walk – Page 6 – My London+

The River Thames – Cookham (NaBloPoMo – Day 11)

In 2015 I travelled to Cookham in Berkshire, primarily to visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery.

It just so happenes that the village is by the River Thames, part of the Thames Path. Did I need any more excuses to go?

It was a perfect day, hot and sunny. Getting there was fun though. There was some trouble on the railway and I had to get off the train at an earlier station. Staff normally lay on rail replacement buses which this happens. However, that day there were cars! I had to bundle in tha back of a car with two others and each of us was dropped at the station we going to. One of the strangeest experiences I have ever had. We also just missed being a crash, as a lorry shed its load! Thankfully, after that the day improved.

After visiting the Gallery (a long wished for visit that didn’t disappoint), I wandered along the Thames Path towards Bourne End. I didn’t quite get all the way, but I was within touching distance.

I recently found out that Stanley’s daughter Unity, died in 2017 and is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Cookham. Being the daughter of Stanley was difficult in her younger years. Like most artists (it seems) he wasn’t the easier man to live with. She led a distruptive life according to a book I read recently. However, according to her son John, Unity found being Stanley’s daughter later in life more of a pleasure. You can read more here.

Here are some pictures from that day.

Stanley Spencer – The Last Supper (1920)

South Park Gardens, Wimbledon (NaBloPoMo – Day 8)

I love it when I find somewhere new and this was rather a lovely find. I had to go and pick up a book I ordered and decided to make more of the journey than just there and back, especially as I had to use the bus. So I looked at the map and found this park close to the main road.

This is a place to return to midweek when the children are in school! It was very busy with families making the most of a rare warm sunny day in November, and who could blame them? The park has a cafe (takeaway for the moment) and the all important toilets.

I wasn’t here long, just long enough to drink my takeaway hot chocolate and wander around taking photos, but I shall certain return.

NaBloPoMo – Day 7 – Hogsmill River Walk

Hogsmill River (from the bridge on the A3 between New Malden and Tolworth)

The Hogsmill flows from Ewell in Surrey to the River Thames at Kingston. I have in the past walked the length of it, splitting it into two walks, but yesterday I revisited just a small portion of it. This section runs from the A3 in New Malden to Green Lane Park (New Malden). One of my son’s suggested it, so we walked together on a cold but bright day. The sky offered us interesting cloud formations and in the lower parts fog was still lifting.

There are various bridges and paths, some take you out to nearby residential roads.

If you look there is still some colour to be found

I must learn my trees! They are beautiful in all seasons

It’s easy to think that everything is brown and dying at this time of year. But look closer and you see the beauty

We encountered Robins, Parakeets and this lone Heron

On the left is the river, to the right of the trees is Green Lane Park

NaBloPoMo – Day 5

The last day before lockdown I went into London to meet my writing buddy. London looked brilliant in the sunshine, but it was very cold.

Next door to The Globe Theatre is one of oldest houses (with the red door) in the shadow of Tate Modern

Not a great image, I’m afraid, but the house with the red door is where Sir Christopher Wren once lived, as well as Anne Bolyn

We met at Embankment tube station intending to go into Embankment Gardens and have an outdoor lunch together at the cafe, but the cafe was closed. We set off over Hungerford Bridge to the south bank side of the River Thames and walked up to Southwark where we bought a take-out lunch and then looked for somewhere to stop and eat. Eventually we ended up at Hay’s Galleria near London Bridge. This is an indoor mini shopping centre overlooking the river. Here we found seats. It was the ideal place to sit away from the wind to eat, chat and then write. We do what is called free writing, timed sessions with prompts. We start with a minute writing about one word. We did three of those with prompts inspired by our surroundings – machine, star, shackles. We moved onto a two five minutes sessions and an eight minute one. After that we were getting cold, so we called it day with the writing.

To get warm we walked all the way to Lambeth Bridge and over onto the north side, and back along the river bank to Embankment tube station. Here we went our separate ways trying to keep positive about the four week lockdown, and looking forward to a meet-up in December.

As I walked back over Hungerford Bridge to the station I began to feel sad. This was the last day anyone would be able to eat out, go for a drink or mix with anyone outside their own household (apart from one other, but it has to be outside). Some places like Pret are staying open for take-aways, but all non essential shops were due to close. Apparently, Oxford Street was very busy with last minute shoppers, but generally London felt quiet where I was. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend – the strangest feeling.

Hungerford Bridge with Charing Cross station in the background

NaBloPoMo – Day 2 – Chessington 5 mile circular walk

The notes in my book said this walk would take two to three hours. I suppose I didn’t do too bad considering I lost my way twice and had to contend with extreme mud in places. That slowed things down a little. Even so, I completed the walk in just under three hours.

The walk begins and ends at Chessington South railway station. It being schools half term holidays last week, I got off the train with families on their way to Chessington World of Adventure. I quickly left them behind as I was cutting down a lane that would take me behind the zoo and adventure park.

The first part of the walk led me off that path and up a hill known as Winney Hill, quite apt actually as the field beyond the woods I walked through contained grazing horses. The book was a little vague about direction here. It said walk acros the field, but which way? Using my instinct (a vague and sometimes unbelieved sense of direction) I worked out that straight on meant left. I could hear the screams of the riders on the rollercoaster from the adventure park and knew I needed to go along that way. I did find the viewing point and the small lake on my way, so I knew then that I was right. Following the fence of the adventure park was the easy bit. Eventually, on my right, I came across the car park for the park, and an entrance, which a steward tried to guide towards before I told her I wasn’t going in, just passing.

At the bottom I crossed the main road and headed along a grass track to another road, which I also crossed. I was doing quite well until I came across an arable field. The books said walk straight across it. I found a grass swathe alongside the field which I took. I was walking towards the farm buildings. I felt quite explosed here, wondering…should I be walking along here? The book told me to look for a gap in the hedge on the other side. Huh? I guess I was expecting some tiny shove-through hedge job, but actually there was a wide gap which took me up through another field towards Ashtead Common.

Here I was back on a main path. There was a temptation to explore the common, but I was conscious of time and getting lost, so I stuck with my plan. Something I have come to realise is that the signposts for footpaths don’t always correspond with the ones in books! I came to a fork in the path with several options. I wasn’t sure which way, but I went right. I wasn’t convinced, so I asked a walker coming from the direction I was going. He confirmed my fears, but at least I hadn’t walked far. I retraced my steps back to the original path and carried on to Stew Pond, the next main point on my walk. There I picked up the Chessington Countryside Trail and headed towards Horton Country Park.

It was near Horton Country Park that I veered off track somehow. Again I stopped a walker. She was so helpful that she actually led me back to where I needed to be. We chatted about walks, direction, getting lost! We found some noticeboards near a car park and some toilets, and this is where we parted. The toilets were open so I made use of them. Then I was off again. Somehow, more luck than judgment I think, I managed to keep to the right paths, trunderling along the side of a field and then up through a path that went by the back gardens of houses. I was nearly there.

Anyone know what these animals are? They were in a field, privately owned (Horton Country Park)

The last part brought me out to a road I vaguely knew, but I overshot the signpost. I’d seen it, but convinced myself it was the wrong way! Silly me. I double backed and hauled my aching legs up the steps into the last part of the walk. This sections was Huntingate Walk and had lovely views back over the countryside. At the end of the path I came back out on Garrison Lane and the station was a welcome sight over the road.

Richmond Park

My friend and I were on a walk through Richmond Park when we heard that our part of the UK had moved into Tier Two of the governments three tier system of Covid 19 measures. This means households are no longer allowed to mix indoor, whether that is in homes or in pubs, restaurants or cafes.

Straightaway that meant some of the things we do we can no longer take part in. I cannot play play badminton with my friends, or meet my writing friend in the cafe where we sit and write for a couple of hours a week. These things only resumed about a month ago, and now that’s it, for however long.

It is even more important for me to get outside and walk whenever the weather permits, and unless complete lockdown happens again, that’s what I intend to do.

This walk was put off from the week before due to bad weather, but this day we were lucky. There were showers, but we managed to dodge them, and the sun came out frequently. There was a warning about the deer in Richmond Park – it is the rutting season – but we didn’t see one deer!

We began the walk at the Kingston Gate. My friend has walked the park many times so I was totally in her hands. We headed across towards Pertersham Nurseries, near Richmond. When we arrived it was busy. The place is much smaller than I expected, and there were queues for the shop. To eat there you had to book in advance. However, I had seen the price for the cafe online – £10 or so for a sandwich! We sheltered from a brief shower under an awning and then headed straight out again! We walked down to the River Thames at Richmond and had lunch at the veggie/vegan cafe caled The Hollyhocks, which sits on The Terraces, high up, with wonderful views across the river.

We lingered a while before heading back the same way. The changeable weather made for some dramatic skies and the autum coklours were wonderful. This time we headed uphill towards King Henry’s Mound where there is a viewing point into London. On a good day you can see St Paul’s Cathedral, 13 miles away. There is a law that this view must not be obscured, though planners have tried. I took a photo, not thinking I had captured anything as I couldn’t see the cathedral with my naked eye, yet my camera captured a ghostly white image of the cathedral with my lens on full zoom. Amazing.

We sat on a bench here and read ‘lockdown poems’ we’d written. What a view!

From King Henry’s Mound you can see St Paul’s Cathedral 13 miles away (just)

In the other direction you can see right across to Windsor apparently (though I couldn’t). There is a telescope you can use to pin point things. Afterwards we wandered around some gardens before heading back to the Kingston Gate.

It was a lovely day, even though my legs were aching like hell! Enjoy the photos.

Re-visits and photos

With the weather becoming more iffy as October stretches before us, it was a case of choosing the day, or last minute decisions to go out. Having postponed a walk with a friend due to bad weather, I did manage to get out late afternoon on Thursday with one of my sons. I wanted to show him the Wetlands at The Hamptons. It had been a surprise find for me and I wanted to share it.

Before that we chose a sunny morning to visit the local park. I wanted to see the changes autumn was bringing and take some photos. So here is a selection of photos from those two local walks.

The above photo and those that follow were taken on the walk to The Hamptons Wetlands. This is a new station notice above. I don’t remember seeing it a few weeks ago.

The view from the top of the hill at The Hamptons

Wandle Trail – final leg

The above photo was taken after conpleting the second part of the River Wandle Trail in February (the first part I walked in January of this year). I posted about the previous legs on this blog back in the beginning of the year. A week ago I came back to walk the final leg.

River Wandle between Wandle Park and Wandle Meadow Nature Park

The start of this leg begins on the other side of the road from where the top photo was taken. I always enjoy walking somewhere new, and this was quite surprising. I never knew all this countryside was here, a vast open stretch in Wandle Meadow Nature Park. Firstly, we walked through Wandle Park itself (not to be confused with Wandle Park in Croydon, where the first leg began!). Out onto a lane and then into the Nature Meadow with its plyons and old sewage works.

Pylons and old sewage words (Wandle Meadow Nature Park)

After this we got a litle lost and had to double back as we realised we were in a different park than we should be! I had two different maps with me (plus Google Maps) and even then it was sometimes hard to follow the small turns. Sometimes we had to leave the river and walk along roads and rejoin it further along. This happened at Earlsfield where we walked a stretch of a busy main road, passed the the station and veered off left by the Wandle Trail Pub and down a long road before a right turn took us into King George’s Park. This is one of the biggest parks I think I’ve ever walked in (except in central London).

Somewhere behind us is Plough Lane, the home of AFC Wimbledon (they are rebuilding a new stadium)

The park is split into several parts, and being a Saturday, football was taking place – Little League teams and some adult teams, plus some sort of touch rugby which seemed to be a charity event as people were dressed in weird costumes! There was so much activity going on here including the small play areas and tennis courts. So many people walking, but part of this park is behind the town of Wandsworth itself.

The Wandle Trail Pub at Earlsfield and St George’s Park (Earlsfield end)

Wandsworth was also busy with Saturday shoppers, and we stopped to get a hot drink, and I used the facilities in the shopping mall (the river runs through the shopping mall!). We took our drinks over the road into an old churchyard, minus the church. We found out that this was the former site of the Society of Friends Meeting House (Quakers). The graves were still here and benches dotted around, making it a quieter place to sit for a breather.

The fountain in St George’s Park is defunct and fuil of old plastic bottles

Touch Rugby, charity style! (St George’s Park)

I’ve found my place! (Gardens, St George’s Park, Wandsworth end)

We were now not far from the River Thames. Rain had started to spit, but luckily it came and went, and thankfully waited until we were home before it set in. We followed the main road round and crossed over taking a right to meet the A3 into London. Here we picked up the river once more and followed it to where it met the River Thames. After around five miles we had reached our destination.

The River Wandle passing through Wandsworth

The churchyard of the former Quaker’s Meeting House

The Wandle Flow by the old churchyard. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find the name of the artist.

The Causeway. Nearly there now.

The River Wandle joins the River Thames at Wandsworth. Journeys end.

Since that walk the weather has taken a nose dive, with only some afternoons with sunshine. We’ve had days of rain and our garden has been flooded two days in a row. This has never happened like this before. Back in 2007 we did have one deluge which flooded the garden, but never two days in a row. The weather forecast doesn’t look that great for this week either. Everything is so wet. The local park, where I jogged during the worst of lockdown, has an impromptu lake! I had planned a walk with a friend later this week, but I fear we will have to cancel, as it seemes to be a day of nothing but heavy rain.

The Hamptons

This was a local walk, a spur of the moment thing. The first nice day after lots of cloudy ones. I set off on a route I’d used before (crossing what I call the horse field) and ended up coming across something I didn’t expect. I had a sudden urge to wander off course to an estate I had only briefly been into before. I knew that behind it was a park. What I didn’t expect was the layout of the The Hamptons.

It’s a big estate, but well set out with lost of green space, walks, benches, kids play areas and a equipment for those who like to do their keep fit outdoors. From the top of the hill there is a great view across Worcester Park and onwards.

The Hamptons looking towards the clock tower

Having taken some photos I wandered down a grassy bank just to see where it led, and found a Wetlands area that I never knew was there. It was behind a wire fence, and I thought that was it. However, I followed the path upwards and came to a boardwalk overlooking the wetlands. Not only were there swans, but also a heron and two cormorants.

I then followed the pathway out (to see where it went, you can see I like doing this!) and carried on down until it met the pathway at the Equestrian Centre on the corner.

Some street art along the path leading to the Equestrian Centre

I thought I knew the local area. It just goes to show!

High Elms Country Park, Farnborough, Kent

You might be forgiven for thinking that the extensive woodlands and golf course are deep into the Kent countryside, but High Elms is actually in the outer London Borough of Bromley. There is a cafe and visitor centre, along with ruins of High Elm House. The house was lived in by the Lubbock family. Sir John Lubbock (astronomer and banker) inherited the land from his father (John Wiliam Lubbock, a London banker and MP) and built the house in 1840. Sir John’s son (also called John) invited Charles Darwin to visit shortly after Darwin moved into Downe House (just a carriage drive away) in 1842. The two became firm friends. Another visitor was William Gladstone.

The estate can be traced back to the time of William the Conqueror, who gifted it to his half-brother, Odo, bishop of Bayeux.

What is left of the house, which burnt down in the 1960’s , is just a layout, a few stones, the tennis courts ( now grassed over), an ice house, but the gardens and land remain. There are several pleasant walks and High Elms seems to be a popular spot for families and dog walkers.

High Elms Country Park made for a pleasant afternoon’s walking in dappled light, and the surprise of finding the unusual sight of a fallen tree whose branches have grown into trees themselves (see photos).

There is a lot more about High Elms here, including how to get there and a nature trail that can be downloaded and printed to use on your visit.