Saturday was a beautiful sunny morning with a light breeze, perfect for walking the first stage of the Icknield Way. Things got off to an inauspicous start as the leaders were a few minutes late meeting the group at Tring and Dominique had missed the train at Euston (long ticket queue).  So Stuart set off with a group of 12 to begin the 3 mile uphill trek towards Ivinghoe Beacon while Irene and I waited for the next train.  After the first half mile I gave Dominique the map and let Continue reading Saturday 16th May: Icknield Way Stage One: Ivinghoe Beacon (Tring) to Dunstable →

A late decision to join this walk was rewarded with a delightful Spring afternoon in the lush green-belt area of Horsley and nearby Effingham.   Horsley is an easy train ride from Waterloo or Clapham Junction yet is as different from its city neighbour as Winter from Spring with its quiet countryside and distinctive flint and stone (some say eccentric) architecture designed by landowner Lord Lovelace in the 1800s. Continue reading Sunday 10th May. Horsley Jubilee Trail →

Twenty three Polyramblers were out on a dry, pleasant day to enjoy two places, Marlow and Hurley It was disappointing that the main party was delayed by one hour due to problems on the railway. However, this did not stop us from doing the full walk as planned. After a steep climb to the town’s edge we reached a street with apple and cherry trees full of blossom. Our path took us past flint Continue reading Saturday 2nd May. Marlow and Hurley →

Saturday 25 April: Loop Stage 11 – Elstree to Cockfosters
Seventeen Polyramblers were out on this very pleasant sunny day to walk another section of the loop (there were 15 to start with and we gained 2 at lunchtime and then lost 4 after lunch). Martin handed out chocolate bars on the train to bribe us because the walk before lunch was 7 mile long. There were a few hills in the morning and a lengthy walk up and down the A1 to cross it via an underpass. We stopped to eat our chocolate after this ordeal at Moat Mount Open Continue reading Saturday 25th April: Loop Stage 11 – Elstree to Cockfosters →

Kings Cross Walk – 22 April 2015
Eleven Polyramblers braved the icy wind to discover the amazing changes in Kings Cross. They patiently listened to me reading my notes while I told them about the history of the Kings Cross area and the station itself designed by Lewis Cubitt and opened in 1852. King’s Cross is the site of Boudicca’s final battle and she is said to be buried under one of the platforms. The ugly 1972 extension has been removed and been replaced by an open-air plaza. We admired the new semi-circular departures concourse, opened to the public on 19 March 2012 and which has been described as a ‘reverse waterfall’. We then went on a walk to discover the new developments and the old buildings being refurbished.
We passed the Great Northern Hotel, also designed by Cubitt and went to see the first of the art installations set in Kings Cross to celebrate the area’s heritage and its future: the Birdcage and its swing – which Geoffrey tried. Continue reading Wednesday 22nd April: Evening walk–Discover the new King’s Cross (circular) →