Ghosts at Odiham Castle

Firefox

Firefox

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At the recent meet, we went on a late night walk to the castle and I took the following photographs:

ghost2.jpg

ghost1.jpg

I can't remember seeing much at the time it was only a fleeting glimpse ;-)
 
RT was not there to lead me into bad habits, so it was just a couple of quiet pints of Doombar with MORGAN, Robmac, Mrs Moon, and Apache Two ;)
 
Odiham Castle looked so much better without the stupid railings. Bloomin' elfin safety again!

IMG_0063.jpg


Never saw anyone in a sheet there tho'....

Tone
 
I told you there was something cold breezing past my hand that night - I knew the spirits were with us :lol-053::scared::lol-053:

'A few quiet pints of Doombar' - I think not Firefox. We thought we'd lost you in the canal on the way home from our ghost walk.
 
I made sure firefox got back to the bar safely.

UFO was setting hell of a pace and firefox was rushing back to finish his salad.

Phill was trying to talk to the ghosts but they could not understand his brummy accent.

So we gave up in the end.
 
Millie said:
I told you there was something cold breezing past my hand that night - I knew the spirits were with us :lol-053::scared::lol-053:

'A few quiet pints of Doombar' - I think not Firefox. We thought we'd lost you in the canal on the way home from our ghost walk.
Click to expand...

Doombar!!!! (Pause for great memories.) MMMMmmm.

The canal is only about a foot deep on the way back to the pub, so you could walk out. Mind you you could still drown if you insist on being recumbent.

Also, when we were restoring the canal back in the 70s we could drink the water straight out of it there. It was pure. The water came from aquifers in the tunnel. Wouldn't want to do it now though, not with all the bat sh&te in it!

One last thing. the VW 80-90 forum are putting it about that the Fox & Goose is no longer a viable site, because the landlord has caused them problems. Any truth in this?

No?

Didn't think so.

HPIM1088.JPG

Tone
 
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canalwheeler said:
Doombar!!!! (Pause for great memories.) MMMMmmm.

The canal is only about a foot deep on the way back to the pub, so you could walk out. Mind you you could still drown if you insist if recumbent.

Also, when we were restoring the canal back in the 70s we could drink the water straight out of it there. It was pure. The water came from aquifers in the tunnel. Wouldn't want to do it now though, not with all the bat sh&te in it!

One last thing. the VW 80-90 forum are putting it about that the Fox & Goose is no longer a viable site, because the landlord has caused them problems. Any truth in this?

No?

Didn't think so.

Tone
Click to expand...

He was fine with us, what have they been up to?
 
I'm not one to spread false rumours, but lets just say his character was besmirched by someone on their forum.

I used to know him fairly well. And in fact I introduced the campsite to Club 80-90 before he took over, and personally got his permission to bring them back again for their third visit when he had taken over, so I had good reason to doubt what has been said on the 80-90 forum about him.

It does bother me, that someone who can provide a free site to campers in good will is then made the butt of horror stories by someone else who has made use of his hospitality.

I have attempted to put it right, and will be calling in there myself fairly soon to apologise to him. I feel guilty that I might have introduced someone that has done this. I suspect it might have been a couple who camped there for a week, and hardly used the pub. He spoke to them about it after three days of not seeing them in the pub and watching them cook their own food on his car park. They moved on. They were not part of an 80-90 club meet.

It is a great, not too wild (outside WC), but free, site by a good pub with great food and plenty of good country walks for those who can. Just ask for permission and use his pub while you are there.

Their is also the chance to find the eastern end of the derelict canal tunnel. Quite a challenge now.

Pubs in Hampshire

Tone
 
It's a shame when something good is spoilt by a small minority...we used to live in Odiham and have found the other end of the tunnel, but as you say-not easy! So how come you were involved in the canal restoration?
 
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moonshadow555 said:
! So how come you were involved in the canal restoration?
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I've been into canals since I was 8. (Literally sometimes!)

When the Basinsgtoke restoration kicked off under Frank Jones, in the 70s, I was one of the first volunteers. As I worked for a plant hire company and drove a low loader, and could borrow other vehicles when needed I was able to contribute quite a bit on occasions. Perhaps these will give you a clue:

https://plus.google.com/photos/1139...36564523036401/5422236943233883490?banner=pwa

https://picasaweb.google.com/109319369926360976163/Basingstoke197678#5736812600740517874

Tone
 
canalwheeler said:
I've been into canals since I was 8. (Literally sometimes!)

When the Basinsgtoke restoration kicked off under Frank Jones, in the 70s, I was one of the first volunteers. As I worked for a plant hire company and drove a low loader, and could borrow other vehicles when needed I was able to contribute quite a bit on occasions. Perhaps these will give you a clue:

https://plus.google.com/photos/1139...36564523036401/5422236943233883490?banner=pwa

https://picasaweb.google.com/109319369926360976163/Basingstoke197678#5736812600740517874

Tone
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I used to fall in quite regularly at Pewsey (Kennet & Avon) we stopped mooring up there as a result! Think that was the lost job Perserverance did, it's now in a museum in Liverpool. Did you ever come across Tony Harmsworth (based at Mytchett) his father used to own the Basingstroke?
 
Small world eh?

I joined the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society in 1966, and I'm still a member today. I helped restore the Basingstoke Canal too, served on the committee for many years, helped edit the society newsletter, and boated regularly on the canal as well.

I know Frank Jones well ...

I lived for many years in Dogmersfield just outside Fleet, and I founded the Basingstoke Canal Boating Club in the late 80s, which is still going strong.
 
Martin was moored/lived at the Canal Centre Mytchett for many years. Doesn't know a Frank Jones ( might know the face) though! Have given up the narrowboat now (like you health reasons) but we can get to far more places much quicker by road but miss the mooring up anywhere though!
 
moonshadow555 said:
Martin was moored/lived at the Canal Centre Mytchett for many years. Doesn't know a Frank Jones ( might know the face) though! Have given up the narrowboat now (like you health reasons) but we can get to far more places much quicker by road but miss the mooring up anywhere though!
Click to expand...

I worked with Frank and his brother Peter in the 70s early 80s, who I think still lives in a house backing on to the canal in Fleet. Frank drove the restoration project full time. He gave up in disgust once the waterway was handed over to the councils, fearing the state the infrastructure would get into. He was dead right too.

I came back to the Basy by live-aboard boat in 2002, and took over the trip boat operation there for the next four years or so. It was extraordinary to be able to skipper the trip boat Merlin, and give running commentaries on the canal that I had helped to restore.

I haven't got my POI yet, but I'm wondering whether The Canal Centre, Mytchett is on it? It was a great camp site in my day there. Club 80-90 used it a couple of times. Probably still is OK, unless the BCA have banned camping there. I wouldn't put it past them. They makes some very peculiar decisions sometimes.

Tone
(ex-canaldrifter on waterway sites)
 
canalwheeler said:
I haven't got my POI yet, but I'm wondering whether The Canal Centre, Mytchett is on it? It was a great camp site in my day there. Club 80-90 used it a couple of times. Probably still is OK, unless the BCA have banned camping there. I wouldn't put it past them. They makes some very peculiar decisions sometimes.
Click to expand...

Yes it is - and yes they do :)

Good place to go ...
 
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