Sunday’s (4th) walk is to explore the area around Hastings, including the country park (about 6 miles). We would do a 6 mile walk around the country park. Added extras would be having a look at the sea front & visiting the Old Town.
Bring packed lunch, water & sun cream!
Easy walk Turnham Green to Chiswick Rail Station – Wednesday July 31.
Meeting at 11.15 there is a coffee shop just to the right and we can look at St Michaels and All Angels Church, on the edge of the Bentham Estate, a original garden ‘city’ with interesting houses.
The Tabard pub opens at 12, which is full of lovely tiles, I think William de Morgan, so worth a quick look.
Then walk to Hogarth(s) House, which also opens at 12 and is free to visit
William Hogarth statue.
.A little further along the road is Chiswick Park and house, where there is a cafe or you can bring your own lunch. Chiswick House will be open but costs £7.80 entry unless you have an Art Fund card.
The park has a lake and small waterfall and from its side exit it is a short walk to Chiswick overground station
All photos by Liz Kingston-Smith
Sundays walk to Old Gorhambury house home of Francis Bacon its a ruined Tudor mansion in a lovely situation wooded hilly area/farmland sheep pastures.
We set off on the alban way an old railway track now a walking/cycle path going right from the station, after roughly half a mile we come to a bridge over the river ver, we go down the steps and follow the river towards Sopwell nunnery an interesting ruin heading towards St Albans park there are public toilets in the park. We head past the lake towards Gorhambury estate which is a private estate which allows walkers and cyclists but not cars to use the roads and footpaths. We cross the A4147 road go past the roman theatre and head straight up the hill passing through an entrance gate.
For those who like their birds will be seeing red kites. At the top of the hill is the old manor house a delightful ruin where we can have packed lunches as there are no cafes up on the hill. From the train station to the ruin will take an hour and a half. We can make our way back the way we came which be mostly down hill. We can then head back to the station through St Michaels a charming village suburb where there are old pubs doing sunday lunch etc. We can then head up to the cathedral and on to the station the return journey another 1 and half hours.
The walk this Sunday (7th) was from Petersfield to Liss, around 12 miles (a slightly longer version of the Time Out walk.
Here’s the description from Time out: Much of this walk follows the Hangers Way, a long distance path which lies within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The name Hanger derives from the old English “Hangra” meaning a wooded slope. Much of the walk is in unspoilt countryside which remains as it was several hundred years ago. The view at the top is spectacular. Apart from Shoulder of Mutton Hill, most of the route is easy walking.
The walk from Petersfield to Liss, around 12 miles is a slightly longer version of the Time Out walk.)
Here’s the description from Time Out
Much of this walk follows the Hangers Way, a long distance path which lies within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.. The name Hanger derives from the old English “Hangra”meaning a wooded slope. Much of the walk is in unspoilt countryside which remains as it was several hundred years ago. The very steep ascent of Shoulder of Mutton Hill may be slippery in winter when the slightly longer alternative route is advised. Whichever route is taken the view at the top is spectacular.
The walk from Witley to Godalming, which is 10 miles started from Witley station, following the Greensand Way east, with good views down to the south, to Hascombe, a very picturesque village (with a pub) where we ate our sandwiches by the village pond – preposterously picturesque, as is the arboretum..
We then turned north and followed a public right of way through Winkworth Arboretum:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winkworth-arboretum
Then along an old sunken way, until we come down to the river Wey which we followed into Godalming, and the train home.
Five of us met for an walk starting at Little Kimble and exploring the Ridgeway in the Chilterns on a lovely summers day. First stop was at All Saints Church, Little Kimble where X111-X1V wall paintings and tiles were admired.
We then scrambled up Beacon Hill, some of the party more energetically than others, for fantastic views over beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.
We decided to give Chequers a miss and continued following the signposts through Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve through an ancient box grove, where we got into discussion about the box grub which is being monitored in the area.
We continued along the Ridgeway to the Plough in Lower Cadsden for a drink stop.
Then on via Whiteleaf Cross and Whiteleaf Hill before descending into Princes Risborough where a steam train from the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway was waiting at the station, although we all caught the standard train back to Marylebone after a splendid day out.
