Brutal 10K at Fleet Pond / Pyestock, Hampshire

I didn't know this was on until I saw the course being set-up yesterday. I decided to head along and take some photos. 

Here's the description from the website

BRUTAL runs are seriously tough trail / cross-country races featuring natural obstacles.  

Start with a fast run out into the woods and zip through a unique Zig Zag Gully before you conquer a succession of hills, muddy trails and water features. Prepare to take the leap of faith into a lily pond, wade through the elephant grass, race through a shallow river and into a bog and linier marsh - which cleverly gets deeper as the race progresses! Pyestock has it all. It's 100% BRUTAL.

I was a bit disappointed that there were cars trashing the grassland and wild flowers. 

Hello @FleetPondSoc who decides these guys can take over the beautiful grasslands with a car park? I'm all for people getting active, but this is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/0c86vWmZ8D

— Mark (@nomadicmark) June 15, 2019

Here's why meadows and grasslands are so important . Full of insects and butterflies as I've recently documented in my field notes

But I guess that's the way things are going with this area. Wait until Hartland Village is built, this place is going to be overrun with people.

All the same it was nice to see people getting out and active and enjoying themselves. I might even enter next year, but £30 seems a bit pricey for a 5K considering Park Run is free. If I was doing it for charity I might give it a go I suppose.

Pyestock demolition Hartland Village emerges

Here's what remains. The This place is derelict and should go. The whole site is getting developed into a massive housing estate of 1500 homes. The site is now visible because they've chopped down a load of trees at the fence. 

Pyestock was the National Gas Turbine Establishment  established in 1944. For over 50 years Pyestock was at the forefront of gas turbine development. It was probably the largest site of its kind in the world. V bomber, Harrier and Tornado engines were tested on site.

I would have loved to have got in there and taken some photos like these. Or have flown a drone over the site before it was demolished. Here are a few pics of the buildings. What I could shoot from outside the fence. 

ThePlan for 1500 homes.

It's going to put a load of pressure on fleet pond and the rail station, plus local services. I'm pretty gutted that this got approved. I guess that's a bit selfish, but services are stretched enough as it is. 

London Monk