Latest walk reports

Saunderton Circular 17 August 2024

We had a lovely summer’s day for this Chilterns walk with 14 Poly Ramblers. After an hours delay having been ‘detrained’ at West Ruislip we set off from Saunderton up Smalldean Lane and through fields to the foot of the Chilterns Hills, with views across the valley to our return route.  We had a short stop at Bradenham Church where a couple of walkers took advantage of the generously provided tea and coffee. The walk then took us through woods up to Naphill Common where we had lunch on a convenient tree trunk.


The route to Hughenden Manor passes between Flagmore and Common wood with some lovely views before climbing up to the Manor House. There was time for a cup of tea and a quick look around the gardens of Disraeli’s former home, with gardens filled with colour.

Then we headed down through the woods and across fields, skirting around Downley. We crossed Downley Common, sadly having to miss out on the pub because of our late start. The path down from close to Cookshall Farm passed through a field of maize higher than all of us and then opened up to some lovely views of our next stopping point, the Dashwood Mausoleum on the site of an ancient fort and the current St Lawrence Church.


We broke the climb up from near West Wycombe at the Hellfire caves, where the loo and the ice creams were very welcome A small group who needed to get back a bit quicker peeled off here and successfully got a bus to High Wycombe. A steep but short slog got the rest of us up to the mausoleum and some gorgeous views. The last 3 miles or so took us along the ridge and then down through Hearnton Wood, coming down to Smalldean Lane again on the other side of the railway. The party made it back in time for our train.
Thank you everyone for coming along and to Ida for the photos.

Jo

Latest walk reports

Sunningdale to Windsor – 31st August 2024

“This train has been cancelled please disembark!” was announced as fifteen polyramblers sat waiting on the 10.20 train from Waterloo to Sunningdale. Oh no!  When I asked the guard, he said there had been an incident further up the line and investigations were in progress.   Thankfully we caught the next train half an hour later (which terminated at Woking instead of Reading to avoid the problem).

Continue reading Sunningdale to Windsor – 31st August 2024 →

Latest walk reports

Wadhurst via Bewl Water circular – 13 August

15 Poly Ramblers met at Wadhurst Station and our path followed the undulating Sussex Border Path to The Old Vine pub in Cousley Wood, where we stopped for a welcome drink and comfort break. We then descended through the woods to reach Bewl Water Reservoir. The shore being open and unfenced unlike many other reservoirs made the perfect spot for a picnic with fine panoramic views across the water. Continue reading Wadhurst via Bewl Water circular – 13 August →

Latest walk reports

HAM STREET CIRCULAR VIA APPLEDORE -10 AUGUST

Ten Poly Ramblers were on this walk which followed part of the Royal Military Canal. The notes for this walk say: ‘The canal was hastily constructed in the early 19th century to protect England from a threatened Napoleonic invasion which never came. The project was soon being condemned as an extravagant military folly. Napoleon whose armies had crossed the Rhine and the Danube was hardly likely to be deterred by this innocuous waterway.´ The canal is 28 miles long and goes from Hythe, Kent, to Cliff End in East Sussex. Continue reading HAM STREET CIRCULAR VIA APPLEDORE -10 AUGUST →

Walk reports

Kingston Circular Walk via Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park – 27 July 2024

Seventeen Polyramblers gathered at Kingston Train Station for the circular walk. A group photo was taken after a health and safety briefing.

We then crossed the A308 onto Wood Street and then Fife Road and left onto the pedestrian road. We then turned left at the end of the pedestrian road onto Clarence Street and continued straight on to Kingston Bridge, and walked across the bridge staying on the left-hand side of it. We continued straight to the roundabout and then left onto Hampton Court Road where we crossed over at the zebra crossing in front of the Wick Memorial Garden. We then made a right turn on to Church Grove (B358) and walked up to the pedestrian crossing by St. John’s Church where there is a gate in the park wall (Church Grove Gate) went onto a tree lined avenue (Church Grove Passage) to another gate which led us into the park. Bushy Park started as a royal hunting ground with several water features constructed during the reign of King Charles I.

Once in the park there are various paths but we continued right onto a broad grass path. We walked past a bench where one could sit and listened to the Skylarks. We saw deer with some trying to shelter from the heat and others grazing. Lots of photos taken.

We continued straight and crossed a small bridge over two ponds. We walked left to Heron Pond and after a short walk along the pond we continued right on a narrow path with lots of Ferns presumably the Warren Plantation. We continued straight on to a building on the right and then left onto an unnamed road which led us Chestnut Avenue. We crossed the road and continued left towards the Pheasantry café where we had lunch and the toilets.

After lunch we continued our walk through the park to the Waterhouse Plantation where we saw lots of fish, water lilies and a lot more.

We then crossed over to the Woodland Gardens where a slight detour got some of us separated from the leading group, but we were reunited. We then walked through an overgrown path where we avoided the stinging nettles with arms raised above our heads. We then made our way to the Diana Fountain (not the Princess) and Hampton Court Gate where we continued our walk towards Hampton Court Park.

We turned right on to Hampton Court Road, we crossed the road and walked on the left towards Hampton Court Palace. The Palace was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey then passed to Henry VIII in 1529 when he fell out of favour. It was extended in the 17th century by William III and Mary II. We had a brief water break within the grounds of the Palace.

Fourteen of us continued the walk along a short stretch of the Thames path past the Palace to Hampton Court Park onto the golf course. We continued along Long Water with three lime tree avenues (added by Charles I Mary II). We then continued walking right at where there was T-junction and then left after a short distance to rejoin the Thames Path Kingston. 2 went left which was the way back to Kingston Gate.

We all got to Kingston safely where some went shopping and the rest either took the buses or train back home.

Lucy & Nita.

Photos: Hilary, Nita, Ida & Patricia

Diana Foundation
Bushy Park
Underwater Forest