way for Keanu Reeves. Keanu Reeves doesn’t subscribe to cancel culture, and besides, there aren’t too many sins to account for! In fact, if skirting back over past behaviour is a determination of popularity in the years to come, then the 56-year-old Beirutborn star has stored up enough credits to last well beyond retirement. From queuing in the rain outside his own party because he didn’t want to make a fuss to bouncers, to redistributing his movie fees around support staff and special effects workers, through to acts of random kindness to strangers, such as giving up his seat on the New York subway. Add in charitable donations thought to exceed $100m, and the star clearly goes well beyond what is expected of him. “I don’t do things for any other reason than they feel right,” he says. “And that makes me no different to 99% of people out there – good people who give up their time

or their energy for something that doesn’t directly beneﬁt them.” While his behaviour onset is no less community spirited, it’s accurate to say the actor’s feelgood vibes haven’t directly translated into big hits in the past couple of years – his most recent movie being the semi-successful reprisal of Ted ‘Theodore’ Logan in the Bill & Ted franchise last year, and John Wick in 2019. “I think I’ve really taken a new view to it all in the past decade,” he says. “I don’t subscribe to the fanfare and the glamour. You’ve seen the way I live – I like basic things, I love motorbikes; I’d rather be out on a gravelly road getting mud on my boots than sat in the back of a limo. That’s just then person I am now. “Of course, I respect in others a desire to go after the bright lights, but I’d rather have a conscience that is more about people and worthwhile experiences, so I guess that leads me to do a lot of the things that I do. I’m not

doing it for any other reason than I want to.” For all the Speed, 47 Ronin and The Day the Earth Stood Still actor’s protestations, he might well be advised to prepare for a bit more press intrusion very soon with an expected triumphant return to form as the character of cybercriminal-turned apparent superhero Neo in the fourth instalment of The Matrix series of ﬁlms. “I am absolutely happy - I always feel I have to be totally committed to doing a role justice, particularly on a sequel, as you run the risk of sullying everything that went before it unless you get it right.” There seems little danger of that…

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Sleep Easy Five reasons why plentiful sleep is vital to your health. ONE - Sleep increases productivity - Adults and children alike will struggle to maintain concentration when working if they are deﬁcient in sleep. Scientists suggest we are 30% more productive early in the morning versus late at night, with the replenishment of sleep stimulating the mind and driving focus. For adults, getting eight hours a night is considered to be the premium amount of rest.

Effective sleep means we make better sense of life events, and can approach new tasks with clarity and vigour.

TWO - Sleep boosts your immune system and health - Your immune system is designed to help you fight off illness and disease, but the more efficient it is, the better it will be at doing it. Sleep fuels that efficiency, so getting rest means a smaller chance of catching a cold, the flu, or worse, as well as providing a better response if you are infected.

suggest people who claim to frequently get out ‘the wrong side of bed’ do so because of a lack of sleep, it’s true that poor and negative moods (encompassing anger, sadness, paranoia, frustration, irritability) are connected to insufﬁcient sleep.

Increased rest also means weight gain can be lessened, with reduced burden on your heart, and lower blood pressure.

Best of both worlds - Sleep is one of the few things that relies on both quantity and quality. Time is an essential element, but so is regularity and comfort. Distractions should be minimal and sleeping with lights on is problematic as it makes it difﬁcult for your brain to achieve deeper rest.

THREE - Sleep prevents accidents - Lack of sleep is a big contributing factor to accidents. Restful people are generally more aware and alert, while recent studies show that you’re twice as likely to have a car accident when sleep deprived below seven six hours; and the chance of an accident is doubled for each hour under ﬁve hours.

FOUR - Sleep improves our memories - When we sleep, we dream – this is our mind’s way of processing events and thoughts, which includes storing away and compartmentalising what goes on in our lives.

In contrast, plentiful sleep is directly linked to enhanced wellbeing.

Experts say that failure to sleep and an inability to allow our brains to create order through dreams can even stimulate fake memories because the brain has not had enough time to process real ones. FIVE - Sleep enhances our mood and general wellbeing - While there’s no evidence to

Conclusion - Better sleep, better life. Improving your ability to sleep well and for longer is a positive thing - for your mind, for your body, for your prosperity.

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Spot the Difference Can you find all 7 differences?

Find the answers on Page 34 22

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STAR GAZING WRITTEN BY KATE EARL

kateearlastro@gmail.com

Welcome to the December Stargazing Page. Highlights this month include a line of bright planets in the early evening, and the chance of spotting elusive Mercury at the end of 2021. International Space Station The ISS can be spotted in the evening from the 1st - 10th, with the earliest sighting around 4.45pm. Viewing then moves to morning skies from the 18th, and anyone wishing to catch Santa returning home will need to look up at either 4.50am or 6.25am on Christmas morning. To establish exact timings please refer to www.heavens-above.com or a similar webpage for up-to-date information, remembering to set the location to your observing area.

Moon December’s full moon occurs on the 19th and is traditionally known by a variety of rather apt names, such as Cold Moon, Snow Moon, and Moon before Yule Moon. A crescent Moon joins the trio of planets in a line between the 6 – 9th. Object of the Month The recognisable ‘W’ constellation of Cassiopeia lies high in the north around 7pm. To locate it, ﬁnd the Plough asterism low in the north, locate the north star using its two pointers, and Cassiopeia is almost directly opposite on the other side of the pole star (see ﬁgure). Cassiopeia is one of several circumpolar constellations viewed from southern England. Circumpolar constellations never set below the horizon, and are visible throughout the night. Cassiopeia is a great place to scan with a pair of binoculars or small telescope, revealing areas of rich star clusters. Jupiter

Saturn

Events The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of 13/14th December. A bright gibbous Moon will spoil the show in the evening, so you’ll need to wait until the early hours of the 14th to see any shooting stars. Alternatively, try looking northeast earlier in the week when the Moon is less bright. Unusually, the Geminid meteor shower is caused by Earth passing through the trail of debris left over by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and not by a comet. The Winter Solstice takes place on the 21st December; marking the shortest day and longest night.

Venus

View SW on 6th December at 5.15pm Cassiopeia

Mercury A diﬃcult planet to spot as it never strays far from the Sun as viewed from Earth, Mercury is visible during the last few days of December. You’ll need a clear, unobstructed view to the southwest (see ﬁgure).

Capella

Venus Venus is still low in the southwest, but by month end it is setting around 5.30pm. If you have a set of large binoculars or a small telescope, Venus will appear as a tiny, beautiful crescent, which due to its dazzling brightness is best viewed in twilight, rather than against a dark sky.

Vega

North/Pole Star

Mars The red planet is currently quite faint and only just visible before dawn. Jupiter and Saturn As the Sun sets both gas giants are visible in the southwest. Saturn sets by 7.30pm, and Jupiter by 9pm. They form a spectacular line of bright planets with Venus this month (see ﬁgure). 24

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Plough Asterism

View of the northern horizon upwards throughout December

Saturn

Venus

View SW on 6th December at 5.15pm Cassiopeia Capella

Vega

North/Pole Star

Plough Asterism

View of the northern horizon upwards throughout December Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Greenfingers… the Alan Titchmarsh column He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about making time for your garden to serve you as a place of creativity and contemplation. It was pointed out to me a few years ago that a lot of my novels contain a sort of yearning for something. That led me to think, maybe I’ve

got a deep in-built craving or hankering. Maybe we all have, and in life we’re all looking for something… something more. I think the lucky ones are those who ﬁnd it and know when they have found it. So where am I going with this? Well, I do sometimes feel a lot of those wants and desires can be arrested by going to a place that gives you quiet contemplation. It was John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy

making other plans”. Well stop being busy, stop making other plans, and for goodness’ sake get out in that garden of yours and enjoy it! You see, a real problem for a number of gardeners is the fact we spend hours, days, weeks and months tending to that glorious bit of land. We shovel, trim, cut, prune and pick until our hands are blistered and our knees are sore, yet omit to actually take a step back, or pull up a chair, or just sit on the blessed grass and soak it all in. Satisfaction in your garden sometimes comes in not gardening; it’s in the ability to stop! So as we get ready for when winter morphs wonderfully into spring, perhaps try to do less, not more.

is all those blemishes and ﬂaws that make nature what it is beautiful. I’ve got two gardens of my own and I’m very proud of them one in Hampshire, and a small coastal plot on the Isle of Wight. They are my achievements, my own little bit of land… but they’re only relevant and special if I remember to spend time in them, enjoying them, and sometimes, you know, doing nothing much at all!

I know that can be easier said than done; there are always jobs to do, and there will be those of us who cannot sit still in the garden - we ﬁnd it difﬁcult to stop, to accept a space how it is, always spotting imperfections here and there. In truth, it

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A clover leaf style of walk AROUND THE FRINGE OF TEST VALLEY This walk conjures up a great variety of terrain and covers woodlands and reserves in a remarkable area. At around 4. 5 miles this outing should take the regular walker about 90 minutes, but add more for halts at photo calls. There are 9 road crossings involved so care should be taken at these points. The meeting point is at The Hilt, Hiltingbury Recreation Ground, Hiltingbury Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 5NP

1 where there is ample, free parking, servicing a variety of sporting venues at the ground (tennis, football, leisure centre and community centre).

By carefully crossing here we adopt the path that is directly behind the fence and weave gently downhill between a myriad of gardens to halt at North Millers Dale in around 600 metres. We actually cross this road and veer left to then enter Flexford Meadows after 100 metres. The path here can be wet and muddy, being part of the stream’s ﬂood plain; however we venture along for only 200 metres when we take the right hand wooden bridge that crosses part of Monks Brook and once again follow this path beside the brook and soon move away, heading through a gate then over a wooden bridge to ultimately re-emerge along North Millers Dale. A careful crossing here will take us into a path through more woods and ultimately veers left to halt at Flexford Road with another careful crossing into a gravel road.

On leaving the car we need to aim towards the perimeter path away from the entrance and turn right threading our way around the playing ﬁelds. Once at the T junction we take the right turn underneath the trees for 300 metres up to Hiltingbury Road. From there it is left along the footpath up to the main Hursley Road traﬃc lights. 28

3 This gravel track threads between houses, crosses a local road, and resumes it’s journey as far as Hook Crescent. We keep to the left down

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the Crescent until it takes a sharp right hand turn, which is the point where we aim directly forward into a nicely hidden footpath.

4 By following this narrow path for 300 metres we ﬁnally arrive at Hook Road and another careful crossover. Our next path enters Hook Woods and is about 100 metres across the road on the left and provides a steady climb amongst damp mud and shingle for some 400 metres until it levels out and we pass a wood stock compound on the right. Obviously stacked to season for future use. Shortly after this the gravel road meets a gate at which point we once again turn right into the woods to zig zag between the trees, over another crossing of Monks Brook (more a bog), before a steady climb and then coming back out beside Hook Road. This should mean we are now facing the crossroads into Hocombe Road, which is our next destination and the penultimate road crossing and a very busy junction so do take care. Keeping to the footpath we pass number 131 Hocombe Road and select the next delights of Hocombe Mead Nature Reserve on the right hand side.

We now descend into a truly boggy zone, cross a stream then turn left using the raised duckboards wherever possible up to a wide gate, pass through this and work round left, passing another entrance to the Reserve, then following right and uphill. Once on top of the hill we drop down again taking care across the slippery steps, aiming towards the bog and a section of further duckboards. Before that section do pause to view carvings in a tree trunk on the right,

6 then continue long the path that will eventually curtail at Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. We are now faced with just one more road crossing, then a trip around the playing ﬁelds in the reverse direction from much earlier – and retrieving the car. The nearest coﬀee house or refreshment lie a short distance along the main road heading towards Chandlers Ford, within a parade of shops. WRITTEN BY MALCOLM PRICE

the Crescent until it takes a sharp right hand turn, which is the point where we aim directly forward into a nicely hidden footpath.

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Let’s Sudoku!

Do you love numbers? Enjoy 2 Sudoku challenges in every issue!

3 9 7 8 1 2 5 3 3 9 7 2 1 6 9 1 2 7 3 1 3 5 9 2 1 5 3 9 7 3 1 5 9 2 5 3

4 1 5 9 2 4 8 1 8 2 2 4 7 9 8 3 2 1 5 4

2 5 1 8 9 4 8 5 9 4 1

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A Design for Life… The Kevin McCloud Column Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner discusses the beneﬁts of mixing formal and contemporary, to great effect. Where two or more interior design styles meet, it can be for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s down to ‘making do’ on a budget – there was perhaps never a more popular time for such contrasts of ideas, side by side, than after the Second World War. That necessity to get the country back on its feet in any way possible meant, in design terms, a whole new set of rules were laid down, where the beauty of aesthetics or the complementing of materials and fabrics could, frankly, wait for another day. It was more important to get our spaces back in a liveable condition. On other occasions where very polarised looks are worked in together, it can be because the person with the brief wants

to create something unique, or shock people, or just rip up the rulebook to do something different. In more recent times, I’ve noted that same acceptance to mix things up when it comes to sustainability. Where the environment and eco matters are concerned, there is an understanding that not everything is perfect; not everything needs to, or even should, ﬁt together with precision.

On Grand Designs, we have had both ends of the spectrum - people who are seeking to thatch their roofs, then others looking at solar panels. So when people ask me if there are going to be more futuristic looking buildings in the future, or if the traditional will stay in fashion, for me I think straight away about a whole band of architects who are there trying to evolve a style of architecture that does both. And when you drop in the word sustainability, I think there’s much more leeway, much more margin to perhaps do things that don’t ﬁt as well as we might want them to in the sense of everything matching up to the last piece of fabric.

Mostly, sustainability for me means people are looking both forward, in the sense of caring for and planning for the future, of course. Yet at the same time they are upholding traditional aims, often using an existing template. And that could be anything from the footprint of the house to the setting it is in.

It’s okay to incorporate natural materials with contemporary. It’s okay to mix gothic with country kitchen if what is represented is personal taste and style. And where sustainability is concerned, perhaps we should even be encouraging this new brand of diversity.

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Answers Page PUB CHRISTMAS QUIZ 1) Oh the weather outside is frightful, 2) O Come, All Ye Faithful, 3) Figgy pudding, 4) Ding Dong Merrily on High, 5) Six types of birds: Partridge, Turtle Doves, French Hens, Calling Birds, Geese, and Swans 6) Newborn King, 7) The Christmas Song, 8) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 9) O Little Town of Bethlehem, 10) Little Drummer Boy 11) Once in Royal David's City, 12) Holiday Inn, 13) The First Noel, 14) In the Bleak Midwinter, 15) You'll go down in history, 16) Jingle Bells 17) Hay, 18) Winter Wonderland, 19) Pear tree 20) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2 4 3 5 9 7 1 6 8

5 7 6 8 2 1 4 3 9

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6 2 7 3 8 4 9 1 5

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8 3 4 1 2 9 6 5 7

6 1 5 8 4 7 3 9 2

4 5 8 9 1 6 2 7 3

3 9 1 2 7 4 5 6 8

2 6 7 3 8 5 9 4 1

5 8 3 7 9 1 4 2 6

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7 2 9 4 6 8 1 3 5

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Spiced Festive Biscuits Introduction

Rustle up a little festive cheer with these delectable and delicately spiced biscuits, ideal for hanging on your tree or just for brightening up your tea break.

Ingredients

For the biscuits

350g plain ﬂour – plus extra for rolling 200g butter 175g dark brown sugar 1tbsp golden syrup 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 large egg ½tsp ground cinnamon ½tsp ground nutmeg ½tsp ground ginger For the decoration 100g white chocolate (melted) OR 100g icing sugar Sprinkles or silver baubles

Top Tips • Turn your biscuits into tree decorations by making a hole into each one before baking, using a skewer then thread through ribbon once cooled. • This dough can be made ahead by placing in the freezer after having been wrapped in cling ﬁlm to chill. Simply defrost and roll out to bake. • Pre-made icing or chocolate that is ready-to-melt in a tube is a great option for those who feel less conﬁdent using a piping bag.

Method

Top Tip

Decorated biscuits will last several days on a tree or up to a week in an airtight container.

1. Gently warm the butter, sugar and golden syrup over a low heat until it has melted. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl making a well in the centre to pour the wet ingredients into. Mix until a workable dough forms. Once cooled, wrap the dough in cling ﬁlm and place in the fridge for at least one hour to chill. 2. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas mark 5 and line two baking sheets with baking paper. Meanwhile, roll out the biscuit dough onto a lightly ﬂoured surface to around ½cm thick and cut out your biscuits using festive shapes of choice.

Reroll leftover dough and cut until you have none left. Bake for 10-12 minutes until a golden brown. 3. Once cooled, preferably on wire racks, place either melted chocolate or icing sugar – that has been mixed with water to form a thick paste – into a piping bag and use to decorate the biscuits, adding baubles and other decorations while the icing is still wet. Let dry completely before hanging.

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Decorate & name your gingerbread man

CHRISTMAS TREE MAZE

COLOUR THE SHAPES IN THE PICTURE

Yellow

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