Despite the challenges of a rail drivers’ strike on some lines and signal problems at Kings Cross, 17 poly ramblers, including some new members, assembled at Hadley Wood station for the start of a 7 mile walk to Brookmans Park.  After recent heavy rain, the weather looked as though it would be dry for most of the day and fortunately it stayed that way.  Andrew joined us half-way along the walk making our numbers up to 18.  This is a walk that despite its brevity, is a varied walk and a good one to do when the days are short and the weather unreliable.

Leaving the village of Hadley Wood with its large detached houses, we set out across fields carefully navigating our way across 2 major roads taking heavy traffic out of London to the M25.  Thankfully our path went under the M25 and as we entered the ancient wood of Northaw we began to leave behind us the drone of traffic.  Although rapidly losing their leaves, some of the trees were still clinging on to their beautiful autumn colours.  It wasn’t long before we reached the village of Northaw where we stopped for lunch at the Two Brewers pub.  Both food and service were very good.  Those who had brought their own lunches, joined the rest of us at the pub for drinks.

After sitting inside a warm pub for an hour, the temperature seemed to have dropped a couple of degree when we emerged outside to re-start the walk.  Our walk initially took us along a road through the village and then we struck out along a path that thankfully was not as muddy and slippy as I’ve experienced it in the past.  We eventually reached The Folly Arch, an old fake gated brick archway, which is all that remains of Gobions Estate a magnificent pleasure gardens that existed in the eighteenth century and which is now a nature reserve with a very pleasant wood and a lake.  Walking through this we eventually came to the village of Brookmans Park and the end of our walk.  As the tea shop was shut and it was getting late, we decided to forgo stopping for a drink,and instead headed to the station and trains back to London.

Mary. Photos by Ida and Stuart

Poly Ramblers put the last day of summer-time to good use! We were very lucky with the trains and the weather! It wasn’t far after leaving Borough Green station before we were strolling purposefully along a woodland path, enjoying the beneficial boost to our immune systems and normalising our cortisol levels amongst the trees. Soon after that we walked through an orchard where some of us stooped to pick up windfalls – some very large apples that were still perfectly edible. When we did the walkover in mid-September there were of course more medium sized apples which had fallen on the ground but they had since been scooped up by other passers-by no doubt, or invaded by insects or slugs! Continue reading Borough Green to Sevenoaks – 29th October →

We were due to walk the fourth and final part of the Thames Estuary Path that day but a train strike (which was cancelled) and engineering work forced me to rearrange the walk. I had bought a book about the Green London Way in the early 90’s but never used it. I thought a couple of the short walks from the book could provide a good alternative as they start and terminate at TFL stations. The green London Way is a hundred mile walk that circles the capital through its canal tow paths, commons and woodlands. It is similar – but not identical to, the Capital Ring.

The weather was atrocious the morning of the walk and I did not expect many people to turn up. I should have known better. 13 Polyramblers,  gluttons for punishment, met me at Finsbury Park station. The first Victorian Park was Finsbury Park. Like all the parks we crossed, it was saved after vigorous public campaigning by wealthy philanthropists, social reformers, the new middle class and the London poor. Finsbury Park was the frequent haunt of duellists and this is commemorated in the mosaic design of crossed pistols on the platforms of the Finsbury Park Underground station. Exiting the park at Manor House, we followed Woodberry Down and then the New River Path in a South Westerly direction. The rain had stopped at that point which was a relief. Continue reading Victorian parks and medieval marshes – Finsbury Park to Cambridge Heath – 6 November →

Thirty Poly Ramblers and 3 guests gathered at Petts Wood station for the shortish walk to Chislehurst at the end of September. We followed the London Loop for the first mile or so, then veered off slightly uphill along country lanes until we emerged onto Chislehurst Common which was surrounded by a surprising number of pubs. We paused to view the old cock pit and visited St Nicholas Church. In the graveyard were buried Sir Malcom Campbell, the racing motorist and setter of land speed records, and Sir William Willett who invented the concept of British Summer Time. Continuing through the town we walked through woods and common land, pausing to view the Prince Imperial Monument to the son of Emperor Napoleon III who lived in Chislehurst in the 1870s. A little later we came to the Ramblers Inn and ensconced ourselves in there for the next hour or so until it was time to walk down the hill to Chislehurst Caves. We enjoyed a very informative hour long tour with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. We learnt how the Caves were used as ammunitions storage in WW1, for mushroom cultivation in the 1930s, as a WWII air raid shelter and underground city for thousands, and a music venue in the 1950s and 60’s. After the tour we enjoyed tea and homemade cake in the café before heading for the station, or the pub next door.

Gillian.  Photos by Jill and Stuart