Sun and cloud on this lovely summer day for a walk in the Essex countryside for 15 Polyramblers. We left Southminster on a country lane where we pilfered some cherry plums along the way. We negotiated some decrepit stiles, crossed two fields full of nettles and braved paths with warnings of adders but we also saw some interesting rowing boats being prepared for a crossing of the Atlantic. After 4 miles, we arrived in Burnham-on-Crouch, known within sailing circles as the ‘Cowes of the East Coast, for an early Continue reading SATURDAY August 3rd: SOUTHMINSTER to N. FAMBRIDGE (Essex) (LINEAR) →

On a rather dull and drizzly morning I turned up at Paddington station and found no Polys waiting for me. As I was making my way to the platform, one turned up and another found us on the train. By the next stop our select group had become four and was joined by five who were already in Cookham. We set off, passing the house where the painter Stanley Spencer lived and worked for 15 years until his death in 1959, through Cookham Dene. We passed a large free-range turkey farm, but still being some time to Christmas, or maybe because of the weather, we saw no turkeys roaming around. Continue reading Saturday 27th July. Cookham to Maidenhead →

A small but select group of five walkers started our walk on a warm muggy day from Hever Station. We soon reached Hever Castle which was built in 1453 by the Mayor of London, Jeffrey Boleigne. How things have changed, now we are having modular homes built! We walked through the beautiful Kent countryside through fields and some woodland until we arrived at our second castle of the day, Chiddingstone Castle near Edenbridge, the ancestral home of the Streetfield family. The castle itself dates back from the early 19^th century incorporating elements of earlier buildings on the same site.

Continue reading linear walk from hever to tonbridge 2oth july →

11 Polyramblers met at Oval and crossed the old Roman road of Stane Street to enter Kennington Park. We passed the Tinworth Fountain, the standing stone air raid memorial and the Prince Consort’s Model Lodge before going into the lovely flower garden. We walked around St Mark’s Church, one of the Waterloo churches, and continued to Vauxhall’s Park along quiet roads. The lavender was in full bloom in the Park and smelt lovely. We passed the model Continue reading Wednesday 17th; Evening Walk in Kennington & vauxhall →

Nineteen Polyramblers set off from Coulsdon South station in search of real countryside in zone 6. Within minutes we reached a path through ancient yew trees along which we walked for almost a mile before entering Happy Valley. We climbed uphill and followed a terrace enjoying impressive views and the wild flowers before dropping back down into the valley bottom and continuing to Coulsdon Common. Crossing from Greater London into Surrey brought us to the North Downs Way and the Surrey Hills. We Continue reading Saturday 13th. Coulsdon circular →