Author: Russell Anthony

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Stretch out and wait…

Russell Anthony

Lockdown has rather scuppered any thoughts of getting out over the past couple of months.  That said, I have accumlated a lot of annual leave as a consequence of working from home so a post Easter getaway is looking promising.  I’ve spent many hours watching long distance walking highlights on YouTube – i didnt quite realise just how may videos i could watch about ‘buying the perfect rucksack’ (it’s the Osprey Exos in case you’re wondering).  I’ve spent far too much on maps, i’ve invested in some Merrell trail shoes, I’ve curated 140 Smiths tracks onto my Spotify playlist – … Continue reading Stretch out and wait…

Hadrians Wall, Long Distance TrailsLeave a comment

Hadrians Wall – September 2012

Russell Anthony

That joke isn’t funny anymore… Started as a bit of banter, ended up underprepared, overpacked, not really much of a clue. Yet somehow we managed to walk the 84 miles across Hadrians Wall in 3 days, 6 hours and 4 mins.  I know it was definitely the extra 4 mins as this is how many minutes past closing we were at Wallsend gift shop!  Suffice to say the owner relented and duely stamped our ‘passport’ to prove we had made it end to end. We were one of the few walking east to west.  I’d recommend it too, the wind … Continue reading Hadrians Wall – September 2012

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Boniek – Poles apart.

Russell Anthony

Those of you of a certain age will no doubt remember your salad days of watching the World Cup in the eighties with absolutely no clue about any of the players gracing our TV screens. In those days, with the exception of the home nations, it was rare to switch on the BBC to watch a World Cup fixture and be familiar with more than the odd player. Great players such as the Soviet Unions Oleg Blokhin or Belgiums Jan Ceulemans were seldom known in the UK and Zibigniew Boniek, arguably the most talented Polish player of all time, was … Continue reading Boniek – Poles apart.

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Dutch Connection – Ipswich Town in the 70/80s

Russell Anthony

It’s fair to say that the great Bobby Robson and Ipswich Town already had history with Frans Thijssen and Arnold Muhren long before the Dutch duo graced Portman Road in the late seventies. Ipswich had come up against the dutch pair’s FC Twente side in European Competitions in both 1973 and again in 1975 so Robson knew the quality he was bringing into Ipswich in the 1978/79 season. Muhren made the switch from Twente first, signing for £150k in August 1978. Thijssen followed suit for £220k in February 1979. This was an Ipswich side that were going places, having won … Continue reading Dutch Connection – Ipswich Town in the 70/80s

Grand UnionLeave a comment

I know it’s over…

Russell Anthony

Epilogue… So that’s it, after months of planning, wearing in the new gear and finding a block of time off work to actually do it; 149 miles of walking the Grand Union Canal is now done and this adventure is over. My banging 600 track playlist lasted all 6.5 days, I found listening to music much easier to walk to than podcasts or audiobooks.  I met a real mixture of people and, bar a worrying spell near Greenford with a group of youths, everyone I met was super friendly.  I absolutely loved getting away from it all for a while … Continue reading I know it’s over…

Grand UnionLeave a comment

Stopover points

Russell Anthony

Fortunately living in Rugby, I was collected and dropped off by my good lady for the first 3 days so that made the logistics much easier.  For the remainder of my trip I stayed at the following: White Horse Pub in Linslade (Tuesday) – £51 inc breakfast http://whitehorsebandb.co.uk/ Basic accommodation in building adjacent to a ‘locals pub’.  Mostly fast food outlets nearby.  No heating but shower and full English breakfast great!   Airbnb at the old Ovaltine Factory in Kings Langley (Wednesday) – £47 inc breakfast http://www.airbnb.co.uk Great canal side location, superb host and facilities.  I ate at the nearby … Continue reading Stopover points

Grand UnionLeave a comment

Stage 7: Yiewsley to Little Venice. 17.9 miles

Russell Anthony

The final stage! I was up and away by 7.30am this morning as it dawned on me last night that my initial calculation of 14 miles was from Bulls Bridge (3 miles down the path). I spent a good 20mins in a cold shower to reduce my shin swellings, redid my plasters, put on dry clothes and do you know what…I felt no better at all. All this meant I had to push it to get done by 3 latest and then get across town and down to pick up my son from Epsom by 6. It was pretty straightforward … Continue reading Stage 7: Yiewsley to Little Venice. 17.9 miles

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Stage 6: Kings Langley to Yiewsley. 18.4 miles

Russell Anthony

A slow start this morning on account of waiting for my pants and socks to dry at my Airbnb. Joanna, my host, left a fiver towards my cause which was awesome. My shin splints were in a bad state this morning, there were times I thought I was actually going to be sick with the pain. Fortunately I managed to whittle up a couple of walking sticks (I was a scout you see) and that seemed to help get me in a rhythm and then something magical happened – Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer’ popped up on my Spotify playlist … Continue reading Stage 6: Kings Langley to Yiewsley. 18.4 miles