Christmas day – the traditional Christmas ride this morning involved the exploration of the commons and heaths around Brownhills. I took advantage of the quiet to have good look around and see if I could spot any of the area’s elusive read deer. Sadly, I was out of luck on that score, but I did find the boardwalk on the north shore – a fine riding challenge itself. For those wondering what happened to the old rowing boat that was revealed when the lake was drained, it’s currently on display outside the Ranger’s office on the south shore. It would be nice if it could be restored, as it must have some history. I wondered what had become of it.