This has been a week where I’m going to cover similar subjects to recent weeks, so apologies for that.

It hasn’t been a big news week locally and I don’t like to get too political with the national stories! It would appear that the property market in the Sidmouth area is still very active with sales proceeding on the majority of homes on the market in the EX10 postal code area.

There are certainly a lack of new properties coming to the market and my research last weekend showed that of the 54 properties currently available on the Internet, half were apartments.

A number of these apartments were specifically for the retirement market. So all in all not a lot of choice.

December is typically the quietest month of the year in local property so hopefully more properties will come on to the market early in the New Year to give buyers more choice.

The walk I’m going to recommend this week is the Exeter Green Circle. Of course this does involve getting in the car and driving to Exeter but I do believe you will find it worthwhile.

The walk is just over 12 miles and takes in a lot of the green areas around the city. You can start wherever you like on the route.

We started at Marsh Barton and continued through Alphington out towards Ide. We continued in a northerly direction around the north-west outskirts and come back into the city via Exwick.

Landmarks you then take in include St David’s Church, the General Buller statue, Exeter University and then into Mincinglake Valley Park.

The route then continues south through Whipton, the edge of Heavitree, across Topsham Road and then continuing by the river coming back to Marsh Barton via the bridge near the incinerator.

We were lucky enough to see a kingfisher and a pair of jays near the river.

If you wish to do a shorter walk you can do it in sections. The great thing about the walk is the fact you don’t feel like you are walking around a city.

The views from many vantage points are superb with the Cathedral prominent.

Elsewhere, the highlight of the sporting weekend was the hard earnt victory by Exeter Chiefs against Saracens. The match was on national television and it is fair to say that the TV experts were not always in agreement with the referee’s decisions!

I was surprised to find out the referee was from Exeter and it appeared that he was giving more decisions to Saracens than to Exeter!

After some recent indifferent home form it was good for Exeter to get back to winning ways.

This Saturday they have a European Champions Cup tie at home to Montpellier with an 8pm kick off.

In other rugby news, Sidmouth lost away at Crediton last Saturday in a muddy encounter. This Saturday they are at home to Devonport with a 2.30 pm kick-off. Hopefully they can return to winning ways.

On the football front Exeter City lost in the FA Cup at Cambridge having won their second replay against Bradford earlier in the week. This Saturday they are at home to Tranmere with a 3pm kick off.

Devon-based jockey, Bryony Frost, won the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park last Saturday on the Paul Nicholls-trained Greaneteen. She was very emotional afterwards having been involved in a high profile court case during the week.

Racing is one of only a few sports where men and women compete at the highest level against one another.

At present we have a number of superb lady jockeys in the British Isles which is a great thing for the sport.

Finally, I did see an article on the local news about street furniture becoming a hazard in one town for the blind, those in wheelchairs and those pushing prams.

I think Sidmouth has got fewer signs out now which is good.