After making all the plans for using my Garmin watch to navigate my way around a spanner was thrown into the works in the shape of a new (well for me at least) sports watch.
After using Garmin devices for many years, I have jumped ship and gone for a Suunto watch, specifically the Suunto 9 Baro.
This is similar to my Garmin Fenix 5 but with a slightly bigger, clearer screen.
The new timepiece arrived Friday and after the initial setup, I managed to create a route around Sutton Park to follow the following day.
Come Saturday morning, I was up early enough to take the dogs out for a mile and a bit before breakfast.
I left for Sutton Park around six and by six twenty five, I started my second walk of the day. I started the Suunto in Navigation mode and followed the breadcrumb trail from Boldmere, initially headed for Town Gate.
One slight difference here between the new and old watches is that the Suunto records the followed route as a walk instead of the Garmin’s Hike which needs changing to walk later. Minor issue – first world problem.
Still in the dark, with head-torch ablaze, I turned left at Town Gate and made my way to the edge of Keeps’ Pool then on to Blackroot Pool.
There are a total of seven pools in the park, many built in the middle ages for keeping fish. Probably not Koi carp but something more edible. On today’s outing I would walk along the banks of five out of the seven.
As I approached Bracebridge, I spied a number of lights flickering across the pool and as I caught up with them noticed, to my surprise, that these were not fellow walkers or mountain bikers but seemingly ‘normal’ people out for a leisurely stroll. Most seemed to be wearing long, thick, padded jackets.
After passing a few, I confronted one of the small crowd to ask what was going on. “We’re going for a swim” was the answer. The mercury was hovering around freezing !
As I walked on, past their little huddle, I heard the ice being hit and that characteristic “Boooiiiiiigoigoig” sound echoing as I continued shivering at the thought.
Shortly afterward, I crossed the railway line for the second time to after passing the smaller, Little Bracebridge Pool, just as the sun was making it’s appearance.
I made my way towards Streetly before veering off to cross the Golf Course, following the line of Icknield Street. This Roman road ran from Gloucestershire to North Yorkshire and is now designated as the A38 for much of it’s route.
Exiting the golf course, I was treated to a spectacular sunrise as I strolled on to Banner’s Gate.
