Ten Polyramblers assembled at Blackheath Station on a sunny morning for a five mile walk meandering along the Prime Meridian to the Millennium Dome, travelling through time across historical parkland and past the Royal Observatory before tracing the story-soaked shores of the Thames to reach ultra-modernised Greenwich Peninsula.

First we crossed Blackheath, scene of several insurrections in the Middle Ages. Then we entered Greenwich Park and soon passed the site of a Romano-Celtic Temple. Next was Queen Elizabeth’s oak, the remains of a tree from the 12th century. After enjoying the view from the Observatory terrace, we headed down to Greenwich town centre and had a wander through the market before reaching the Cutty Sark.

We then joined the Thames Path which took us past the Royal Naval College to our lunch stop at the Pelton Arms pub. We sat in its garden enjoying the sunshine and excellent food & drink. Suitably refreshed we set off past myriad blocks of new flats and a few remaining vestiges of the industry that once lined the river banks. We skirted the Dome past various art installations before finishing the walk at North Greenwich Station.  

Danny
Walk Leader

Photos courtesy of Clare S

It was a grey morning with hints the sun was trying to break through when 18 Polyramblers assembled at Princes Risborough station for a circular walk around the edge of the Chilterns.  Amongst the 18 were 4 new faces, all potential new members.

The walk first took us out of the town and on to the Ridgeway an ancient trail that runs along chalk downs from Ivinghoe beacon to Marlborough.  It soon had our hearts beating fast and our jackets being removed as it took a steep gradient over the chalk escarpment up to a trig point where we were rewarded with a wonderful view over Princes Risborough and the vale of Aylesbury.  By this time the sun was fully out and made it a perfect setting for our first group photo.   

From here we walked through woodland until we reached our lunchtime stop, the Hampden Arms.  The trees, mainly beech, were showing off their magnificent autumn colours and fallen leaves carpeted the ground.  We walked passed Hampden House owned by the Earl of Buckinghamshire and which today is an exclusive up market wedding venue.  From here it was a short hop to the cosy Hampden Arms where we made our lunchtime stop with 12 of us eating at the pub.  We had a long wait for our food but the small friendly team who were working flat out and the quality of the food when it arrived made it a positive experience.  

The afternoon walk took us through more woodland, this time more muddy and puddle strewn than before lunch but nonetheless still beautiful.  Eventually the path started to make a steep descent as we came to the edge of the woodland and back down from the escarpment to the rolling fields so typical of the lovely Chilterns landscapes.

After walking across fields we eventually rejoined the Ridgeway and our path back into Princes Risborough and the station.  We’d certainly had the best of the weather as it was coming on to rain heavily as we reached the station.  

Mary
Walk leader

Photos by Melida, Joyanna and others

Twelve of us came out of Kingston station to a cool but bright morning. Through the town and into the heath and woodland of Bushy Park. We saw and heard a number of Stags roaring whilst quite a few Does were quietly munching the grass, looking up now and then. We walked through a few plantations, the Oval, Pheasant and Waterhouse, passing Leg of Mutton Pond and Heron Pond, surrounded by some lovely old weeping willow trees. In the distance we spotted the Diana Fountain and Hampton Court Palace but we didn’t divert off our route to visit these.

After a bit of road walking, mostly residential streets, we followed the River Crane until Shot Tower came into sight, our lunch stop. The van selling drinks and cake next to the tower was decorated for Halloween and had tables and chairs out. The tower was open for visitors, with information on the local flora and fauna and Chris M was able to tell us a bit of the history of the tower.

The Crane Park Shot Tower is a Grade II listed building. Built in 1828 it is believed that the 25.3m tall tower was used, for the manufacture of lead shot. Molten lead was poured, through a sieve and formed shot as it fell to the bottom of the tower, where it was cooled in a tank of water.

After lunch, and a bit more road walking, we found ourselves on Hounslow Heath. We rejoined the River Crane and made our way to Brazil Mill Woods, then Donkey Wood, where we followed a winding timber causeway and, for the remainder of the route we could hear the planes overhead as they landed/took off from the airport nearby. The sky was overcast so not many were visible, but the few we did spot going up into the clouds were quite dramatic.  Finally, a half-mile walk along the A30 took us to Hatton Cross station. 

Jackie Mc

Photos by Ida, Nita and Hilary