Seven Poly Ramblers met at Putney Bridge Station with Ruth joining us en route. We arrived at Battersea Park in very good weather and had our lunch in the Peartree Cafe next to the Lake (thank you Les for sharing your tasty sweet potato chips with us ).
All posts by Gillian
TRING CIRCULAR – 6 December 2025
The weather forecast was sporadic rain so I was pleased to find 16 people had committed to the circular.
We started by walking uphill along the Ridgeway towards Ivinghoe Beacon. Once we had cleared the woods, the vista opened out with glorious views. The ground was slippery but not impossible and the rain held off while we were on the ridge.
We then descended and climbed back up into the woods with lovely autumn colours and made our way to the Bridgewater Memorial. It was closed but as the weather was overcast, no loss. We had lunch at the visitors centre which also had a shop for last minute Christmas presents!
After lunch the promised rain duly arrived but we were now walking through the woods making our way to Aldbury. In Aldbury the group split, half having tea and cake in the British Legion cafe suitably adorned with poppies, and the remainder retiring to the Greyhound pub fo a well earned drink.
The rain stopped and after checking out to make sure the Stocks were working properly, we made our way back to Tring.
Stephen. Photos by Stephen and Gillian
RIDDLESDOWN TO COULSDON SOUTH – SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER
Despite the forecast of 100% rain – 12 Poly Ramblers disembarked at Riddlesdown station, by which time a steady drizzle had set in, along with gusty winds. However, the wind dropped upon entering the woods, where when we turned around we could see the disused quarry towering above the town. As we climbed further the rain eased slightly affording us a pleasant undulating stroll. Although path was only muddy in parts, the wet leaf carpet made it slippery underfoot for most of the day. Continue reading RIDDLESDOWN TO COULSDON SOUTH – SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER
AUTUMN WEEKEND IN CASTLETON DERBYSHIRE 3-6 OCTOBER 2025
Friday: Thirty-three Poly Ramblers arrived at the beautiful village of Castleton situated at the head of the Hope Valley in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Eleven members booked into YHA Losehill Hall a fully refurbished gothic mansion set in twenty-seven acres of parkland. We managed to create havoc as we all converged at the same time. We were impressed by the amenities, large dining area and self-catering kitchen.
Two groups of Poly Ramblers braved the rain to complete an Orientation Walk of Castleton. The village is surrounded by hillsides including Mam Tor (the shivering mountain) The village is popular for its show caves many shops and cafes. We particularly enjoyed a visit to Cave Dale a dry limestone valley rising gently before becoming steeper culminating in a fine viewpoint down the dale taking in Peveril Castle.
Soaking wet we finished the walk with Poly Ramblers enjoying an evening meal at the many local pubs.
Saturday: The weather had deteriorated resulting with a prediction of high winds and rain from Storm Amy. I made the decision to divert to our back up walk on the programme rather than attempt a climb up Mam Tor! Continue reading AUTUMN WEEKEND IN CASTLETON DERBYSHIRE 3-6 OCTOBER 2025
Wrabness to Harwich 18th October 2025
I was really pleased to see a good turnout of 15 Poly Ramblers at Liverpool Street station where we assembled to catch our train to Manningtree and then Wrabness to start our walk along the Essex Way to Harwich. Amongst them was my young nephew, Matthew, who joined us for the walk and in so doing massively reduced the average age of our group.
On arrival at Wrabness, we spent a bit of time posing and taking photographs in front of its most famous landmark, Grayson Perry’s quirky and exotic House for Essex. The day promised to be dry but cloudy and grey and that’s how it stayed with the occasional glimpse of the sun trying to break through. Fortunately the rain apart from a few spots held off.
As I explained in my opening briefing, the walk was very flat with no stiles. We firstly walked through woods along the banks of the beautiful river Stour estuary which was silent and lacking the bird life that is normally present at the water’s edge probably because it was high tide and the winter migrant birds have yet to arrive. We then struck out inland across farmland passing an old windmill until we came to the village of Ramsey. Here there were two small shops selling fresh fish and the other a master butcher. One Poly Rambler bought a bag of freshly caught whelks which she said tasted superb and would be for her supper.
After navigating our way across a busy roundabout, we walked across more fields until we reached the village of Little Oakley where at the Ye Olde Cherry Tree pub we had our lunch stop. Those with a packed lunch sat in the pub garden and the rest of us ate at the pub. It was a quick and friendly service and the food was excellent. Two ramblers opted for an enormous Kahuna burger which even for my young nephew and his big appetite proved impossible to finish.
After lunch we renewed our walk along the Essex Way and this time the path took us down towards extensive salt marshes from where we could see in the distance the North Sea coast and the busy container port of Felixstowe. We started walking along a levee that took us into the outskirts of Harwich. Our path eventually turned into a tarmac path at a junction with a row of brightly coloured beach huts from where it followed the coast to the end of the peninsula at the old port of Harwich Town. Further on we came to two old Lighthouses built to stop ships going aground as they came into harbour. These were among the earliest lighthouses ever built and superseded an even older one built further inland.
The tarmac path took us along a windy stretch of the coast and it seemed to go on for ever until we came to the Harwich Museum where we crossed a green and turned down into the old historic part of Harwich, Harwich Town. Harwich Town was once a thriving port and is full of characterful buildings with Harwich Historical Society plaques outlining their illustrious past on many of them. Today it feels somewhat sad and neglected and the streets were empty.
Most Poly Ramblers decided to catch the next train and get back to London. A small number of us decided to wait an hour and while away the time at a café on the pier drinking a very welcome cup of tea and eating scones. It was a fitting finish to what had been a fabulous walk with great company.
Mary King. Photos by Mary, Jackie M, Chris, Susan
