New Alresford

Younger brother John and his wife Jan, decided to treat mrs maytrees and I to lunch and a stroll through New Alresford which I think is in Hampshire. Thus, earlier this week he drove us all to this delightful village where we had a somewhat late, but very enjoyable lunch. Upon reflection New Alresford may be a small town  rather than a village, not least because the old British Railways Watercress Line station is in the town and is used for occasional  steam train runs.

After lunch, Jan and mrs maytrees decided to go shopping so John and I went for a walk along the  River Alre and its Millennium Walk.  Given the very damp weather, our walking boots were ideal. Along the river, we met a local man who pointed out his birthplace, an old house overlooking the river. His current home he said was not far away either so he had hardly moved from the area at all though given how attractive and uncluttered the place  is, that was unsurprising.

Pictured above is youngest brother on the muddy footpath alongside the River Alre.

The local man pointed out the masses of watercress growing under the river water. The River Alre  was crystal clear and there were many fish, grayling I believe, swimming along with a large number of watchful ducks which were in their birthing season. The local man signified that there also used to be  a number eels in the river but that these in Europe and the UK have been  dwindling in number for years.

We thanked the local  man and John  and I carried on the walk onwards to New  Alresford railway station. The old green slam door railway carriages there, reminded me of commuting to work in the early days and even earlier, of travelling to London by steam train, to visit our late grand mother.

Thereafter we met the girls and then home.