This being the day after the Coronation, the train was busy with people en route to friends and family gatherings. There were 15 of us on the train and there was plenty to talk about, some of our members having been in the crowd lining the mall. There was general agreement as to the high quality of the music.
Changing trains at Guildford, we trundled two stops to Chilworth in a 3 coach diesel unit. It was dry but overcast as we set off; to the North we could see St Martha’s Church on the North Downs, that we would reach in the afternoon. Walking eastwards, and then north, through farmland and heath we reached Shere. Shere was celebrating the Coronation big time. The road down by the river was closed with tables full of happy diners. Some of us had our lunch behind the parish church, St James. This is famous, not just for being in Bridget Jones Diary but also for the unsettling history of the Anchoress of 1329.
Despite Barnes Bridge station being closed the evening before and a
mediocre weather forecast, we enjoyed a pleasant and warm walk along the Thames path with blue skies and in bright sunshine. There were many boats and birds to see and plenty of places to stop on the way. The walk ended at Richmond.
Thirty one members and one guest convened at Richmond station on Easter Saturday for an enjoyable walk along the Thames through Petersham Meadows and on into Richmond Park. Fortunately the tow path was not too busy despite the glorious sunny day. There was some discussion, not entirely resolved, about the identity of a water bird. Some thought it was a juvenile Egyptian Goose, which I have now discovered is actually a duck! We walked along between the trees of Elm Walk, where disease resistant elm trees have been planted to re-establish the species in the park after it was decimated by Dutch Elm Disease. Sir Richard Attenborough planted the first one. Just before we arrived at the Isabella Plantation we saw a large herd of deer grazing, with one practically greeting walkers in the middle of the path. We stopped for lunch at the plantation where members dispersed to find a bench in a quiet spot for their picnic. Although only a couple of rhododendrons were out, we were able to admire the heather and camelias. The stream was ablaze with bright yellow American Skunk Cabbage (yes, I had to look it up) and Marsh Marigolds and a family of ducklings was to be seen on the pond. After recuperating two members who couldn’t find their way back to the entrance, we proceeded via Pen Ponds to Pembroke Lodge. Here we stopped, some at the kiosk and others at the cafe on the terrace, for tea before returning down into Richmond and the station. It was altogether a very enjoyable day in the good company of so many members, some of whom I for one had not seen for a while.
11 polyramblers braved the forecast rain and set off from Guildford Station along the River Wey. Lewis Carroll used to regularly stay in Guildford – we walked past the sculpture of the two Liddell sisters watching the white rabbit which is part of the Alice in Wonderland trail – maybe for another ramble?
We soon left the town and picked up the North Downs Way through the Shalford Water Meadows until we started the climb up to St Martha’s Church. Once there we were rewarded by fantastic views and some unexpected sunshine.
We pressed on a little further to have our picnic looking across the valley before rounding the hill to have hot drinks at the Newlands Corner visitor centre, where the sun came out again.
After lunch it was a mainly downhill trail back to Guildford where we admired the beautiful flower beds in the castle gardens before heading back to station.
Despite the poor weather forecast, eleven members and two guests assembled at Wraysbury station on Sunday 26th March for a circular walk of 4.5 miles around a quiet corner of the County of Berkshire. Leaving the station car park, the group crossed the Colne Brook by a bridge and then followed it along a muddy path adjacent to a reservoir embankment with grazing sheep. We then went over a railway level crossing via our only two stiles of the day before walking alongside an expanse of water with surprisingly few signs of wildlife. Reaching the village of Hythe End, we followed a busy road for a short while before entering the National Trust Anderwycke Estate and a path down to the Thames opposite Runnymede. A sharp rain shower greeted us at this point and the going was difficult with lots of puddles and copious amounts of mud. Eventually, we left the river bank and passed within sight of the ruins of a priory founded in 1160 for Benedictine nuns. Crossing a number of fields, we reached the grade 2 listed Wraysbury parish church of St Andrews. Unfortunately, it was closed so we moved on through the village to our lunch stop at the Perseverance pub, adjacent to an old windwill converted into a family home. We sat under cover in the pub garden eating picnics as only drinks were available for our party. A quick march then took us the half-mile to the station so that we didn’t miss the hourly service back into London. An enjoyable day despite the weather!
Danny
Photos courtesy of Patricia Burbidge and Almas Jetha
