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Hello everyone!
My word - what a busy week we've got coming up! The sap is definitely rising and spring is so vigorous now that you can almost hear the grass grow.
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But first - a quick reminder that next weekend, starting on Saturday 28 May, is the annual LDWA "100 mile" challenge hike.
This year it's being held in Dorset and I know several hardy London members are taking part. They deserve a medal for even contemplating it, in my view. As well as the diehard walkers, a group of us will also be going down to help at HQ, in a mission excellently organised by Susanne.
If you want to follow events as they unfold, then just click here for the "100" website. It's at least as interesting as the FA Cup final and I can guarantee that you won't be distracted by Jose Mourinho in the background trying to grab the limelight.
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So, turning to this week, we've got three walks for you to enjoy. A sort of a diptych and a pilgrimage, in fact. Just read on..
- Our first excursion, which forms part one of the diptych, is a re-run of Ron's highly successful "City at Work" afternoon walk. For anyone lucky enough to be able to escape the tyranny of work next Tuesday afternoon, this could be just the occasion you're looking for to check out some of the familiar - and less familiar - sights of the City. And also to pity the worker drones who are probably having a considerably less enjoyable afternoon than you will be. Just be at Tower Hill station (Tower of London exit) at 13:00 on Tuesday if you want to join in the fun. The walk will finish at the "Liberty Bounds" pub, from where it will neatly segue into part two of the diptych..
- The second outing will follow immediately on from the City at Work walk, and will head out east, via the Thames Pathway North, to the Olympic Stadium. Just haul yourself out of the "Liberty Bounds" and get back to Tower Hill station (Tower of London exit) by 18:00 on Tuesday evening to join Ron for part 2 of the fun.
- The week's final walk sees Dick leading a bit of pilgrimage to Margate on Saturday. The walk promises lots of interest, including, tantalisingly, a "surprise" along the way. Nobody other than Dick knows what the surprise might be, though he did send the intriguing photo below, taken on a recent recce of the walk, to help pique your interest. To join in what will surely be a fantastic revelatory voyage, be at Canterbury station on Saturday morning at 09.08. The 08.12 from St Pancras will get you there in next-to-no-time, just don't forget to buy a return to Margate.
Your walk leader for Saturday's excursion doing an early recce of the route
Finally, for those of you planning well ahead, you might want to note that a couple of details of Peter's walk on the evening of Wed 1 June have changed. You can get all the details by clicking this link but as a bit of a clue the walk now features a visit to an intimate little romantic restaurant where you can enjoy a triple chicken feast and beer for just £7.49.
Well, that's all for now, folks! Have a great week and most importantly, don't forget to keep an eye on developments in Dorset!
All the details of this week's walks are below.
Adam
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AMENDED Afternoon walk: The City at Work (2016 edition)
Tue 24th May 2016
Event Details:
Event Details Updated
Note: * Amended (temporary) phone number 0740 1530 698 * Monument may be closed for temporary repairs so no longer included in itinerary * Route extended to 9 miles
Route
Tower Hill Stn (Tower Of London Exit) More lanes, byways and hidden passages of "The City" and beyond
General Notes
350 years since The Great Fire of London, an emphasis on visiting sites associated with the inferno, includes optional climb of The Monument (charges apply, 2015: £4 adult £2.70 conc.). Afternoon tea en-route. Finish at 17.00 to allow time in "The Liberty Bounds", before Tower Hill - Stratford evening walk (see separate entry for details)
Contact
Ron Williamson Telephone number 0740 1530 698
Evening walk: Tower Hill - Stratford (Linear)
Tue 24th May 2016
Event Details:
Event Details Updated
Note: * Amended (temporary) phone number 0740 1530 698
Route
Tower Hill Stn (Tower Of London Exit) Following river and canal via Thames Pathway North, Limehouse Cut and River Lea to the Olympic Stadium
General Notes
A pilgrimage to the new home of the beautiful game. This follows directly on from the "Afternoon walk: The City at Work" (see separate entry for details)
Contact
Ron Williamson Telephone number 0740 1530 698
Pilgrimage to Dreamland (linear)
Sat 28th May 2016
Event Details:
Event Details Updated
UPDATED 10/5/16 with further details of route and lunch arrangements
Route
Meet Canterbury West stn (08.12 London St Pancras (direct); finish: Margate stn (regular trains back to St Pancras). Buy return to Margate.
Details:
In the morning leave Canterbury via the Stour Valley Walk, passing through Fordwich village and woodland before traversing at Stodmarsh (al-fresco refreshment stop) to Wickhambreaux village and the Little Stour, hence via more woods and farms to lunch in Preston (Half Moon and Seven Stars - no frills, but substantial).
Afternoon route takes us across farmland and through orchards to Plucks Gutter, then along the banks of the River Stour and fields to afternoon refreshment in Minster (either the Bell or the New Inn), continuing across northern Thanet to a beachside finish in Margate (unfortunately - unless hours are extended - the Dreamland Scenic Railway stops operating about 30 minutes before we arrive; Wetherspoons will be open)
General Notes
Not only do we get to retrace the steps of the monks and pilgrims seeking entertainment after a hard week at the Cathedral, the walk also has history because Preston enjoyed Dick's residence for much of his first ten years (and, in parts, hasn't much changed). And there's also something of a surprise along the way. We may get to meet some cows and sheep, so Fido had best not come (unless really well behaved). There's a GPX of the approximate route and a few photos at www.walks.dickbowman.com
Contact
Dick Bowman Telephone number telephone 020 8520 6334, on-the-day mobile 0747 434 2329(email preferred)
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