The overall impression of the walk was a lovely day with sunshine, a warmish breeze rather than recent icy winds, meadows of buttercups, bluebells, fields of crops (wheat ?), hops, and those fresh green shoots of spring for us to describe for our guests, plus the scent of cow parsley beside the paths and the bird song that our guests could help us identify. Sadly the lavender in the fields was not as far advanced as I had hoped but there were plenty of lavender products in the Castle Farm shop. 

However the day started at Victoria station on a rather unruly note! Trying to get the group together and round up latecomers who hadn’t checked in to base, I realised there was a subgroup roaming around sending panic messages inside the barrier rather than waiting patiently while the very helpful staff ascertained which platform our delayed train would come into. Fortunately we managed to assemble on the train and, apart from getting momentarily shut in the revolving toilet with two guests, the train journey went off without further incident. 

At Otford I was informed that there would be duck-racing on the stream at Shoreham, which would be crammed with enthusiasts from near and far! I imagined something like The Mall on Coronation Day! I was annoyed at first, not to have been warned sooner, but in retrospect I was amused because prior knowledge would have deprived me of the last vestiges of sleep the night before! As it happened we arrived at the bridge at Shoreham as the organisers were setting up their stall and the first contestants were surveying the current rushing downstream with some scepticism and their ducks with doubt! 

Hunger drove us to carry on along the path by the Darent to the Lullingstone Visitor Centre where we ate our packed lunches in the sunshine at the plentiful picnic tables provided. Others took advantage of the refreshments available in the café. When it came to deciding what to do after our lunch break, conversation became very animated. Rather than stroll up the slope of the Country Park and over to the wooden history sculptures for more fresh air, some people opted vociferously for the road straight past Lullingstone Castle to Eynsford, part of the route i had originally suggested for a more challenging walk. I was beginning to sympathise with Capt. Bligh, when Harriet stepped in and took the mic, so to speak, bringing the meeting to order. Once we were sure that guests in the mutinous group had enough sighted guides, the rest of us turned back through the cow parsley, along by the Darent to Castle Farm for lavender ice cream which we consumed amongst the pots of lavender and then carried on to the site of the duck racing at Shoreham and up the permissive path to the station there, to find they had put on an unscheduled train for us which rolled up as we arrived! We had to change trains at Swanley because of engineering works on the up-line.  Once again platform information was a bit suspenseful but we made it back to Victoria to get ready for the week ahead, thoroughly refreshed. 

Thank you to all the guests for their spirited company and knowledge of birdsong and to the guides, helpers and marshals for their contribution to the events of the day.

Pam

Photos by Pam and Patricia

Ignoring the not very promising weather forecast, fifteen members assembled at Taplow station on Easter Monday 10th April for a circular walk of 6 miles in a rural corner at the far south end of Buckinghamshire. After crossing the busy A4 trunk road, we went down a quiet lane to a bridge over the Jubilee River. It is a man-made channel completed in 2002 which reduces the risk of flooding in Maidenhead, Windsor & Eton. It is about 7.5 miles long but initially we only followed it for a short while before heading across fields to the River Thames. Its waters were sparkling in unexpected sunshine as we walked alongside for about a mile past expensive-looking riverside properties before leaving the path near Dorney Lake, the site of the rowing events at the 2012 Olympics. Passing the listed Tudor manor house of Dorney Court, we crossed the Jubilee River again so that we could reach our lunch stop at the busy Pineapple pub in Lake End. Most of us sat in the garden, fortunately under cover, as the forecast heavy rain showers soon appeared. Suitably refreshed and the rain having stopped, we headed back to the Jubilee River and followed it to the M4 motorway bridge from where a muddy & overgrown path took us to Marsh Lane and back to Taplow Station.

Danny
Photos courtesy of Maggie Carman & Rochelle Bloch

Fifteen keen Polyramblers arrived promptly at Watford Station. Jennifer was unable to partake in the walk so she volunteered to take and phone through lunch orders and direct any late comers to join the main group. This enabled us to make a prompt start walking through Cassiobury Park, crossing bridges over the River Gade and Grand Union Canal and following the Grand Union Canal briefly before turning off towards Chandlers Cross with a golf course on our left. We walked through Whippendale Woods followed by Harrocks Wood. Both woods were covered in blue carpets of bluebells. We had lunch in the outskirts of Sarratt. A few opted to have lunch at The Cock Inn and the rest of used the benches in the Holy Cross Church. This twelfth century church has beautiful glass stained windows and fourteenth century painted murals. We went past the Alms Houses and dropped down to the beautiful Chess Valley and made our way through the grounds of Chorleywood Estate, Chorleywood Common and on to Chorleywood Station. I really enjoyed leading this walk as we were well matched and walked as a group.

Sunita.  Photos by Stuart and Hilary

This being the day after the Coronation, the train was busy with people en route to friends and family gatherings. There were 15 of us on the train and there was plenty to talk about, some of our members having been in the crowd lining the mall. There was general agreement as to the high quality of the music.

Changing trains at Guildford, we trundled two stops to Chilworth in a 3 coach diesel unit. It was dry but overcast as we set off; to the North we could see St Martha’s Church on the North Downs, that we would reach in the afternoon. Walking eastwards, and then north, through farmland and heath we reached Shere. Shere was celebrating the Coronation big time. The road down by the river was closed with tables full of happy diners. Some of us had our lunch behind the parish church, St James. This is famous, not just for being in Bridget Jones Diary but also for the unsettling history of the Anchoress of 1329.

Continue reading Chilworth to Guildford. May 7th →