Despite the forecast of 100% rain – 12 Poly Ramblers disembarked at Riddlesdown station, by which time a steady drizzle had set in, along with gusty winds. However, the wind dropped upon entering the woods, where when we turned around we could see the disused quarry towering above the town. As we climbed further the rain eased slightly affording us a pleasant undulating stroll. Although path was only muddy in parts, the wet leaf carpet made it slippery underfoot for most of the day. Continue reading RIDDLESDOWN TO COULSDON SOUTH – SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER→
Eleven hardy walkers arrived at Chorleywood Station on a very cold and wet morning. After the safety briefing, we started the walk but stopped again within a few minutes for a toilet break in a local cafe. The reason being that the railway station facilities were all locked (the station was unmanned).
Then our walk took us through Carpenters Wood with its really lovely autumn colours and a carpet of fallen leaves. One of the polyramblers decided to turn back at this point because the path was very slippery in places. The rest of us continued on to Chenies, along a tarmac path past Mountwood Farm and then took a steep decent down to the watercress beds. After this, we climbed a steep hill up to the Church and to the pub ‘The Cock Inn’.
Here we had our lunch, some taking shelter from the cold in the Church (the radiators were on!) while others went for some food and a drink in the pub. After lunch, another polyrambler decided to call it a day. Then the remaining ten of us walked down to Sarratt Mills and on to Chorleywood Common after crossing the River Chess. We stopped to admire the Memorial tree and then headed back to the Station.
A few us decided to have tea and cake in a local cafe while the rest caught the train back to town.
This eight mile section of the Vanguard Way goes through an idyllic area of rolling countryside and small farms mostly in open countryside and pastures.
Nine Poly Ramblers undertook the complicated train and bus route to start section six of the Vanguard Way on the Uckfield road in the Wealden District East Sussex. The signage for the route had recently been renewed; it sadly did not prevent us from going in the wrong direction twice!
We were fortunate to have pleasant weather after a week of heavy rain as we made our way through pastures and woodland crossing the river Uck at intervals. We enjoyed exceptionally clear views en route.
We stopped for a picnic lunch at the Holy Trinity Church High Hurstwood, finding plenty of seating on the benches in the churchyard. The church was of an unusual design with its partly half-timbered porch tower and flat bellcote.
After a short lunch we resumed our route through woodland and fields passing pillboxes which had been hastily constructed during the second world war when the threat of invasion appeared very real. The name comes from their similarity in shape to boxes that used to be provided by pharmacists for medicinal pills.
We went through the arch under the East Croydon to Uckfield line, in our hurry to get to our destination in light and on time to catch the hourly bus, we took the wrong path across the next field and walked up a lane away from the route. Luckily a local person helpfully guided us back, we quickened our pace to make up for lost time. We walked along a lane (Nan Tucks Lane) following a track through trees, over a stream and continued into a junk filled farm yard (Scantlins Farm).
At a carved wooden Vanguard sign attached to a container we followed a broad track through trees to cross the picturesque Tickerage Mill at a weir with mill pond. We finished our route via allotments and passed the Village Hall to the Blackboys crossroads where section six ended. We were fifteen minutes early for the bus thanks to the brisk pace of our Poly Ramblers.
Friday: Thirty-three Poly Ramblers arrived at the beautiful village of Castleton situated at the head of the Hope Valley in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Eleven members booked into YHA Losehill Hall a fully refurbished gothic mansion set in twenty-seven acres of parkland. We managed to create havoc as we all converged at the same time. We were impressed by the amenities, large dining area and self-catering kitchen.
Two groups of Poly Ramblers braved the rain to complete an Orientation Walk of Castleton. The village is surrounded by hillsides including Mam Tor (the shivering mountain) The village is popular for its show caves many shops and cafes. We particularly enjoyed a visit to Cave Dale a dry limestone valley rising gently before becoming steeper culminating in a fine viewpoint down the dale taking in Peveril Castle.
Soaking wet we finished the walk with Poly Ramblers enjoying an evening meal at the many local pubs.
9 brave Polyramblers turned up at Manor Park station on an inauspicious day for a 6.5 miles walk through parklands. We started with flat Wanstead Flats, passing Alexandra Lake dug at the beginning of the 20th century to give work to unemployed men. The lake was named after Alexandra of Denmark, the Queen Consort of King Edward VII. Next was Wanstead Park where we walked along lakes, then crossed over the river Roding as the rain started.
We passed St Andrew’s Church – Grade II listed – which is of a similar design to Pretoria Church in South Africa (that’s what my guide says). After some road walking, we reached Valentines Park as the rain eased off. We had the Garden Courtyard Cafe to ourselves for our lunch break. Afterwards, we visited Valentines Mansion (free to visit and open Sundays and Mondays) – built in 1696 for Elizabeth, Lady Tillotson, the widow of John Tillotson who had been the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Mansion was later the family home of Sir Charles Raymond who made money from interests in the East India Company. The house and grounds were then acquired by the Council who created a lovely public park with nice gardens and flower beds.
Two Polyramblers left after lunch and, as it was no longer raining, the rest of us walked around the park and the lakes. We were approached by many squirrels wanting food to store for the winter. It’s worth coming back to Valentines Park in spring or summer to enjoy the flowers but we enjoyed the autumn colours. We then made our way to Gant’s Hill station (which has a design similar to Moscow metro).
