Jun - Dec 2022 | wgmblog.co.uk

Battersea Power Station to Sloane Square, London. 5 miles, flat

The excuse for this walk was the opening of the remodelled Battersea Power Station the week before. The renovation of this fantastically huge building is a commendable architectural feat and some of the surrounding landscaping and planning is impressive. But the main building is entirely devoted to retail, with all the usual names one can find anywhere and no evidence of any independent retailers. In fact, it was quite difficult to find anywhere to eat that wasn’t a fast-food chain. The surrounding buildings were glitzy apartment blocks, no doubt sold as investment opportunities.

Battersea Park is nearby. This turned out to be much different from a brief previous experience of it (when we found ourselves on the wrong bus in the rain) and looks like worthy of another visit. This time we followed the pleasant path next to the Thames and crossed via the gothic Albert Bridge into Chelsea and then up to Sloane Square past the Chelsea Physic Garden and Chelsea Barracks. 4*

Battersea Power Station

restaurant chains

Battersea Park pagoda

interior: massive shopping mall

ice rink

6-mile circular from Pistyll Rhaeadr, Powys, about 225m

An ‘extra’ to our Long Walkers trips. This is a well-trodden path we have done before, taking us from the waterfall at Tan-y-Pistyll, through the Berwyn mountains up to Llyn Lluncaws. Bracing weather, boggy conditions, but good to get out in the fresh air.

We stayed overnight at the very nice Cain Valley Hotel (recommended) in Llanfyllin, which turned out to be an interesting little town, birthplace of the 18th century artist Thomas Jones. 5*

Tan y Pistyll

Llanfyllin

Llyn Lluncaws

Sale Fell, Cumbria 5 miles, 394m climb

The free afternoon from playing clarinet in the Wind Serenades course at Higham Fall took a small group of us out in the showery rain. It looked too windy to climb to the top of the nearest hill — Sale Fell — but we made it without mishap. Fantastic views over Bassenthwaite Lake, with added rainbow. Higham Hall’s location indicated in the opposite direction. 4*

Wanstead Flats and Hall 6.1 miles

Starting at Forest Gate station, the walk crosses the uninteresting Wanstead Flats, which forms the furthest extremity of Epping Forest. Pleasant woodland paths then take you to the Temple, one of the few remains of Wanstead House, one of the grandest houses in London, now demolished. There is an exhibition centre in the temple that explains the loss of the house, which was previously owned by the wealthy heiress Catherine Tylney-Long. She made an unfortunate marriage to William Wellesley-Pole, the nephew of the Duke of Wellington, who squandered her money on gambling and drink. The house had to be sold in 1824 and fell into ruin. The route back goes through the extensive Wanstead Park and back via Wanstead Flats. 3*

Wanstead Park

the original house

the City from Wanstead Flats

Canada Water to Greenwich 7 miles

Inauspicious start at Canada Water station where the way down to the water was blocked off by building work and we had to access the route via a shopping centre and car park. After that the splendid stretches of water that remain from the huge commercial dock of Surrey Quays opened up, with cormorants, who migrate from Yorkshire in the winter, drying their wings in the sun. A fascinating history surrounds all of this dockland area, now redeveloped for the most part for housing. Further along the Thames Path we pass the memorial to the fact that Peter the Great of Russia visited and stayed in the house of John Evelyn, leaving it in a mess when he left.

We then reach much-visited Greenwich with its splendid 17th century architecture, but then take a detour to Deptford via the Stirling prize-winning Laban Dance Centre designed by Herzog and de Meuron. Also in Deptford is the magnificent Italianate St. Paul’s Church and London’s oldest working railway station (1836) for the train back into the city. 4*

Canada Water

Peter the Great

Laban Dance Centre

Cormorants drying off in the sun

Greenwich

Deptford station

Former docks

St. Paul's Deptford

The Malverns and Droitwich Spa (two days) about 14 miles total, 350m climb

Two different walks over a weekend.

The Malvern walk started at the convenient Lower Wyche car park and took in Summer Hill, Worcestershire Beacon, Sugarloaf Hill and North Hill, returning via Green Valley Way. Quite busy, particularly close to the car parks, but a beautiful day to see the views over the West Midlands counties. On the returm trip, we passed the informative and attractive museum dedicated to the life and work of Edward Elgar, located in his birthplace at Broadheath -- surrounded by heavily laden apple trees.

The second day was on the level, a circular from Droitwich Spa along the footpaths of the Droitwich Canal and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and returning via the pretty village of Hadzor. 5*

St. Ann's Well

From Summer Hill

Green Valley Way

North Hill

The Firs, the Elgar family cottage at Broadheath, Worcestershire

Apples everywhere

Worcester and Birmingham Canal

Droitwich Canal

summer wild flower planting

Purfleet to Rainham, 7.5 miles

On the Southend line from Liverpool Street station, Purfleet is pretty deserted despite the hot sunny weather. History displays along the route show its importance as a port and also as a popular bathing resort, but the beaches now appear as thick mud. We see the house where Bram Stoker, author of Dracula lived.

Further along the route, following the South bank of the Thames and part of the London Loop, we come across a conserved 19th-century explosives factory and then take a detour through the RSPB bird sanctuary at Rainham Marshes: some common snipe and Canada geese, a gannet or two, but the variety of birds much more limited than at Burton Wetlands.

The rest of the route towards Rainham Village passes the site of the previously important port with abandoned concrete boats from the Second World War. This restricted part of the marshes, which is now an enormous landfill site, is out of bounds to the public. All along the route there is shocking evidence of plastic pollution where the river has risen over the banks and deposited tonnes of plastic waste — mainly bottle tops (the bottles are still down there).

This is real ‘edgelands’ territory, unattractive and uncared-for and quite clearly not respected by people who use any of the few facilities that are there. Makes an interesting and varied walk, though. 4*

former explosive factory; several were there originally

edgelands

Purfleet in its heyday

the Thames disgorging its contents

Bram Stoker commemorated

concrete barges

underneath the M25

convenient seating along the route

The Chilterns: 7 mile circular from Chalfont & Latimer railway station (Metropolitan Line)

A lovely rural walk for a very warm sunny day. Takes in the village of Chenies, providing a very nice lunch at the Bedford Arms, then alongside the river Chess via the water cress farm. Very well maintained paths and footbridges throughout. 5*

Chenies village

the River Chess

Exceat circular, about 6 miles, 100m climb

Hot cloudless day. After a sweltering one-hour bus trip, we start with a welcome drink at the excellent Exceat Visitor Centre. The walk starts out on the Vanguard Way, then deviates across some tinder-dry traditional Sussex upland, and heads down to the sea — too rocky to swim — with the best views of the sparkling Seven Sisters against the brilliant blue water. Then back along the left bank of the channeled Cuckmere River. Bus back to Brighton for an evening swim and a beautiful view of the sea under an almost full moon. 5*

Seven Sisters

West Ruislip to Northwood Hills, about 8 miles

As far on the Metropolitan Line westwards as possible, the path immediately faces its first obstacle: the construction of HS2 that causes a major detour. However, it is to the credit of the contractors that they build a path, complete with bridge, around the site and even employ a person to open a gate to let you pass through. Then you go through several ancient woodlands, famous for their unique mix of managed mixed oak and hornbeam. Halfway along is the surprise of a beach, at Ruislip Lido with families enjoying the sunshine and a few daring swimmers (discouraged due to toxic algae). Finally, the way ahead is again blocked by a railway at the opposite end of the scale — a narrow gauge line, impassable this time — that adds a further two miles to the walk, which terminates in Northwood Hills —with cafés serving iced coffees — on the Bakerloo Line. 4*

Leigh-on-Sea to Southend, 5 miles

The day we decided to do this an article appeared in the Guardian entitled ‘Lads, longing and Leigh-on-Sea: “It’s as if someone flipped a switch marked “summertime””’, describing the appeal of the resort to the working people of London. It was quite busy, but we managed to find a spot on the beach for a swim; the beach consists of sharp shingle that, when the tide recedes, becomes sticky mud. We then continued to Southend-on-Sea, the walk resembling something between New Brighton to Hoylake and Rhyl to Prestatyn. A quick ice cream and the open top bus from the funfair, back to Leigh. 2*

Chilgrove and the Mardens, a 7.5-mile circular walk in West Sussex

Very pastoral walk with a bit of early climbing, beautiful views over to the sea and taking in three of the neatest Sussex hamlets of East Marden, North Marden and Up Marden, each with its tiny 12th century church and not much else. Fields of rippling barley, some golden, some still blue-green.

Good pub at Chilgrove to park in and refresh at end of the walk. 4*