If I’m ever asked why on earth anyone would want to get up early on a weekend, put on heavy boots & walk up & down steep hills in high temperatures, Saturday’s walk provided the answer – because it’s wonderful! We had perfect weather, apart from the last hour, & the South Downs are beautiful. Amazingly sculpted chalk hills with steep escarpments & views to the sea from the top. The expenditure of energy required for us to get up & down three times was well Continue reading 31st August Lewes Circular
Bank Holiday Weekend – Lancaster
Friday 23rd August. 37 Polyramblers descended on Lancaster University for a long weekend of walking and sightseeing. The university complex is extensive so the first test on arrival was finding reception and accommodation, luckily Hilary’s sister Janet was on hand to assist as buses arrived. Janet and Hilary led an orientation walk around the older part of the city centre including Lancaster Castle and the Judges Lodgings and a number of historical pubs before we descended down to St Georges Quay’s walking along the Lancaster end of the river Lune to the Wagon and Horses where we had an excellent meal. It was at this point that Danny pointed out that one of our group had not yet appeared, we later found out that his train had broken down outside Euston! Continue reading Bank Holiday Weekend – Lancaster
AMERSHAM /HAZLEMERE CIRCULAR 17 AUGUST
This was very much Stuart’s walk which had mapped out himself. But he had been called away to Melbourne following a family bereavement and I was left as stand in leader, not having done a walk over. Luckily there are better map readers than me in the group. Twenty one Poly Ramblers started out from Amersham on a sunny Saturday morning. At one point I thought there were 22 in the group but I must have miscounted. The walk started downhill Continue reading AMERSHAM /HAZLEMERE CIRCULAR 17 AUGUST
10th August Sevenoaks Circular
The weather forecast was for strong winds leading to travel disruption so it was a pretty decent turnout of 16 who assembled at Sevenoaks station. We made out way up the hill and headed for Knole Park, stopping to admire a tree carving. I had previously found the park to be closed during strong winds and my heart sank as we approached the gate and saw a park employee fixing a sign to it. Fortunately, it was just a warning . Knole House is one of the largest houses in the country, and surrounded by a large deer park. Skirting to the west of the house, we emerged at the attractive village of Godden Green. Climbing up through woodlands, we walked along an old track at the top of the ridge before descending to Stone Street. Continue reading 10th August Sevenoaks Circular
SATURDAY August 3rd: SOUTHMINSTER to N. FAMBRIDGE (Essex) (LINEAR)
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)