On a bright & breezy Sunday morning, sixteen members found their way to Blackheath Station for the start of a walk around an historic part of London. Ignoring the delights of a farmer’s market in the station car park, the group climbed away from the village centre which was rudely called the Dowager’s Bottom in the 18th Century! Passing fine villas, including one named Pagoda House because of its distinctive roof, we reached the heath itself, a treeless plateau 125 ft above sea level. Wat Tyler & his rebels assembled here to meet Richard 11 during the Peasant’s Revolt in 1381. Avoiding numerous Cancer for Life runners, we entered Greenwich Park, the oldest of the royal parks, enclosed by an uncle of Henry V1 in 1433. Passing attractive flower beds and a deer park denuded of their occupants because of maintenance works, we reached the ridge overlooking Greenwich town centre with its magnificent view of the Naval College and the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. After a short diversion down to the river, we climbed back up the Royal Observatory where we picnicked in hearing distance of a jazz concert in the ‘secret’ garden. Enroute back to Blackheath, we passed the remains of Queen Caroline’s Bath House which reputedly was the venue for wild parties in the early-19th Century! A stroll through the Cator Estate and a look at a topiary piano in front of the Conservatoire completed a hopefully interesting and varied walk for the participants. The majority were in no hurry to get away as they joined me in the Crown pub for a debrief!
A select band of 9 Poly Ramblers undeterred by the heat and distance from London, turned out for a spectacular varied walk along the east sussex coast and inland through the beautiful south downs national park.
We started with a briefing on the Seaford seafront and then began the walk up the steep ascent of Seaford Head. Once on the top the walk was relatively flat and the sea breezes made the heat bearable. In the distance we could see the unmistakable chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters. At Cuckmere Haven we turned inland, still on the Vanguard Way, until we reached Exceat bridge where we had to negotiate a busy section of road with heavy traffic. We crossed this and decided to stop for lunch at a magnificent viewpoint above Exceat overlooking the Cuckmere River as it made great sweeping loops out to sea. We felt a few spots of rain but it didn’t amount to much.
We continued through woods which provided much welcomed shade from the fierce sun. We eventually reached the village of Litlington where we walked along the banks of the river Cuckmere into the village of Alfriston. Alfriston is one of the oldest villages in the county and is full of quaint half timbered houses. We decided to treat ourselves to ice creams and sat and ate them on benches in the middle of the village high street. In Alfriston there were unisex public toilets that we all visited and I have to say they were the cleanest free toilets I have seen in a long time. Continue reading SEAFORD TO BERWICK – SATURDAY 18 JUNE→
On a rather grey Sunday morning, a very respectable turn-out of twenty-five members met at Stratford Station for the walk with a further two joining enroute. The Line is London’s first dedicated public art walk. It starts in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and that’s where the group joined it, alongside the Waterworks River. The first of twenty exhibits was the AccelorMittal Orbit by Anish Kapoor, then its slide by Carsten Holler followed by a series of Madge Gill works under a railway bridge. Soon after, we reached the Greenway with a distinct aroma signalling the Northern Outfall Sewer beneath! After crossing Stratford High Street, we joined the Three Mills Wall River towpath with a tall structure in the style of the 2012 Olympic torch on the opposite bank. Continue reading THE LINE WALK: STRATFORD TO NORTH GREENWICH – 15 MAY→
Fourteen Poly Ramblers undertook the challenge of a strenuous 13 mile/22k figure of 8 walk from Haslemere.
The weather was perfect for walking, partly sunny with good visibility. We walked through Haslemere which has been decked out in 70th Jubilee bunting, and then ascended up towards Black Down following the Serpent’s way (a well signposted trail). The terrain was varied, walking through fields then shady woods until we got to the Down. The hill was kind, spreading out the ascent and everyone made it comfortably. On the Down there was a magnificent view to the west, although there were not many obvious landmarks. 10 minutes later, lovely views from the Temple of the Winds viewpoint from North West to South West. There were views of the South Downs. This was a good spot for mid-morning refreshments.
We then, after negotiating random cows took a lovely return down to Haslemere through beech woods. We had a short break for lunch, finding some outside seating or in one of the many cafes/hostelries. There was an option at this point to cut the hike short, but pleased to say there were no takers. Continue reading HASLEMERE DOUBLE LOOP TO BLACKDOWN AND HINDHEAD – 21 MAY→
On a truly beautiful morning, 9 of us arrived at East Grinstead. The first bit of the walk almost took us back in time, beginning with tarmac pavement by a noisy road, then a quiet road, then a path, a track & eventually the slightly trodden grasses across a field which told us that other beings had been there. We had several lovely sightings of Weir Wood reservoir sparkling in the morning light, we passed a farm where they were preparing for a wedding celebration & someone warned us of a swarm of bees nearby & then we skirted the water, half in fields & half in light woodland.
It was all very quiet with few people out on that lovely morning apart from ourselves. At the Stone Farm Rocks (SSSI), there were a few young people trying to climb them or just enjoying being there but really, until we hit the Cat Inn at West Hoathly, we had the world almost to ourselves. After lunch in the churchyard & swift pints in the pub, we climbed up past Gravetye Manor & walked in the cool, mostly deciduous woods enjoying the sunlight through the trees & the early summer smells. It was a mixture of meadows & light woodland after that until we hit Worth Way, the old railway line that goes to East Grinstead station so there was no horrible road-walking at the end to spoil the day.
