Thirteen walkers turned out for stage four of the Icknield Way on Saturday. I decided to skip a couple of miles of road walking from Letchworth and start at Baldock, so cutting the distance from 14 miles to a more manageable 12. The weather was coolish so good for walking, though a little chilly for sitting around.
We started down Baldock’s impressive high street, passing an enormous Tesco with an unusual Art Deco façade. We headed north east on a gently undulating route through poppy fields, soon Continue reading Saturday 18 June: Icknield Way Stage 4 – Baldock to Royston (Herts) →

What a lovely day for a walk! After all that wintry weather we’d had in the previous week it was a joy to be out in the sunshine. All together we were 24 blind and sighted walkers and Paris, a black labrador.  Beforehand I was worried that the parks would be heaving with people but on the morning walk the parks, green spaces and woods as we wended our way along our route were not that busy apart from occasional tennis players, quite a few dogs and their owners and chatting pushchair couples. Continue reading Sunday 5 June: Capital Ring Sections 11 and 12 with the London Blind Ramblers →

What a lovely day for a walk! The bluebells that were in amongst every clump of trees when we did the walkover two weeks ago had given way to wild garlic and the meadows are now full of buttercups. Horse chestnut trees are in full flower and their leaves luminously bright green despite attacks of leaf blotch in recent years. Lots of wisteria on the few houses and cottages we passed. We were blessed with warm sunshine but when the occasional cloud came over or when we were walking in the shade we could feel the icy wind still reminding us that spring has not yet fully arrived. But the ground was not muddy – in fact in some fields the soil in between the crops was cracked as in severe drought. Continue reading May 15th. Leigh to Sevenoaks →

Fourteen Poly Ramblers and two guests converged on Rainham, Essex on a sunny though chilly Saturday afternoon for the last 5 miles of the London Loop.  Some had spent the morning visiting Rainham Hall, others were in the pub and one or twovisited the reptile emporium.  We headed off across the level crossing towards the river, led by Martin and Anna, the latter carrying a large cardboard cake box.  After a mile we arrived at the banks of the Thames estuary, very industrial but not unattractive in a way.  Continue reading May 14th. Rainham to Purfleet →

Having just arrived from home my choir rehearsal the Tuesday before, I went to open my tablet to check something online, whereupon an email arrived from Gillian seeking a leader for this walk, as Jackie couldn’t do it due her recent ankle injury. I turned round to look at my bookshelf, and lo there was the “Time Out” book with the walk in it.  And such a lovely walk in a lovely area – it has to go ahead.  Continue reading Sunday 8th May. Berwick to Eastbourne →