19 polyramblers set off from Henley station on a cloudy morning anticipating a fairly drizzly day. Due to very soggy conditions along the river experienced on the walkover the leader had opted for a high level route instead. We set off through the town and then went up via the Oxfordshire Way via Henley Park and through the village of Fawley until we entered the Great Wood. The views were lovely on the way up and we were delighted to see some newborn lambs.
The sunshine attracted 16 Poly Ramblers on this walk in historic Bexley village and along the Cray river to Sidcup. Nobody in the group knew what their home town or village were worth. But I could tell them that Bexley, in the Doomsday Survey of 1086, had 41 inhabitants, with 100 pigs and 10 ploughs, and was valued the equivalent of £20.
I was surprised and pleased to find eighteen hardy walkers had arrived at Berkhamsted Station on an unusually dry morning. After the safety briefing we started the walk heading right from the station and then along the Grand Union Canal passing some pubs and cafes along the way. The path was not as muddy as when Jennifer and I did the recce previously.
We were very lucky with the weather on our walk, with a lovely blue sky and no rain. We started with 14 walkers at Uxbridge station. Heading down the High street and having crossed a few roads, we were able to drop down though the car park of The Swan and Bottle pub, onto the canal towpath. Soon we reached Fran’s Tea Garden (closed but a bit early for a stop anyhow!).
Despite the weather forecast of no sunshine and intermittent rain, an impressive turnout of twenty-four members and three guests assembled at Wimbledon Park station for a 4.5 mile walk across Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common.
A stroll along a suburban street took us to the gates of the nearby park. It is a recreational green space that sprawls across sixty-seven acres. Passing a children’s playground and numerous tennis courts, we reached a large lake with much wildlife. Zig-zagging past an athletics track took us out of the park and onto a road with a distant view of the home of lawn tennis. Turning off beforehand, we climbed up a side road until we found ourselves at an entrance to Putney Heath. Highwaymen once prowled here and duels were fought but we only saw locals enjoying the attractive woodlands.
