I was speaking to Duncan earlier, and he was commenting about some peoples idea of wild camping up in Scotland that he witnessed. Which reminded me of the Surrey/Hampshire version I saw this morning at Fleet Pond whilst walking the dogs.

I'll give the kids their dues, they did have their rubbish in a black bin liner ready for disposing. And the site they chose was clean, just not your camp late, rise early. The location right by the path wasn't great either. But hey who am I to comment on that considering I think I was also very close to the path as well last Friday in the Brecon Beacons.

But I think these kids illustrate just how dumb our laws are. Why shouldn't they be allowed to camp here if they follow the leave no trace principles. They certainly have done no harm, and from the looks of it been a lot less trouble than some that visit Fleet Pond late at night and hold parties. In particular about a year ago one lot cut down two trees, dug a fire pit and had a fire,  took drugs (packet remains left on floor). These people should of been done.

These others I saw this morning, I have no problem with what they did. In fact I know one or two spots that would of been a bit better for them.

It's Fathers Day, so after getting up, making my own breakfast, hanging the washing out, putting more washing on, unloading the dishwasher. It was time for me to have some quality me time walking the dogs. After all it's Fathers Day, although it didn't feel that way with all the chores.

I hadn't been out Ceasar's Camp way for a while, so decided after dropping Josh off at B&Q where he works weekends, to pop on over.

I parked in the opposite car park than I normally do, because the opposite side has not been fenced off for grazing. So is more dog friendly.I don't have to worry about stumbling across cows.

This meant that I would be wondering around on army land, and more specifically the area refered to as the tank ranges. This area can be seen in the last Pearce Brosnan James Bond film Die Another Day as Korean No Mans Land.

On a day like today this walk has the combination I like, shaded wooded sections and wide open sections. I particularly love walking through the woods,  not only because I am under cover. But I like the way that the rays of sunlight break through the canopy. And after a couple days of rain there are plenty of spots for the dogs to drink and paddle.

Not sure how far I walked today, as with such times as this I just wander where the mood takes me. It's hard to get lost while doing this, I may not know my exact location, but eventually I hit a path or spot I know.

And so it was like that today, eventually I hit a spot I knew and was able to get back to the car.

An excellent peaceful walk, a fitting Fathers Day walk.

Above Bud and Barney are paddling upto their necks in a deep puddle.

Below the mutts decide if they need to obey the sign

Above the tank train grounds

Above a foxglove?

Below no idea what that flower is. 

Another glorious morning, and once more out with the dogs.

Well we had our orders for todays dog walk. Kate wanted us to collect some bits of bark for her class to draw in lesson time tomorrow.

The pack and I headed off to the scene of yesterdays walk. This time no soldiers around so I was able to get some photos of the little ammo dump of theirs (minus the ammo).

So in the quest to find interesting bits of bark for the kids to draw tomorrow, the mutts and I wondered off into unexplored parts of the woods (well for us it was). Which threw up more examples of our Armed Forces having played their little games.

Above: Remains of a smoke grenade.

But what you really want is to see some more pictures of the very scenic woods that we have at the moment. They are springing into life, green fern shoots breaking through the old dry crunchy remains of last years ferns, bird song, green leaves, it's very pretty at the moment.

Above left: Woods with Army target practice thing in for ground. And to the right Bud paddling in a rather large puddle. 

Below:This is the quiet spot that I found yesterday.

And as I write this blog Kate is playing Surrender by Cheap Trick on Guitar Hero II. She has just got 87% her best score so far on that song. And like Nathan it is the only song she plays. Me I'm struggling to play Hanger 18 at the moment on Medium. But I have tried Surrender on Hard and Expert settings, and boy are they difficult.

Back on track, and it is 19 days until I start walking across Scotland with Dave. And I still have this "man flu". Worried? Who me? Just a tad. Kate couldn't be happier at the mo. The clock is ticking and the race is on.

Well after this mornings posting, it won't be hard for you to guess that I've been down to the New Forest walking today.

John turned up and my main worry about our dogs not getting on was unfounded. John's dogs are so well behaved and did as they were told. Unlike my motley crew, who disobey every chance they get. John never had to resort to a lead at any point with his dogs during the walk. Where I had to use a lead with mine all the time. John's dogs even stayed when told to! 

It was chilly when we started, and it wasn't long before the sun was breaking through, and I had to remove my soft shell.

On the way round we stopped at a tea shop, where John demostrated his control of his dogs. He told them to stay and they did, as he went in to get the teas. If I'd tried that with my dogs they would of held up all the other people in the tea garden for their food as soon as my back was turned.

Anyway I feel very lucky that John shared this walk with me, I have no idea what the distance was for this walk was (approx 9 miles if I did it right in Quo), but it was fun and I had great company. 

One thing this walk did help me do was decide about river crossings on the Challenge. I'm following in Andy Howell's foot steps and I'm just going to walk through them without changing my shoes or socks. It was early on in the walk when we stumbled into a boggy bit, which I got wet feet in. And the X Socks and trainers went from wet to a barely damp very quickly. But near the end we had to cross a boggy bit, and I followed the dogs and just got wet. But it was so much easier, and kinda refreshing. Now will I be saying that up in Scotland in potentially colder weather? I don't know.

On the way back I called in on Martin and Julie and went for another walk with them round Puttenham Common (think I've been speeling it wrong in earlier postings!!). I think this may of been a walk too far for Barney. On the way round he was sick, and then back at the car he was sick two or three times again. But we had a lovely walk round Puttenum Common. Which was approx 3 miles, so not a bad milage for the day. I'm happy with that.

Below are some piccies of the our mutts on the walk this morning.

Rounding off the evening with a session on Guitar Hero II just makes it a perfect day. Especially considering I unlocked "War Pigs" and "Sweet Child O' Mine". What? So I'm an aging rocker who used to stand infront of the mirror listneing to KISS, Led Zepplin, Anthrax etc playing air guitar. I'm the games target market!

I'm also kinda interested in how John blogs today. Two bloggers, same walk, two different view points. One will be accurate and the other will be John's ^__^ Sorry John had to get that quote in first that we came up with near the end of the walk.

Which reminds me, we did chat on the way round. And I enjoyed our conversation alot. We talked about everything and anything. And at the end how sad I was playing with a plastic guitar in front of the tv.

Well it's been a mixed day today. It was abit chilly this morning, and I had to visit the local "super-mega-larger than a town" Tesco's to do the weekly food shop.

What's that got to do with the outdoors I hear you say? Well I got the stuff to make my trail mix for the Challenge. I also got some fruit to turn into snacks. Unfortunately I forgot about Nathan and the bananas I bought are no longer. I am experimenting with kiwis (on the go at the moment).

The last newsletter from TGO Challenge control arrived in the post today. So I need to digest that and take on board any relevant bits.

This afternoon I've had a fantastic walk with Mark round the Potters. We went off our usual beaten path, and explored. We came across something that looked abit like some BBQ equipment lying on the floor in the undergrowth. And thought no more about it

Later on we came across what can only be described as an old bunker that the Army has seen fit to demolish a little. 

Below: The destroyed bunker

It was here that I found out what the bit of "BBQ" equipment was. It was actually the pronged bit of a flare tripwire. How did I find this out? Well at the demolished bunker a bit of Army waste (ie the instructions with diagram) had been left lying around as rubbish.

Below: Flare Tripwire Instructions found at bunker.

We also found the remains of a pate tin from an Army ration pack. I know that the Army pretend to be the guardians of the country side with all the land they own and look after. But they leave SO much waste around. If I knew my Army ration packs better you could go on and say what the soldier had had for lunch, breakfast etc. I put this idea to Mark, who looked suitably unimpressed at my thesis of Army Forensics based on ration pack litter.

Of course there are the usual spent casings from the blank rounds fired all over the place. There were about three such casings where Mark and I stopped to brew up. We both sat on our very comfortable therm-a-rest sit mats, and drank real coffee with hobnobs. I also used the sink I got the other day for the dogs to have a drink from.

After a brew Mark and I set up the tarp in a flying V configuration, using 6 tent pegs and the two walking poles. Mark was very impressed with the whole tarp idea, and is I think on the brink of trying them himself. 

I've also heard from Kate today, who is having a good time in France with her brother. I've told her to get some maps and other info so we can plan a family visit over there.

It's been another good day today, another fantastic walk with a friend. I'm so lucky to have friends to share the walks with. Tomorrow will be a solo walk with the dogs. So once more a different walk to the ones this Bank Holiday again.

PS Why the title above? well jumping on the band wagon of Aktoman and some of my fellow bloggers. This is the song title of the song Nathan has nearly mastered totally on Guitar Hero II. He has a 98% rating on this in easy. And I've heard it over, and over, and over and over again ^__^ Oh and the song was made famous by Cheap Trick.

What a fantastic start to the Easter Bank Holiday. I do hope people weren't stuck in traffic today.

I woke up this morning and saw how good the day was looking ,it was crying out to walk the dogs with a friend.

So after a phone call Martin and Julie were going to join me on a walk round Puttenum Common.

We did a longer circuit than the first time I was here with Mark and Kate. But it was such a marvelous day, within 5 minutes of leaving the car I saw my first deer of the year, as they darted off into the woods. The dogs missed all this as they were too busy doing their thing (whatever that is). Martin and Julie managed to see them just.

We spent the walk chatting, it was fun to hear martin and Julie discuss where they would be eating tonight. But the weather was so fantastic, no coats were really needed.

We even heard a woodpecker tapping away in a tree.

Above: One of the ponds

Below: Martin and Strider striking similar poses.

Above: Martin and the ever "happy" Martin

Below: Where's Bud?

Below: we didn't remember walking up that far.

I got the one game kate MAY enjoy, but it will drive her nuts. Yes Guitar hero II is out on the 360. And I got it. Had a session on it this afternoon with Nathan. We are only playing on the easy setting but that is hard enough (for an old dog like me, and Nathans dsypraxia). And will be rocking the night away tonight ^__^

I may of said this before but one of the things I enjoy is walking my dogs with friends. It's nice to get out with good company, and share that whole experience.

This afternoon has been one of those opportunities. Good weather, a new walk, and good company.

After doing the section of the North Downs Way between Farnham and Guildford the other week. I had stopped for lunch over looking Puttenum Common, and thought it looked a good place to walk the dogs.

Today was the day to walk the dogs there. No maps, no clue where to park, off Mark, Kate and I set to Puttenum. It wasn't hard to find the car parks, second attempt was it all it took.

Where we parked the car you are greeted with a view over the Surrey landscape. After a look at the map kindly posted on a notice board we headed off towards the river and ponds that are there. Kate wouldn't let me take the map off the board for our use on the walk, and I have to sometimes worry about Kate's moral compass. I would of returned it eventually ;)

Anyway this was a great wooded walk on a nice spring day. I'll definitely be coming back here with the dogs. Why I've never been here before I don't know, a slip up is all I can say. 

Above Mark and Kate explore a fallen tree

Above Kate climbs a tree, Strider climbs the tree and Strider jumps for joy that kate is coming out of the tree!

Below a picture of one of the ponds.

Barney tries to get out after having a swim while Bud looks on.

  Strider not impressed with Kate hugging a tiolet.

 With last nights rain I didn't know what the weather would be like this morning. So when I woke up what a pleasant surprise to see sunshine and blue skies.

It's a shame I didn't plan things better, else I could of done a longer walk today. But I had promised Nathan a trip to see the new Ghost Rider movie (well it was more for me than him at that point).

But this morning I still managed to have an extra long meander round Fleet Pond with the wolf pack.

It must be getting to spring time when you hear the woodpeckers tapping away, and see the first signs of the bluebells (below).

But for most of the walk the bird song was drowned out by the local model annoraks club, sorry model plane club flying their objects of desire. But at least one of them has gone home in tears as I heard a plane splutter followed by a loud thud! I suspect one of the models came to an untimely end.

Enough of my waffling here are some more piccies taken from the walk.

Bud recreating the scene in Winnie the Pooh when Pooh gets stuck in rabbits door.

The three above are of Strider and his stick that I had to throw for him. Which was good as I could get some decent shots of him while he waited for me to throw it.

Bud just loves holes.

  And possibly some evidence of the armies usage of the land, and empty box!

Well it happened sooner than I thought but another one of those unexpected days off occurred today due to life events at home.

I decided to walk the dogs on Army land near the Basingstoke canal which we refer to as The Potters.

It was nice walking along with the birds singing lead to the Armies rhythm section of guns going off.

I did have a little chat with Podcast Bob (yes I am one of those walkers that walks the dogs with a phone glued to their ear sometimes), which was cut short (much to Bob's relief I would imagine) by poor signal coverage.

Two old ladies out walking their retired guide dog stopped me to ask whether Strider was a pure collie. Which I said he was, and explained he was from working stock, and how we saved him from having to sleep in a barn. What made the ladies think he wasn't was his curly tail. But others have said that as well before. They also commented on Buds lovely brindle coat, and how cute Barney looked. We all agreed how lucky we were having such nice areas to walk the dogs so local. I did mention what was going on at Caesars Camp but they hadn't heard of the area. I hope they find it before it becomes a real no go area for dogs.

Below: Barney

Below: Birch Polypore

Below: A murky view across the trees

Above: Strider going round a rather large puddle

Above: These puddles are more like small ponds as they never dry up.

When I woke up this morning the weather was totally different to what I was expecting. Rain and more rain with a bit of strong wind thrown in was the expectation, blue skies and sun was the reality. I didn't need another invite to get up and get out with the dogs. Saturday being the chore day it usually is, I headed to Fleet Pond (hence the picture of "the hobbit bridge" as I call it). Apart from the glorious weather the thing that made this walk stand out was the fact that for the first time in over a year I saw deer. The dogs and I were walking along and no more than 100 feet, just like buses that don't come for ages three deer ran across the path in front of us. Bud made a half hearted attempt to give chase, but they had disappeared off into the woods.