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All posts by Chris Maslen
FINSBURY PARK to ALEXANDRA PALACE on 22nd December 2024
On a bright cold Sunday morning, seventeen ramblers assembled at Manor House station for a pre-Xmas 5 mile walk through a part of London’s Northern Heights.
We first crossed Finsbury Park, a green Victorian-era haven, created on the remnants of old Hornsey Wood to offer the poor population of North London some breathing and recreation space. Leaving the park by a footbridge over the train tracks out of Kings Cross, we joined the Parkland Walk, created on the route of a disused railway closed to passengers in the 1950s. Declared a local nature reserve in the 1990s, it has become a crucial car-free corridor for both humans and animals. Much artwork adorns the structures en-route including the sculpture of a ghostly goat-man said to haunt the footpath.
Closed tunnels by Highgate station signal the end of this section of the path so we joined the adjacent road up to Highgate Wood to continue our journey. Unfortunately the wood was closed to the public because of the predicted high winds being a threat to safety. We continued on the road to Cranley Gardens where we rejoined the disused track bed for fine views over London and thence our lunch stop at a pub in Muswell Hill.
A few of our number left at this point whilst the remainder climbed up to Alexandra Palace for more fine views. These included many people in fancy dress taking a break from watching the World Darts Championship in the Palace! A downhill stroll then took us to the nearby station for our journey home.
Danny
Photos courtesy of Hilary
Pudding Mill to Beckton on 18th JANUARY 2025
The planned walk on Saturday 18th January was postponed because of the leader’s illness so one planned for February was brought forward. Despite the short notice of the change and a cold grey day, thirteen poly ramblers and guests assembled at Pudding Mill Lane DLR station for a five mile walk through suburban East London. A flight of steps took us up to the Greenway, a most imaginative use of sewage pipes: a level trackway of bonded gravel for walkers and cyclists laid on top of the Northern Outfall Sewage Embankment. The acronym NOSE may have been deliberately chosen by someone with a sense of humour! However there was little nasal evidence of its presence as we strolled along the route of the Capital Ring above the houses and commercial buildings of the borough of Newham, including the ornate pumping house affectionally known as ‘The Cathedral of Sewage’. After about three miles, we left the Greenway and crossed the busy A13 trunk road with distant views of the ‘Beckton Alps’, a giant slag heap of a former gas works, now grassed over and converted into a dry ski slope. We next entered Beckton District Park, a pleasant green space with a lake and numerous water birds. Leaving the park and the Capital Ring, we walked along a tree-lined footpath to the end of the walk at the Fox Connaught pub, a listed old docks building, which provided sustenance for our hungry and thirsty ramblers.
Danny
Photos by Les and Stephen
UPPER LEA VALLEY AND SOMERIES CASTLE on 11th January 2025
Eight Polyramblers gathered outside Luton Airport Parkway station for a 7.5 mile circular walk. It was 11am on a very frosty but sunny January morning (Earlier, when I set out from home, my phone showed a temperature of -3C!).
We all set off across the station car park and approach, negotiating roundabouts onto a B road signposted to Wheathampstead. Then we climbed through a narrow piece of woodland up onto a higher level A road, proceding 100 yds along its footway until we saw a footpath sign to the right leading up some steps into a field on higher ground. The path at the top of the steps followed near the perimeter fence of Luton Airport for about a mile on our left. There was a view of the new Dart shuttle train and much sound of arriving and departing (mostly EasyJet) aircraft. After traversing a few open fields the path turned half right and away from the airport. Soon we reached a row of cottages beside the ruins of Someries Castle. All that remains of this 15th century manor house is the gatehouse and chapel, it is one of the earliest brick structures in England. We spent a little time exploring the ruins in the bright sunshine. We then continued SE along a straight track which soon became a lane taking us into Peter’s Green for lunch.
Most of the party went inside The Bright Star public house, the remainder using seating on the green to eat their own food. Inside the pub was a roaring wood burning stove, and we were served with very welcome vegetable soup. And greeted by a very friendly hound who took an interest in sniffing my rucksack, as it had sausage rolls inside!!
After lunch and a photostop on the green we took a path SW across fields, somewhat muddy in places, leading us down into the Upper Lea Valley at East Hyde. Crossing the road along the valley bottom, we took a lane from the other side over the river then a right turn onto a northbound track, being the trackbed of the once Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway. This soon passed under today’s busy Midland Main Line, carrying frequent express and Thameslink trains. The track continued along the valley, beside sewage works on the right, then eventually passed the woods and parkland of Luton Hoo to the left. We came across two metal statues, one of Eric Morecambe, and the other representing Capability Brown who both have associations with the local area. The track soon led us back to the roundabouts and the approach to Luton Airport Parkway station.
It was now 4 o’clock and getting dusky and colder. Here three polyramblers decided to take a short diversion for refreshment at Costa Coffee before the journey home, the rest headed straight into the station for their train back to London.
Geoffrey
Photos by Gillian, Pam, Chris and Geoffrey
WANDLE TRAIL – EARLSFIELD to CARSHALTON PONDS on 4th January 2025
The Wandle trail is a path along the Wandle Valley from Croydon to Wandsworth following the river Wandle. This river was a hub of industrial mills and printing with William Morris and Liberty owning factories on its banks.
We chose to start our 7.5 mile hike at Earlsfield and walk to Carshalton Ponds, avoiding some of the less salubrious parts. For the first hike of the new year, 20 hikers started out enjoying the mild (for this time of the year) weather with no indication of rain. Being a cycle and walking trail, the going was good, with only one part being a bit muddy. The route had many parts which were wooded with water fowl and it was easy to imagine we weren’t in London.
We crossed the Croydon Tram before stopping for lunch at Morden Hall Park, a National Trust property with good facilities. At this point 3 members chose to cut it short and alighted the Tram.
The rest of us negotiated the upper reaches of the Wandle which were equally tranquil, only having to negotiate the fishermen (a good sign the river is in good condition). After arriving at Carshalton Ponds (one of the sources of the Wandle), we the made our way to Carshalton Station with its frequent trains to London Bridge and Victoria.
In hindsight we were lucky and just missed the stormy weather which arrived that evening once safely home.
Stephen
Photos by Ida and Stephen
