Walk the North Downs Way

For those keen to get a sense of the English countryside without straying outside the M25, the North Downs Way is a fantastic long distance National Trail which covers 153 miles of English Countryside, including a beautiful stretch just inside the London Orbital.


From where the path crosses the motorway near Merstham, it passes through around 15 miles of stunning countryside passing along the ridge of the North Downs along ancient trackways where once pilgrims walked on their way to pay tribute at the shrines of Canterbury. Though the path remains close to the motorway, it is very much an unseen and unheard presence, before the path dips back over and sets off into the English countryside towards Canterbury and Dover.

For more, see http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Northdowns/

Walk Plymmes Brook

Up in Enfield's Pymmes Park today, the Parks Outreach Team are leading an interesting-sounding walk along Pymmes Brook, tributary of the River Lea named after a local land owner called William Pymme.


The 7 ½ mile walk begins this morning at 10am and requires stout footwear and a packed lunch. Walkers will follow the Brook from Pymmes Park in Edmonton, through various parks in Enfield and Barnet, to Jacks Lake at Monken Hadley approx. For those up for a less regimented ramble it sounds like a fine wander at leisure at other times.

For more information, see http://www.enfield.gov.uk/events/start/29-04-2012/end/29-04-2012

_{^Picture © Copyright Martin Addison used under a Creative Commons Licence^}

Walk the lines

Last week while browsing the always-excellent Londonist events guide, your author stumbled across a walk with Mark Mason, author of the fantastic Walk the Lines book, and it sounded too good not to share.


Walk the Lines is a great book which documents Masons's experiences walking the whole of the London Underground system overground, meeting some London characters along the way, and seeing the real London above ground. The walk is your chance to walk a section of the line with Mason, from Bank to Chancery Lane along the Central Line, and leaves today at 2.30pm, when hopefully London traffic is at its quietest.

For more, see http://www.theimportanceofbeingtrivial.com/a-walk-the-lines-walk.html

_{^Picture © UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ] used under Creative Commons^}

Enjoy the Festival of Winter Walks

The Ramblers are taking the initiative this week and organising a fesival of walking to get those of us who have over-indulged back in shape.


Whilst most of the walks left bright and early this morning, Bromley Ramblers are leading a walk over 4 miles from Chelsfield to Pratt's Bottom at 1pm, crossing farmland and Chelsfield Lakes golf course to Pratts Bottom.

For more, see http://www.ramblers.co.uk/walksfinder/walkInfo.php?id=306045, or to take part tomorrow, see http://www.ramblers.co.uk/walksfinder/festivalofwinterwalks2011.html#22

Take a walking tour

Whilst the rest of us are sleeping in, cooking and opening presents, London's walking tour guides seem to never rest, pounding the pavements and taking in London's history and culture as in all seasons. Your author has previously covered one group of London guides who turn out on Christmas Day, and this year City of Westminster Guides Pete Berthoud and Colin Davey will be joining them.


Pete and Colin are leading three walks today, and the first set off before dawn, leaving at 6am to walk through deserted streets, and view some London icons in a different light. The second leaves at 10.30am, aiming to work up an appetite for a big lunch, and popping into the pub afterwards. The third goes at 4pm

For more, see http://www.peterberthoud.co.uk/christmas-day-walks/, or call Pete now on 07584 319 263 to see where he'll be.

Take a walking tour of Brick Lane

If you are interested in learning more about the history of one of East London's most interesting streets, you could do worse than joining Blue Badge Guide Molly Rumbelow's guided walk of the area this afternoon, not least because it offers one of the last opportunities of the year to look inside 19 Princelet Street, London's Museum of Immigration.


Held as part of Rich Mix's Snapshots Festival, the walk is free and it is best to book in advance from the Rich Mix box office, though some tickets may be available on the day. It leaves at 2.30pm and is part of a variety of events taking place this afternoon from noon until midnight at the centre on Bethnal Green Road.

For more information, see http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/festival/snapshotspart5/

_{^Picture © Kyle Taylor used under Creative Commons^}

Walk the murals of Brixton

London is home to many great murals, and last year Ruth Miller founded the London Mural Preservation Society to protect, preserve and celebrate the many murals around our city.


This afternoon Ruth is organising a walk around the murals of Brixton, examining the many which exist in the area, and taking a pub stop half way.

The walk starts at Stockwell Tube Station at 2pm and is free. For more on the walk, click here, or for the society's page, visit http://londonmuralpreservationsociety.com/

_{^Picture © memespring used under Creative Commons^}

Take a walk around Woldingham

The area around Woldingham, in the Surrey Hills, is designated an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', and is a beautiful spot for a walk, surrounded by steep hills and sweeping valleys, and just half an hour from Victoria by train.


Your author generally sets an arbitrary boundary for articles at the M25, and to demonstrate that he also caters for those in outer London, he took a very pleasant walk in the vicinity of Woldingham back in October.

It's a lovely spot to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Central London, to wander along past Woldingham School and wonder who on earth can afford to send their children to such a school, where some girls bring their own polo ponies, but others just use the trained polo school ponies provided. The only problem with the walk is that - horror of horrors - Woldingham doesn't appear to have a pub.

For more information on a walk in the area, visit http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/northdowns/uploads/Woldinghamleaflet.pdf

Take part in the Festival of Winter Walks

The Rambler's Association is this year organising a Festival of Winter Walks, and has teamed up with soup manufacturers Baxters to tell us all about it. However, they aren't doing a fantastic job as the first your author knew about it was when he noticed it on IanVisits' unrivalled London Events Calendar.

Today in London, the festival takes keen walkers on trips around the Medieval Manor of Hendon and on a local walk around Richmond, but the festival goes on until 3rd January, so there are plenty of days to take part.

It all sounds jolly pleasant, and best of all the walks are free, so you can save your money for a hearty bowl of soup afterwards. For more on today's walks, see here, or for details on the whole season around the country click here.

Admire the view from Stave Hill

Stave Hill is an artificial mound created in the 1980s overlooking the Russia Dock Woodland, in Rotherhithe, Docklands. The hill is conical and stands 30 foot tall, with steps up one side leading to a viewing platform and a relief map, cast in bronze and designed by Michael Rizzell, showing the former docks which occupied the area.


Nearby Russia Dock and Stave Dock, originally key parts of the Surrey Commercial Docks, which were filled in, also in the 1980s, then redeveloped by the London Docklands Development Corporation. Russia Dock became the site of a woodland and eco park to which your author will return at a later date.

The hill provides great views over Canary Wharf, and when your author was there on a crisp Saturday morning just before Christmas they were matched with excellent vistas of the City of London and South London.

Yesterday evening the forecast for today was sunshine, so if it was right why not take a look. For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stave_Hill

Gaze on the Thames from Dumsey Meadow

Dumsey Meadow is a green space in a bend in the River Thames just downstream from Chertsey Bridge. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and claims to be the only piece of undeveloped water meadow remaining on the River Thames inside the M25.


The Meadow and the river which runs alongside it are the venue for The Chertsey Regatta, an annual regatta which takes place in August and began in 1851. In 2004 the future of the regatta was threatened when the meadow received its Site of Special Scientific Interest designation. However, with the help of the local authorities and English Nature, an agreement was reached allowing the regatta to continue.

Click here to see the meadow on a map or for more on Dumsey Meadow see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumsey_Meadow

_{^Picture from Wikipedia under Wikimedia Commons^}

Take a walk by Connaught Water

Connaught Water, in Epping Forest, is an ornamental lake which was constructed in 1883, and enlarged in 1893.


Originally the site of a marshy pool, the lake is now eight acres and contains some small islands. It was decided to place a lake on the formerly marshy spot in order to drain areas of forest to improve it for Commoners' cattle.

The lake is named after the first Ranger of the Forest, the Duke of Connaught, and it is a popular spot for walking and licensed fishing, but also attracts a wide variety of wild fowl, making it popular with bird watchers.

For more, see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/8101 or to see the location on a map click here.

_{^Picture by Stephen McKay through Geograph, under Creative Commons^}

Go on a New Year's Day walk

As you might imagine, your author loves to organise his friends into doing things when he gets the chance and for the past few years he has organised a New Year's Day walk for them, to blow away the cobwebs.


The last two were in Hampstead and by the river between Kew and Richmond and they were thoroughly enjoyable, even if participants weren't always as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as other days of the year.

Sadly, your author has been unable to organise on this year as he is out of the country, so is leaving it up to you all to carry on the tradition. So get out there. It will be fun.

A brisk stroll by the Thames - Hammersmith to Barnes

Your author is a big fan of the Thames path, especially by bike, and whilst researching some things to do for a reader the other day he stumbled across a great-sounding short walk available on the internet courtesy of the AA. Beginning and ending at the Barnes Wetland Centre, it takes in Hammersmith Bridge and Barnes Bridge and takes in a beautiful part of the river and some nice pubs along the way.


The walk is only 3.7 miles, is rated as easy and should only take about an hour and a half. If this sounds like your sort of thing, pull on your walking shoes on your next day off and head on down.

For more information, and a pretty map, visit http://www.theaa.com/walks/with-the-wetland-birds-of-barnes-420758


_{^Picture by harshilshah100^}

Discover the Beatles' London

The BBC has declared Beatles Week, to celebrate a new load of clips they've cobbled together, so what better time to reflect on the London lives of the band?


Well apart from the obvious Abbey Road zebra crossing, London Beatles Walks can also take you on a tour of other sites in our fair city including the Apple Corps Building at 3 Saville Row where the band recorded parts of the Let It Be album, and performed their 'rooftop session', their last ever gig.

You can also see the former Apple Boutique at 94 Baker Street, Marylebone registry office in Marylebone Road, where Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman, and Ringo Starr married Barbara Goldbach, Ringo's former basement flat at 34 Montagu Square, where John and Yoko lived temporarily and where the 'Two Virgins' picture was taken, and the the house where Paul lived with Jane Asher, and where John and Paul wrote I Want To Hold Your Hand.

And if that isn't enough, did you know there is a Beatles Coffee Shop on Abbey Road, or a Beatles Store on Baker Street?

London Beatles Tours cost £7. For more information, visit http://www.beatlesinlondon.com/

_{^Picture by activefree^}

Take a Barbican Architecture Tour

Good news! The Barbican has started doing architecture tours on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays as part of their 'explore barbican' series.


As the literature notes, the Barbican has long been a source of controversy but your author, for one, is a fan. On a recent day off he took another of his regular wanders around the estate, gazing into the tropical conservatory which sits atop the arts centre, visiting a deserted St Giles Cripplegate, the ancient church in the heart of the concrete jungle, and popping into the shop at the Museum of London to browse the books.

The centre is a maze, but it has a great deal to offer if you take the time to examine it. An hour and a half with a guide certainly sounds like a perfect way to truly get to know this brutalist masterpiece. If any generous soul at the Barbican is reading your author is busy for the next couple of weekends but could probably squeeze something in in September.

Architecture Tours cost £8 and run until December. For more information, and to book online visit http://www.barbican.org.uk/education/event-detail.asp?ID=9526

_{^Picture from Flickr courtesy of Simiant^}

Admire the view from Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill, part of Hampstead Heath, offers one of the most celebrated views of London.


Rising 321 feet above sea level, it is the focal point of the Heath and draws many visitors for a nice sit.

Click here for more on the Heath, and here for a map.

Click here to see the location on a map.

_{^Picture from Flickr courtesy of Jim Linwood^}

Go for a wander in Petts Wood

Thirteen miles South East of Central London, and accessible via Petts Wood and Chislehurt stations, Petts Wood comprises more than 300 acres of woodland owned and managed by the National Trust.


The wood includes land formerly part of the Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, which were donated by local landowners, and is home to a range of wildlife, including a number of species of birds and butterflies alongside oak, ash, birch, hornbeam and sweet chestnut trees, and a range of others.

The wood is part of the London Loop walk, and if, like your author, you were raised in the middle of a wood, it all sounds very soothing. For more information, visit the National Trust Website.

Click here to see the location on a map.

_{^Picture from Wikimedia Commons^}

Discover Gandhi's London

As you may be aware, Mahatma Gandhi, the great spiritual leader who led the Indian independence movement visited London a number of times. The first was a substantial stay as a student, arriving at the age of 18 to spend around three years in our city between 1888 and 1891. Here he studied law at UCL and subsequently trained as a barrister. He later returned in 1906 and 1909 for shorter visits, and in 1931 when he attended a Round Table Conference in London on behalf of the Indian National Congress, and made speeches in the city.


During his student days, we are told that he took dancing lessons, and struggled to find decent food so much that he joined the Vegetarian Society, and was elected to the committee of their Bayswater Branch. He is commemorated in our city by a monument in Tavistock Square, which was erected in 1968 (pictured above). You can read more about his time in the city, view excellent maps of the places he visited, and find the dates for the next Gandhi's London walk at http://gandhislondon.com/. The walks run on irregular Saturdays, beginning at 2.30pm from Temple tube station (check the site for more) and they cost £7.

_{^Picture from Flickr courtesy of Hillbraith ^}

Enjoy London's nature with the London Natural History Society

The London Natural History Society traces its roots back to June 1858, when the Haggerstone Entomological Society was founded. By December 1858, the society was meeting weekly, with up to 35 members in the now demolished Carpenters' Arms, at 121 Kingsland Road, between Shoreditch and Dalston. Subsequently the Society moved to the Brownlow Arms (also no longer with us), where it remained for 30 years.


In 1913, the Society merged with the North London Natural History Society (formerly the Clapton Naturalists' Field Club), to become the London Natural History Society.

Such is the passion for the natural world that the society still holds a range of indoor meetings, field meetings, ecological surveys, field study days and other events and welcomes those with an interest in the natural world to its meetings as its guest. Meetings cover a range of natural subjects including ornithology, botany, ecology and entomology and there are guides on offer to tell you what you're looking at. If you like it you can join and get serious...

For more information, visit http://www.lnhs.org.uk/


_{^Picture from Flickr courtesy of Rictor Norton & David Allen^}