I had been concerned that following recent high temperatures in London the walking conditions might have been uncomfortable especially as there was no shade. But I needn’t have worried. The temperatures were already on the way down after the latest heatwave and the gentle sea breeze made the conditions just perfect for walking.
12 Poly Ramblers assembled at St Pancras and made the journey down to Rye. After the briefing, we began with a short tour of the main highlights of the town. Rye is a very old town with evidence of existing since Anglo-Saxon times. It is one of five ports (including Winchelsea) or ‘Cinque Ports’ on which were conferred a special status and tax privileges by the Crown in medieval times in return for defending the coastline from invasion. After admiring the old buildings, particularly in Mermaid Street, we made our way out of Rye and along the extensive salt flats that lie between the town and the sea two miles away. It’s hard to imagine that, until a succession of massive storms between the 13th and 16th centuries, both Rye and Winchelsea were on the coast. Continue reading Rye Circular via Winchelsea – 15th August 2026→
After a safety briefing 15 Poly Ramblers set off promptly to join the Chess Valley path toward Latimer, first of four villages on today’s ramble. After a brief stop at Latimer Village Green we headed for Flaunden through Badwin Wood. We stopped to admire the church designed by Sir Gilbert Scott with beautiful stained glass window. We were a bit early for the 16 Century pub, The Green Dragon, with its own Wikipedia entry. Jennifer shared some of history and names of some of the men who drank here. We joined the Chiltern Way heading towards Sarratt, our lunch stop. We had some tricky stiles to contend with as well country lane walking made difficult by big, modern cars. Again we were grateful of the shade in Dawes Common and Sandfield Woods. After our refreshments and topping up our water bottles we descended to Chess valley with its ponds and water meadows and made our way to Chenies and on to Chalfont Latimer Station.
This was an interesting walk with lots of history and I would go back to churches at Latimer and Flaunden and stop for a drink at The Green Dragon.
14 Polyramblers and a guest set off for our walk, on a sunny Sunday morning. We crossed Hammersmith Bridge to walk along the River Thames via the towpath towards Barnes, we walked through the Leg of Mutton nature reserve and spotted a couple of herons patiently fishing. Just before our lunch stop we saw a family of Egyptian Geese, mum, dad and at least 10 very young goslings who were feeding and paddling on the foreshore under the watchful eyes of their parents.
A select group of five Poly Ramblers met at Berwick Station to begin our final stages of the Vanguard Way. We crossed fields following the line of a Roman Rd, passing through the village of Berwick we entered the South Downs national Park. We stopped at Berwick Church to admire the Bloomsbury group paintings by artists Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell, and Quentin Bell. The murals were commissioned in the hope that there would be a golden age for painted churches. Continue reading Berwick to New Haven 13 miles Section 9/10 of the Vanguard Way – 6 June 2026→
On another hot day, nine members met at Mill Hill East station for a circular walk of just over five miles in the London Borough of Barnet. After a stop at a nearby Waitrose for use of their facilities, we headed along a suburban road to the thirteen arch Northern Line viaduct, the highest point above ground level on the London Underground network. As it towered above us, we joined the Dollis Brook trail for a pleasant shaded walk through woodland. Soon we branched off left through a golf course for a stretch of road walking. After a small altercation with a driver who appeared to be unaware of pedestrian priority at a turning, we reached an enclosed track with horses greeting us in an adjacent field. This took us in due course to Totteridge Green with its delightful duck pond. After skirting some cottages and large houses, we reached the Orange Tree Inn. Here we stopped for drinks and where some of our number ate a picnic lunch at the lovely pond opposite. Refreshed we headed up to the attractive village church where we joined another track down the long slope of the Totteridge valley. Extensive views opened up as we left woodland with the Mill Hill medical research institute dominating the skyline. Passing a cricket match in progress, we headed uphill to the Adam & Eve pub where the group split. Some headed down Bittacy Hill to complete the walk while the rest delayed their departure down the hill to partake of drinks in the pub. Fortunately there were no transport delays returning home, unlike my recent Alton walk.
