This walk in the Square Mile was a mixture of the old and the new with contemporary sculptures among modern office buildings such as the Gherkin and the Cheesegrater and older landmarks like St Helens Bishopsgate, St Botolphs and Leadenhall Market. We met outside Liverpool Street station on a chilly evening; 20 of us. I handed out an information sheet with explanations about each sculpture – to avoid questions I would have been unable to answer – Continue reading Wednesday 29 March 2017: Sculpture in the City Walk →

Given the vicissitudes of finding a walk that didn’t involve a long stretch walking alongside the A1, starting at a station that wasn’t closed by engineering work, with a lunch-stop venue that wasn’t being repurposed as a block of swanky apartments, today’s walk turned out really well! I was more worried about there not being enough walkers or helpers but there were 31 of us in all! What a splendid turnout! Thanks to everyone Continue reading Sunday 19th March: Hadley Wood to Cockfosters and exploring Trent Country Park with the London Blind Ramblers (Linear) →

The weather was looking up when we arrived at the lovely old station with its Victorian carvings of fruit and flowers and its pillars, built to impress the travellers of that time. Geoffrey was waiting with boot laces untied, having just arrived by car. A few minutes later, with a quick glance left and right, the broken chair was safely put aside and another enlisted for the job. All laces tied, off we went, most relieved to take a different direction to a large group of teenagers doing their DoE. Continue reading Saturday 4th March; Polesden Lacy and Ranmore Common →

An impressive 22 of us assembled at Richmond Station. The weather was largely dry but there was a strong and chilly wind as we crossed Richmond Green. We have taken the path on the Ham side several times in the past, but by way of a change crossed Richmond Bridge, following the Middlesex bank. We passed  Ham house across the river, then Orleans Gallery, currently under renovation and York House with its wonderful Naked Ladies statuary. These had been acquired around 1900 by the Indian industrialist Sir Ratan Tata whose name survives in what is now a multinational company. Continue reading Saturday 26th February. Richmond to Hampton Court. →

Twenty one walkers were enticed with the promise of early spring sunshine to Tring, to experience a walk of nine miles with much variety, featuring canals, reservoirs, farms and parkland. We also had time to visit the Tring Natural History Museum, filled with stuffed animals, and this was followed by  a really attractive section of the Ridgeway back to Tring station.

Peter

Many thanks to the kind and efficient staff at the Anglers’ Retreat  at Marsworth, who looked after us so well. Mike C