3 men on a walk 2015: March 2015

Monday, 30 March 2015

Poundgate - High Hurst loop

Around the Ashdown Forest - the Poundgate to High Hurst loop

Another nice weather day for walking but still a bit chilly even in the sunshine. The real "Spring Weather" has failed to materialise so far although many of the hedgerow plants think it has.

We chose to walk across the Ashdown Forest today or rather to walk its eastern edge in a loop that took in a reasonable section of the "Vanguard Way" a track that stretches from Croydon in the south of London down to Newhaven on the south coast. We have often met and used sections of this walk and today we added another 3 or 4 mile section to our list.

Parking up at "The crow and Gate" pub at Poundgate meant that we didn't have to walk far for lunch once we had completed the walk! We initially followed the Vanguard way west to get onto the forest and then looped south round through Duddleswell and Fairwarp before turning east towards High Hurstwood which is really the edge of the mid-Weald. From here we turned north and picked up the Vanguard way again which took us back to the car at Poundgate and lunch at the Crow & Gate.

Wildlife was very scarce today but we did see that the wood Anemone's had started to come out in the banks and mixed with the abundance of Primroses that are now in full bloom looked very pretty.

Looking across the forest

Signs of spring, the Gorse is out

Also, Wood Anemone's out with the Primroses

Ivan trying for a lift

But eventually we settled for these two!

Lunch stop - The Cow & Gate at Poundgate

Stats for the day were...

Finished Hike: 30 Mar 2015 16:20:21

Route: Poundgate - High Hurstwood loop

Weather:

temperature	9°C
humidity	66%
wind	15 mph W

Hike Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20150330-1002

Import Link: Google KMZ file

Hike Time: 3:14:28

Stopped Time: 19:28

Distance: 9.55 miles

Average: 2.95 mile per hour

Fastest Pace: 14:36 min/mile

Ascent: 879 feet

Descent: 910 feet

Calories: 994

Monday, 23 March 2015

Cowden - Dry Hill loop

Cowden and around Dry Hill Fort

For once we had a consistent weather forecast and it was for a dry and sunny day. This was not the walk we had planned but finding out late on Sunday that the only pub on our planned 15 mile walk was closed on Mondays meant a quick re-think and we already had mapped out this walk from Cowden, so that's where we headed.

Cowden is a lovely little village nestled in the west-weald about halfway between the North and South Downs. Our trail took us initially along the Sussex Border Path NW and passing through a mix of forest and open countryside heading towards "Dry Hill" which is an Iron Age defended settlement dating back to around 200 BC. It was still possible to see the defensive ditches surrounding the fort in places and the commanding view across to the North and South downs made this hill an ideal defence position. Unfortunately in the intervening years trees have grown up over large parts of the hill and subsequent farming has now destroyed some of the ditches. Still it was an interesting place to walk around.

From Dry Hill we turned west again towards the village of Dormansland and then looped back to the north side of Dry Hill again before taking a slightly more northerly route back to the car via Crippenden Manor and Leighton Manor.

It was nice to see the Primroses were well out and we passed many a clump in the banks and hedgerows. The bluebell leaves are now about 6 inches high, no sign of any flowers yet but if we get a warm spell they should be out in 2 - 3 weeks. We spotted a common Buzzard out looking for its lunch but nothing else of note.

Back in Cowden we were delighted to find the local pub - The Fountain - was open and we enjoyed a very nice lunch there.

The view to the Ashdown Forest hills from Dry Hill

The southerly defensive ditch and mound

The rows of three ditches on the west face of the hill top fort

The first of the Primroses this spring

Such a pretty flower the Primrose

Lunch Stop - "The Fountain" in Cowden

Stats for the day were...

Finished Hike: 23 Mar 2015 15:36:03

Route: Cowden Loop

Weather:

temperature	9°C
humidity	66%
wind	8 mph WSW

Hike Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20150323-0949

Import Link: KML download of route

Hike Time: 3:10:32

Stopped Time: 8:22

Distance: 9.21 miles

Average: 2.91 mile per hour

Fastest Pace: 16:23 min/mile

Ascent: 1474 feet

Descent: 1479 feet

Calories: 1000

Monday, 16 March 2015

Last leg of the London Jubilee Greenway

North East corner of the London Jubilee Greenway

We completed the 11.5 mile North West corner of this loop walk around London last week and thought we should finish the NE section this week which would take us to the River Thames and through the Victorian foot tunnel under the river to Woolwich.

It was difficult gauging the weather because the forecast was changing faster than Usain Bolt on a Virgin Media advert. Still, we chanced it and whilst it was a grey cold day it did stay dry. We caught the train to London bridge and then - eventually because the bloody bus was 35 min late! - took a bus back up to The Regents Canal where we left off last week.

The initial part of the walk stuck to the canal tow-path but after a couple of miles we veered off into Victoria Park. We didn't know this park existed and it was a huge area of green parkland stuck in the middle of Hackney. Leaving the park we then entered the 2012 "Olympic Park" which was a mess with building work as they transform the stadium used for the Olympics into smaller venues for local use.

It was here that we picked up "The Greenway" which is an old railway line that at one time must have linked the Thames Docks to the northern London stations and lines for distribution. This was a major green space probably 30 metre wide and running almost perfectly straight right through Stratford, West Ham and into Beckton. It would have been excellent had it not been closed for maintenance work on some of the bridges on a 1 mile section. We were forced to walk along roads that zig-zag'd around the path until we found the far end of the repairs and could pick up the main trail again.

Another problem with walking the Greenway was that there were no pubs on route because originally it was just a railway line. By 1-45 we thought we should make a short detour into West Ham to find some lunch and the first place we spotted was an original east end of London "Pie & Mash" shop. Trevor had never tried this delicacy before and one doesn't get a chance to go back 50 years in time to when this meal was a staple for the dock workers. So in we went and for the princely sum of £2-50 had lunch and tea.

At Beckton the path took us through another park and we exited at the old docks, The King George V dock and the Royal Albert Dock. 100 years ago this area would have been crammed with ships unloading products and produce from all over the world. Now it is completely re-developed into housing and a University and London City Airport.

Following the River Thames back towards central London, we came to North Woolwich and the foot tunnel opened in 1912. Woolwich foot tunnel which would take us under the river to Woolwich and the train back home.

Canal boats along the Regents Canal

The Chinese Pagoda in Victoria Park

The Chinese Pagoda

The main Olympic stadium being reduced in height for West Ham football club

A "different" kind of lunch stop

An original East London "Pie and Mash" shop

King George V dock with London City airport on the left

North Woolwich and the Woolwich Ferry crossing

Entrance to the foot tunnel

Under the Thames !

Stats for the day were ...

Finished Hike: 16 Mar 2015 15:52:47

Route:London Jubilee -2

Weather:

temperature	9°C
humidity	76%
wind	9 mph E

Hike Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20150316-1119

Import KML Link: London Jubilee 2 KML file

Hike Time: 3:37:52

Stopped Time: 54:51

Distance: 12.45 miles

Average: 3.43 mile per hour

Fastest Pace: 15:08 min/mile

Ascent: 43 feet

Descent: 72 feet

Calories: 1218

Monday, 9 March 2015

London around the Jubilee Greenway Path - 1

The Jubilee Greenway path leg one

You might have realised that at this time of year we tend to get fed up with plodding through fields up to our ankles in water and mud. The Weald might be beautiful but it doesn't drain well so until it dries out a bit more we have been taking walks away from the mud and this week was no exception.

The Jubilee Greenway is part of the programme run by the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Summer Olympics. In total it is 60 Km long - celebrating the 60 years of reign of Queen Elizabeth ll - and it forms a circular marked route around London. Amazingly, despite it being just a 10k radius on central London, over 90% of the path is "off-road". Last winter we walked most of the South Thames section from Woolwich to Westminster and so we thought we would try the northern sections.

Today we started at Charing Cross and picked the path up at Admiralty Arch on the corner of St James Park. We followed the Mall up to Buckingham Palace and then crossed into Green Park and then Hyde Park. We carried on walking east until we reached Kensington Palace at the far side of Hyde Park before turning north towards Paddington.

Following round Paddington Station we reached the first of the several canals that we would then follow for the rest of the walk. This part of the original London Canal basin is now called "Little Venice" because of the number of Canals that meet here. At this point we turn North-East following the Regent Canal which eventually meets and follows the edge of Regents Park and home of "London Zoo".

At this point we made a short detour to climb up Primrose Hill, a 256 ft hill that affords a wonderful vista over the London skyline (see photos below) before rejoining the Jubilee Greenway path at the junction of the Regents Canal and the Grand Union Canal. From here we walked eastward along the Canal tow-path to Camden Lock. Here we fell into a street food market with just about every type and nationality of food being cooked on open grills, braziers and clay ovens. Not wishing to miss such a treat we wondered around, grabbed some food and sat on the open tressel tables to munch away and very good it was too.The only issue was "No Beer" !!

After lunch we set off again along the canal tow-path until we reached the edge of Shoreditch. From here we were able to get a short bus ride back into central London and the train back home.

St James's Park on a dull but dry day

Buckingham Palace - we didn't get invited in for Bacon Butties !

The parks are looking very colourful

The memorial to WW2 Bomber Command

The Albert Memorial with Albert Hall in the background

Kensington Palace, childhood home of Queen Victoria and her statue

An interesting plaque on Guy Gibson's old home

The view from the top of Primrose Hill

Camden Lock street food market

Stats for the day were ...

Finished Hike: 9 Mar 2015 14:41:05

Route: London Jubilee Greenway -1

Weather:

temperature	9°C
humidity	76%
wind	10 mph S

Hike Link: http://walkmeter.com/818ee85cf2cf57d1/Hike-20150309-1007

Import Link: Jubilee Greenway-1 Google Earth link

Hike Time: 3:29:55

Stopped Time: 52:45

Distance: 11.51 miles

Average speed: 3.29 mile per hour

Fastest Pace: 7:05 min/mile

Ascent: 385 feet

Descent: 370 feet

Calories: 1190

Monday, 2 March 2015

Around Bedgebury - again

Bedgebury Loop

Whilst we have often incorporated bits of previous tracks into the days hike, today was the first time we have done an exact replica of a previous walk. It came about because last week we slipped and slid across the terrain sometimes with mud up to our ankles and we promised ourselves a gentler walk this week. The walk through Bedgebury Pinetum and Forest is mostly on hard-packed wide trails suitable for the tree clearing equipment that keeps the forest tidy. Whilst the base is hard the trails are mostly water and mud free and this was a big attraction after the heavy rains we had endured the previous few days. So none of us complained when this suggestion came up for today's exercise.

We parked up on the A21 and walked down to the trail that leads to the forest. Smart followers of the web links to our walks might spot a "gap" of about 1.5 miles in our progress as we became distracted by the smell of cooking bacon from the roadside cafe we passed and just had to stop to taste that bacon in a sandwich. So good was it that we forgot to switch the walkmeter log back on when we left! Still, we did get most of the walk tracked and the Google Earth track is identical to the one we walked last time.

After the weekend rain it turned out to be a nice sunny day but with a bitter cold wind and without too much mud to navigate we had a thoroughly enjoyable walk. Having completed the loop we made our way to "The Royal Oak" to celebrate making a good walk choice.

Wildlife: Amazingly, we saw very little of note throughout the forest walk. The best we could manage was one small Coal Tit looking for seeds on a fir tree.

Today was the three year anniversary of our first walk together. We started leg 1 of the Wealdway Trail in early March 2012. Trevor was heard to say when we discussed this feat that we still walked aimlessly, not knowing what we are looking for! He clearly forgot that what we are looking for is a decent pub!