This week with London LDWA


This week with London LDWA
https://ldwa.org.uk/lgt/new/logos/london.png

London LDWA

A fantastic couple of walks on offer this week. starting on Tuesday when it's your chance to be among the first to set foot on the first half of the new Capital Challenge route. Then, on Saturday, there's a fascinating, surprisingly green 13-mile walk along the Pymmes Brook Trail, led by Colin Saunders, author of the official guidebook. Scroll down for all the details.

:

Reminder - Your LDWA needs you for Y 100 Sir Fynwy

Friday 22nd May to Monday 25th May

Volunteers needed for Headquarters

 

As usual our volunteer weekend will involve a subtle blend of walking, waitressing, Wetherspoon’s and Welsh.  London Group will be helping out at headquarters and there will also be time for a Social Walk.

The event starts and finishes at Chepstow School NP16 5LR less than a mile from the Railway Station.  It is about a 2.5 hour Railway journey from London Paddington.

 

Chepstow is a historic border town with an imposing castle, which was built just after the Norman Conquest to keep the Welsh under control.  Both Offa’s Dyke National Trail and the Wye Valley Walk converge on the town with plenty of opportunity for interesting walks.

 

Monmouthshire has been particularly affected by recent flooding so it is not clear yet how this will affect the 100.  The checkpoint in Monmouth has had to be changed and one can only hope that there are not more serious obstacles such as damaged bridges etc.  It is however a stunningly beautiful area.  Even if it dries out we can expect walkers to be blistered, exhausted, deluded and in need of plenty of TLC.

We may need a few volunteers to help out before the start of the event from 7am to 10am on the Saturday mainly with general duties.  We will be free the rest of the day for a Social Walk.

London Group will then be on duty from 10am Sunday morning to 10am Monday morning. This period will be split into 3 shifts so volunteers can catch some sleep. 

Our duties will involve greeting and supporting returners, sorting baggage, helping serve food, clearing tables, emptying rubbish, monitoring loos and showers etc.  Our multi-skilled forces have faced many challenges in the past and I am sure our legendary grace and humour will be a great asset.  What better way to finish the 100 than to be meeted and greeted by our Luverley London Group.  Just hope it stops raining!

Accommodation

There will be a room set aside at headquarters for volunteers, which will be available from Saturday 8am until the finish of the 100.  You will need sleeping bags and mats.  Unfortunately the school is not available on Friday night.

This means either travelling up early from London on Saturday morning or finding accommodation locally.  Chepstow is a fairly small town and it looks unsurprisingly to be pretty booked up.  One possibility is Newport which is only 20 minutes by train from Chepstow.  Not quite as quaint but there is plenty of affordable accommodation.  I am staying in the Queens Hotel, a Wetherspoon’s, which may appeal to some more than others.  It is very central and only 150 metres from the Railway station.

Transport

Cheap train tickets usually come available 3 months in advance.  I will provide information nearer the time.  If you are travelling by car and have places available that would be great.

Walks

There will be a chance for a Full Social Walk on Saturday.  This will be a circular following both Offa’s Dyke and the Wye Valley trails, passing the atmospheric ruins of Tintern Abbey.  The beautiful Wye Valley will make a nice change from the Capital Ring. 

Programme

Friday 22nd May

7pm                            London group meet up for meal (tba)

Saturday 23rd May   

10am                           Watch start of 100

11am onwards             SOCIAL WALK  

 

Saturday night will be free for sleeping                      

Sunday 24th May                   Shift 1    10am to 6pm

Sunday/Monday                    Shift 2    6pm to 2am

Monday 25th May                  Shift 3    2am to 10am

(There can be a little flexibility depending on how many of us there are) 

Monday 25th May

Short social walk (tba).

                       

In spite of overnight duties on Sunday/Monday this should be a great weekend away in a very beautiful area with a chance to support our London group champions.Can you resist the call?Please contact Susanne Waldschmidt if you are interested. I will then send out an application forms.

susannewaldschmidt@live.co.uk

 

 

 

 

sevenoaks circular fairweather not

A Sevenoaks Circular, Saturday 29th February

Laughing in the face of Storm Jorge - Ian Fairweather's walk featured everything from mud to rainbows

PHOTO Gavin Fuller

 

~~~~~~~

Waterloo - Clapham Junction POP UP!

Tue 3rd Mar 2020

 

Walk Details:

Event Type
Group Walk
 
Region
Southern England
 
Local Group
London
 
Distance
14.5ml.
 
Start Time
10:45
 
Route
Waterloo Station (main concourse by Pret) Finish: Clapham Junction Station An opportunity to explore the first half of the Capital Challenge route at a leisurely pace
 
General Notes
Refreshments on route, suitable for bring your own
 
Contact
Ron Williamson Tel: 01702 587128 Mobile: 07810 044299
 
Web Site
 

Pymmes Brook Trail

Sat 7th Mar 2020

 

Walk Details:

Event Type
Group Walk
 
Region
Southern England
 
Local Group
London
 
Distance
13ml.
 
Start Time
10:00
 
Route

Meet High Barnet Station (lower exit by car park) 10 am for an instructive, surprisingly green and moderately-paced 13-mile walk along the Pymmes Brook Trail, led by Colin Saunders, author of the route’s official guidebook.  Though that’s no guarantee that he will be able to answer all your questions!  We climb through the historic town of Chipping Barnet to Hadley Green, near the site of the Battle of Barnet in 1471, one of the decisive battles in the Wars of the Roses.  It’s also where the headwaters of Pymmes Brook rise, and we shall follow one of them down steeply to idyllic Jack’s Lake.  Then it’s almost entirely level walking through Victoria, Oak Hill, Brunswick, Arnos and Broomfield Parks to Palmers Green for lunch at Wetherspoons or nearby cafés.  There’s no avoiding crossing the North Circular Road, but then come more open spaces (Bowes Meadow, Millfield and Pymmes Park) into Edmonton and finally leafy Tottenham Marshes to the finish at Tottenham Hale Station (pub nearby).  Those still with energy to spare can continue another 4 miles along the Lee Navigation towpath to Hackney Wick.

General Notes
This will be a moderately paced joint walk with the Pymmes BrookERS. We will be helping to identify places along the brook in need of environmental improvement and revitalisation. There will be a picnic lunch stop and a visit to a pub at the end. There is an option to add another 3 miles at the end following the Lee Navigation towpath to Hackney Wick. The pace is slower than usual but there is much of interest along the way
 
Contact
Colin Te: 07768 453159
London LDWA - http://www.ldwa.org.uk/London