Thanks to the Polyramblers and their friends who came to help guide the London Blind Ramblers to and from Mayfield Lavender Farm and the Oaks Park on 3rd July 2022. Here are some comments from some of our team.

“It was lovely to spend the day with the London Blind Ramblers on Sunday. The walk itself wound through some beautiful meadows while overhead we heard the piping of swifts darting about in the blue sky above our heads. We could sometimes see in the far distance glimpses of London’s vertical towers glinting in the sunshine but apart from that I felt I was deep in the countryside. We passed through some gorgeous lavender fields and then after lunch walked around some refreshingly cool woods before heading back to Coulsdon South in the warm sunshine. It was a great deal of fun meeting the Blind Ramblers and making new friends and they all seemed to enjoy it too.” Chris

“For me it was such a privilege to walk with someone who had no sight but who could absorb the sounds, the smells, the touch of everything around her and who could imagine and enjoy the beauty of nature that we were describing. It made me so grateful on the day that I have the gift of sight and I will try not to take it for granted from now on, having got to know Taufiq and share some of her world during our walk together.” Jill

“I enjoyed the walk: especially the lunch spot was excellent- there were several options to suit all -ice creams, cafe and picnic benches to please all. Stiles were interesting and to see how the VIPs managed them.” Sunita

“It was such a privilege and honour to meet the Blind Ramblers again. They amaze me with their resilience and joy, (and the ability to tackle the stiles!). It was a lovely walk, friendly people, tall grass and butterflies! What more could anyone want? Jackie C.

“A big thank you for a most enjoyable walk today. Met more Poly members, also members from London Blind Ramblers. Enjoyed the experience of helping Sophie and later Taufiq. My three invitees: Bernadette, Marcya and Yukiko enjoyed the walk and company, and asked me to send you their best regards.” Meng

“I would add another mention of the lavender, which was the main focus of the trip after all, and was in full bloom, and which we were able to pause and enjoy on our walk across the farm, plus, later, the scent of the lime trees in the woodland. It was in complete contrast with the walk through the London parks with the LBRs in the autumn (which I didn’t get round to writing up!) to which Sunita kindly brought fragrance samples from her work so that we could enjoy some interesting aromas at a time of year when there were not so many around in nature! As the others have mentioned, the day reminded us to be aware of the difficulties some people, sighted or not and for various reasons, experience when tackling stiles, especially stiles that have been assembled with little thought of or in defiance of the users!” Pam

Thank you again to Polyramblers and friends for helping, guiding, shepherding, organising, mingling, helping over and round stiles and generally keeping the show on the road (29 of us in all!). No mean feat!

Pam. Photos from Jill and Pam

For third time in a week, I headed to Bexley to undertake a circular walk via Joyden’s Wood and alongside the River Cray. The previous two visits were for walkovers but on the first I got lost so I was unable to complete the circuit! The second was more successful after I downloaded an excellent map of the Woods showing all the paths. Still a bit apprehensive, I met up with nineteen members at the station and then we proceeded through the attractive village High Street, past some fine houses and the church with its unusual cone & pyramid spire. On the approach to Joyden’s Wood, we passed numerous stables as the area is popular for horse riding. Fortunately, there were no problems with way finding this time and we enjoyed the tree cover providing shade from the strong sunshine. We stopped at the scheduled ancient monument of Faesten Dic and admired the wooden replica of a Hurricane plane, commemorating the bailing out a pilot there in the war. Leaving the woods, we crossed over to the fields fringing the River Cray and stood on Five Arch Bridge looking at the wildlife in the water. Next, we headed for the White Cross pub for our lunch stop where the sausage sandwich was particularly tasty! Finally, a stretch of the London Loop brought us past a match in progress at Bexley Cricket Club and back to the station for our train home.

Danny

Photographs courtesy of Nita and Gillian.

“They had a very fine day for Box Hill”
– Jane Austen – Emma.

As did 15 Polyramblers arriving at Dorking station and heading for the pretty village of Pixham and its Castle Mill. We crossed the millstream and admired the fast flowing weir on the River Mole before tackling the southern flank of Box Hill. The final short steep climb of which brought us to the iconic Salomons Memorial with its panoramic views across the woodlands and fields of Surrey. We took an unscheduled stop at the National Trust cafe to meet up with a member who had missed the train, before walking through woods to Juniper Top, the site of the protagonist Emma Woodhouse’s picnic in Jane Austen’s novel, where we too enjoyed our picnic. The views were stunning and Geoffrey was inspired to entertain us with his lively rendition of Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’.

We walked off our lunch with a descent to Juniper Bottom and a steeper ascent back, via steps, to the woodland at the top of Box Hill. Passing the circular flint tower, Broadwood’s Folly, we made our way back once again to the cafe to retrieve another Polyrambler who had experienced travel problems. After for many of us a second ice cream of the day we set off through the woods to the famous “Whites” of Box Hill. En route we passed the unusual gravestone marking where Major Peter Labelliere, an eccentric Dorking resident, was buried head downwards. Descending on chalky slopes we passed by Rykas cafe, a popular venue for motorcyclists, and made our way back via West Humble village and a footpath through the vineyards of the Denbies Estate to Dorking station.

Jennifer.   Photos by Nita.

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!

Photographs courtesy of Nita, Hilary and Stuart.

Danny

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 →