Eight of us met up at Watford Metropolitan Underground station, some arriving by car. After sorting difficulties with the station carpark ticket machine, we set off amongst the Betjemanesque 1930’s suburbia and soon entered Cassiobury Park. This was once the Home of the Earls of Essex, whose Mansion was dismantled in 1922. The grounds became the park. Crossing the Park in a westward direction we continued over the River Gade and Grand Union Canal, across a golf course and some fields via Redheath Continue reading Good Friday 25 March 2016: Watford to Croxley →

After a truly depressingly muddy walkover, the conditions on Saturday were wonderful. We kept up a good pace which we needed to do as there were 2 necessary pub stops & some people had engagements in London in the evening. That  part of Sussex is beautiful, not too hilly but pleasingly undulating & the walk was a good mixture of wood & field. We stopped for lunch at Burwash where most of us had sandwiches just outside the churchyard on handily placed benches with a fine view over the valley. Continue reading Saturday 19 March: Circular Walk in Stonegate (East Sussex) →

With 30 or so Polys on the club weekend at YHA Lulworth Cove, it was a select group of six on Rosie’s walk through Battersea. The early mist was clearing as we entered the park, and there were plenty of people enjoying a stroll in the weak sunshine. There were  encouraging signs of spring with banks of daffodils, vociferous ducks and geese, together with posing herons and screeching parakeets. We passed the Peace Temple and took in the view of Chelsea across the river. Our lunch stop was at the Source restaurant in Ransome’s dock where we were all accommodated on a round table and enjoyed a leisurely and agreeable meal. Continue reading Saturday 12th March, Battersea to Wandsworth Town. →

Just myself and Sandra accompanied Jackie on this lovely varied walk, the weather being bright but cold. Berkhamsted’s popular half marathon had just set off and it was some time before we could cross the road from the station. Jackie and Sandra set off at a cracking pace, with me struggling behind which was to be the pattern for the rest of the day. Steady climbing through woodland and grazing, took us to Berkhamsted Common, 150 years to the day from the  battle of that name. The landowner, Lord Brownlow, had put up a metal fence with a view to incorporating the common into his private estate. Locals reinforced by a gang of navvies brought in by  train, dismantled it and dumped it in view of his mansion. Continue reading Sunday, March 6th. Berkhamsted circular. →

Twelve Polyramblers alighted from the train  on a bitterly cold but dry morning. We made our way down the lovely Marden valley towards Woldingham School, stopping to pass the time of day with a couple of extremely tame and needy deer. Passing Bay pond, we reached Godstone  and had lunch in the friendly Hare and Hounds. The service was less than brisk but there were no complaints from us as it was so good to be out of the wind. We were joined by Geoffrey, still not able to walk any distance but thankfully on the mend. Continue reading Saturday 27th February. Woldingham to Oxted →