Danny kept up his usual standard for Easter Saturday, attracting a crowd of 24 walkers to Langley in spite of very uninviting weather. After a short walk along the canal we headed into the vast Langley Park Estate, once home to the Duke of Marlborough, with a lake designed by Capability Brown, an arboretum and rhododendron gardens. Admittedly it wasn’t the best type of day to appreciate these features but the weather gradually improved and the walking was easy with only muddy paths to contend with. After five miles we left the park and headed for lunch at the Crooked Billet at Iver Heath which provided good, reasonably priced food and friendly welcoming staff. By the time we left the pub the sun was out. Nine walkers left to get the bus back to Langley, fortified by chocolate eggs (thanks Danny) and the rest carried on for the last two or three miles through the Park Estate, passing some exotic waterfowl and an impressive display of daffodils. On the last stretch our path was impeded by a fallen tree which took a bit of team work to negotiate without crawling on the muddy trunk. A very pleasant day.
Our first Spring walk was foggy and felt quite autumnal but at least it stayed dry. The walk was in the Chilterns, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and in Hertfordshire, the county of opportunity. After leaving the station, 9 Polyramblers were soon in the countryside, walking in a valley before crossing Frithsden Beeches and reaching the Golden Valley in the Ashridge Estate, well named Continue reading Saturday 24 March 2018: Berkhamsted (Circular)→
After a train and bus/coach journey, we arrived at the Street youth hostel, the oldest hostel in the South West opened in 1931. It is an alpine style chalet on the brow of a hill overlooking Glastonbury Tor and the Somerset Levels. Geoffrey had baked banana cakes so we had tea and cake while waiting for our food delivery and then went to explore Street. There was a bread shortage at Ocado but, Continue reading Friday 16 to Sunday 18 March 2018: YHA Weekend, Street, Somerset→
It was a grey day that threatened rain but 17 Polyramblers turned up. We started our walk in the conservation area, stopping briefly in the Vestry House museum before continuing through Walthamstow village and its pretty shops. We passed the Nag’s Head and the Ancient House before going in St Mary’s church where we had a nice welcome and were told about the history of the church. We saw the Continue reading Saturday 10th March. Walthamstow village and wetlands. Linear.→
Despite the bad weather the week before the AGM, there was a good attendance at this event. Mike chaired the meeting as Christine, our President, could not be present because of a bad cold. There was a minute silence to honour two Polyramblers who passed away recently: Margaret Lanham, one of our Vice-Presidents, and Pat House. The minutes of the previous AGM were approved and there was an update on matters arising. The Committee had Continue reading Saturday 3rd March: Annual General Meeting→
