On the hottest day of the year to date, eleven Poly Ramblers assembled at the Angel for a leisurely walk to Regents Park. We first wandered through Chapel Market with its variety of stalls before heading to the Regents Canal. We joined its towpath close to the headwall of the Islington Canal Tunnel and walked westwards. We soon came to the Battlebridge Basin which was constructed in 1820 and is now a narrowboat mooring and the home of the London Canal Museum. Battlebridge is the old name for the King’s Cross area which has been transformed in recent years with a plethora of new buildings, bars and restaurants. Of particular interest is Gasholder Park which is housed in the frame of a gasometer constructed in the 1850s. Three similar ones alongside now contain apartments. The next stretch was fairly peaceful but that changed when we reached Camden Lock with crowds visiting the various markets in its vicinity. We stopped here for refreshment at the Ice House Wetherspoons before carrying on to the vicinity of Primrose Hill where we left the canal for lunch at a cafe. Geoffrey joined us here having being delayed on his rail journey from Bedfordshire by signalling problems. Some of our number climbed the hill for its impressive views of the London skyline but the majority decided to stay cool in the shade. For the final part of the walk, we entered Regents Park and headed for the lake and its bandstand. We listened to some jazz numbers by the KIX orchestra before finishing at Baker Street where a few of us felt the need for further refreshment at the Wetherspoons above the station.

Danny
Photos courtesy of Rajesh Patel & Nita Patel

Ten polyramblers took the train to Ascot which was full of rather more elegantly dressed people on their way to the races. After changing trains, we were soon on our way to Bagshot Heath and Swinley Forest, a vast area owned by the Crown Estate which was once part of Windsor Forest. Most of the country scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 were filmed here. Much of what was once moorland, Daniel Defoe described Bagshot Heath as ‘being full of wast and barren land’, is now covered by modern plantations of Scots Pines. It is popular with mountain bikers and we passed an ambulance attending to an unfortunate rider who had come off their bike. 

We were able to use the picnic tables and facilities at the Look Out Discovery Centre which also offered some welcome shade.  Unfortunately, the queue for refreshments proved too long so we set off having at least refilled our water bottles. The afternoon took us through a more varied, undulating part of the forest where the pines often gave way to broadleaf trees where we could hear the activity on the nearby Barossa firing range. We had to share the path for a while with rather a lot of Belted Galloway cows, but they were more interested in going to the watering hole than in us. On our return to Bagshot Heath, three members went straight to the station while the rest of us finally got our refreshments at the Kings Arms pub.

Susan

Photos  by Ida

Eighteen polyramblers, twice the number of last year, gathered on the seafront at Seaford for this magnificent walk along the Sussex coast and inland into the beautiful South Downs.  

It promised to be a hot sunny day though with the possibility of thunderstorms and showers, making it rather humid.  The train down to the coast was absolutely packed with groups of mainly young walkers, who were walking along the cliff top path.

After a briefing, we tackled out first ascent, up over Seaford Head and on to a relatively flat walk along the cliff tops where we experienced very welcome sea breezes and gazed on the spectacular views across to the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs.  Patricia had brought her sketch pad with her and decided to stay and enjoy the views, penning a wonderful sketch which she later posted, rather than continue with the walk.  The rest of us took the Vanguard Way inland along the Cuckmere Valley reaching at the bridging point a very busy main road, and the Seven Sisters country park centre.  We made out lunch time stop here, perching on the top of a hill overlooking the scenic Cuckmere Valley and its large meanders.  

Continue reading SEAFORD TO BERWICK VIA ALFRISTON – 17th JUNE →

Well, I thought the biggest challenge of the day was going to be the extreme heat or the thunderstorms but as it turned out it was the 465 bus which got me to Dorking station after everyone had arrived all looking anxiously for their leader!! 

All was not lost. We maintained a gentle walking pace given the heat and luckily a lot of the walk was shaded.  Sightings of the river Mole and other streams helped to cool our fevered brows.  First stop was the garden centre but not to buy plants but to use their facilities. We then walked through the golf club arriving at Brockham where we had various flavours of ice cream including black coconut, honeycomb, gin and tonic, ginger spice. The list was endless and it was hard to get back to the business of walking.  

We walked along part of the Greensand Way and arrived at the church that was in Four Weddings and a Funeral – only to find that there was a wedding taking place. So, anyone that had a packed lunch ate discreetly in the churchyard hoping not to be in any photos of the happy day.  For everyone else we ventured across the road to The Dolphin Betchworth. 

We then walked through various country lanes and ended up at Reigate Park where the old priory used to be and then we were in the busy town of Reigate. 

Thank you so much everyone for coming to the first walk that I have led for the walking club.  I was really surprised that 20 people turned up given the weather forecast. I hope you enjoyed it as much as me. 

Lorna.  Photos by Lorna and Stuart

Thirteen Poly ramblers met at East Croydon Station to catch a bus to the start of our walk at Chelsham Common. We were lucky to have brilliant sunshine, and a dry spell had reduced likelihood of mud. We followed the good signage for the Vanguard Way through woodland with plenty of Bluebells still vividly coloured. We came out of the woods and into open land taking care to look for some land marks as there was no visible path. At the top of the hill, we enjoyed clear views of the London landscape. At this point we joined the Greenwich Meridian Trail. We began descending steeply, crossing a road and then gently climbing again following a ridge between two steep valleys. At the top of the rise, we had reached the highest point at about 853 ft. We continued following the route until we reached our lunch stop Oxted Downs, where we had our lunch against the backdrop of the M25. Following lunch, we descended a steep slope with steps cut into it called Whistlers Steep to join the North Downs Way. We continued along the edge of a very large field with Titsey Woods and the M25 to our left. In 600 meters we reached a set – back plaque indicating the Greenwich Meridian. We continued passing the entrance to Titsey Place. The Vanguard way crosses the line of the Pilgrims Way at this point. We crossed several grassy fields following a faint footpath, before following a track next to a high fence with the roar of the adjacent M25 before climbing up to a footbridge to cross the motorway close to the Clacket Lane Services. We kept ahead down a broad track along an access road with the huge Moorhouse Sandpits on our right. We were now crossing the Greensand Ridge. After climbing through woodland, we at last came out to the outskirts of Limpsfield Chart. We finished the section conveniently at a bus stop opposite a pub. There was considerable anxiety as to whether to bus would arrive on time to take us to Oxted station so the majority of the group opted to walk back, a small number of us enjoyed a drink in the pub garden, the bus arrived at the correct time and we enjoyed a leisurely trip back to join the rest of the group at Oxted Station.