I was delighted that 17 walkers turned up for this walk although I wasn’t certain they had all taken in what I had said about the mud! Some of them had been rather derogatory on the train about the Essex landscape – riverside flood plain – so they may have been surprised to see the steep street as we left the station! The footpath continued uphill through Benfleet Downs and Hadleigh Country Park, part of which was used for the Olympic Games mountain bike Continue reading Saturday 8th. Benfleet to Southend-on-sea →

17 Polyramblers for this evening walk starting from Sloane Square. We passed the Duke of York’s Headquarters, built to provide a home for children of soldiers’ widows, which is now the home of the Saatchi Gallery and where the Tutankhamun exhibition is taking place. Then we continued to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, built by Christopher Wren. None of the Polyramblers meet the criteria to live there. There are carol services in the Wren Chapel in December Continue reading Tuesday 4th February Evening walk :Battersea Power Station’s First Light Festival →

After a week of damp and dull weather, some improvement had been forecast and 16 of us stepped off the train into watery sunshine. A number of us hadn’t been to Guildford and were surprised to see the remains of the castle and it’s well manicured grounds, virtually in the town centre. (Yes, it is town, despite having a cathedral. City status is apparently granted by the monarch, and although applications have been made in the past,  they have been unsuccessful.)  We headed steadily uphill past increasing larger and desirable houses emerging onto Pewsey Downs. By this time the sun had come out properly and we enjoyed extensive views towards the South Downs. Continue reading 1st February Guildford circular →

A walk of two halves on Saturday.  Fifteen Poly Ramblers, led by Harriet, alighted at Box Hill and Westhumble station along with several other walking groups.  We headed towards the stepping stones over the River Mole, but only Stuart and Chris were game to cross them as the river was quite high, the rest of the group opting for the bridge.  Then we had to tackle Box Hill itself, a long series of steep steps.  At the top we were rewarded by ……. zero visibility due to the mist.  A little later we tackled White Hill, a long series of even steeper steps.  For there it was level and then downhill to Mickleham. Continue reading 25th January Box Hill to Leatherhead →