Twelve Poly Ramblers and Daisy the dog met at Amersham on a warm and humid Saturday morning.  Rain looked on the cards and there was a yellow warning for thunderstorms.  After a mile or so of suburban streets we headed up to the outskirts of Stanley Hill cemetery and then to Jubilee wood, planted for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.  We crossed fields in the direction of Chalfont, passing Beele House where the film star Dirk Bogarde once lived.  Eventually we arrived at the edge of Harewood Downs golf course,  identified by Yvonne as the main hazard of the walk, the footpath going right across the fairway.  The golfers were keen to direct us into the woods but we made our way round the edge and cautiously crossed the necessary fairways without incident.  By this time the weather had cleared and the sun was out.  We exited the golf course to find the Ivy House pub immediately on our right.  A lovely pub though situated next to the busy and noisy A413.   An hour or so later, replete with beer and sandwiches, we crossed the road and headed down to the river Misbourne and one of the many sites of HS2 works.  Fields had been dug up to construct a new bridge for the lorry traffic but the contractors had committed to restore the site to fields when the work was complete.  From there it was a level walk through wheat and barley fields following the Misbourne to Old Amersham, passing more HS2 works and the  new sewage works.  On reaching the outskirts of the town, three of the group decided to take the direct route up the road to the station while the rest of us enjoyed the more scenic route through the memorial gardens and uphill through the woods.

Thanks to Yvonne for leading a very pleasant walk with no rain .

Gillian

On a reasonably warm and sunny morning, seventeen members met up at Woolwich Arsenal station to commence our Thameside walk. First was a stroll through the Royal Arsenal complex with its many attractive old buildings and expensive-looking new flats. A sculpture of sixteen bronze figures, reminiscent of an Anthony Gormley, welcomed us to the Thames Path along which we headed east. After a short while, we detoured into a park to climb Gallions Hill ,constructed from rubble and soil excavated during construction of a nearby housing estate. There were a few grumbles that a flat walk had been promised but the panoramic views from the top silenced most of them! Returning to the river, we passed Tripcock Point, off which occurred Britain’s worst peace-time disaster when the pleasure cruiser Princess Alice sank in 1878 with the loss of some 700 souls.

After a stop for a picnic lunch, we continued past the Crossness Pumping Station with its rather mundane exterior hiding a magnificent interior. Leaving the Thames, we headed through a nature reserve with frisky horses looking for sustenance before arriving at the Morgan Belvedere pub where we found our own sustenance. A staggered return to the nearby station heralded the end of an enjoyable walk.

Photos from Ida, Nita and Gillian

Danny

16 Polys met at Tadworth Station, including one potential new member. The forecast was fine and we set off hopefully in search of the official start of the hike, at Walton on the Hill. After passing the little secluded Bell Inn, known locally as the Rat – nobody knows why. We encountered the first of 3 Coal Posts. Andrew explained that they represented tithe points to tax Londoners for coal brought in from outside town. The posts stated details of the date of the parliamentary act which introduced the tax.  There are still 250 of these posts in existence.

We walked through pleasant bridleways and under the M25 to Headley Village which is recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Hallega, meaning a clearing in the heather.  On reaching the church we traversed the graveyard and saw the wooden tombs.  Shortly afterwards we stopped at the Headley Village Store and Tea Room for refreshments and debates regarding the virtues of vegan factor 50 sun tan lotion.

We went on via Thresher’s Dean through Headley Heath, a wonderful expanse of heather, birch and light oak with great views, following the orange posts to a beautiful picnic spot and enjoyed our lunch in the sunshine.

Then we descended the North Downs towards Betchworth Station, where one member decided to take and alternative route home. After a false start on a very busy road we found the alternative route, and then inadvertently ‘joined’ one leg of the North Downs Pilgrim Challenge – a 66 mile ultra-marathon! The runners were plentiful but very polite when they passed us.  However, please note that their route avoided the imminent serious ascent which the Polys took in their stride!  It was a short but challenging climb which was rewarded by refreshments at the Sportsman Pub in Mogador – where we found our second coal post.  Sadly no tea and cake this time but plenty of cold drinks and a garden to enjoy.  We then had a leisurely stroll across Banstead Heath – and saw a third coal post in the middle of the heath. This took us to Walton on the Hill and admired the picturesque pond in the centre of the village and then on the last leg through to Tadworth station.

This was our first time leading a larger group and we hope the others enjoyed it as much as we did!

Rochelle and Stephen

On what promised to be a beautiful, hot sunny day 15 Polys set off from Petts Wood station in South London. After winding through the woods, saved from developers by local people and donated to the National Trust in 1927, we came upon the William Willett memorial sundial. This commemorates his support for the introduction of daylight saving in a pamphlet in 1907 which paved the way for the introduction of BST. We crossed St. Paul’s Cray road and soon entered Scadbury Park, now a nature reserve. We passed the remains of the Tudor manor, first recorded in the thirteenth century and owned for over two hundred years by the Walsingham family. We emerged from the woods and took our lunch break on the outskirts of Chislehurst. While the majority of the party ate their picnic lunch in the grounds of St. Nicholas Church, others visited the café or pub. In the afternoon we passed through St. Paul’s Cray common into the Hawkwood estate, another area saved from developers with private funds and donated to the National Trust in 1957. Here the rolling fields of Tong Farm created a contrast with the pretty woodland as we followed a stream towards three railway bridge crossings and back to Petts Wood station. Four of us stayed for tea and cake at the end of a very pleasant day out, all within the boundary of Greater London.

Thanks to Ida for the photos

Susan

A very pleasant walk, starting with time to explore the ruins of Berkhamsted Castle, a Norman motte and bailey castle.  We headed up on to Berkhamsted Common and then into woods, passing a WW1 trench.  A picnic lunch on logs on the edge of the impressive Ashridge College.  We got rather chilly but were rewarded with hot drinks and cake at the delightful Courtyard Cafe in the college grounds.   Any sort of eating out is a treat after so many months of lockdown.  The last part of the walk took us through Frithsden Beeches, a lovely woodland conservation area.  Eventually we arrived back in Berkhamsted where Hilary persuaded most of the group to divert from the station to view the newly hand painted plaques on the canal bridge.    Half the group  then repaired to a canal side pub for a convivial hour or so (although I am embarrassed to say it took us the best part of half this time to master the online ordering system sufficiently to get our drinks)!

Thanks to Hilary for leading and to Ida for the photos.

Gillian