Manchester, Stockport and Hazel Grove.

A visit to Manchester for a day to attend the Coöperative Group Annual General Meeting led to a day out with Mike and Tony to look at the coöps in and around Stockport, by bus.

Stockport is dominated by its viaduct and the Coöperative Bank pyramid call centre building. There is also a hat works museum (!) and as you can see from the picture it has air raid shelters. Does Stockport council know something that we don’t? Are they expecting an air raid? Shouldn’t they share their intelligence with the rest of us?


Stockport takes air raids seriously 

Stockport also has a very fine coöp department store, formerly United Norwest Society’s Central Premises and now owned by Anglia Regional. Unfortunately I can’t show you any pictures of the store as the loss prevention officer told us not to take any pictures of the store from the street (and I will never take pictures inside a store). I wasn’t sure though if the person was the loss prevention officer as he did not have any form of identification.

Hazel Grove suggests images of a rural idyll amongst the hazel trees. The reality is somewhat different. The rural idyll has gone brickily industrial, a long, busy and dirty street and a very uncared for air. The Coöperative superstore there looked somewhat dated and the Coöperative Bank ‘tardis’ kiosk had been vandalised to death, the screen on the ATM had been booted in (still working though), all the lights had been put out rather unpleasant graffiti had altered the sign ‘Telephone Banking’. A rather dismal place all told.

Highgate to Stoke Newington- the old straight track

Walk 12 of the Capital Ring began with a steep climb from Highgate station up to the Highgate Library (shut on a Sunday). Then the walk went down the road leading to the Archway, with a tantalising glimpse at that glorious arch before going down onto the old straight track of the parklands walk. You can see two locked and gated tunnels but you do not walk past these- you carry on to the right and walk towards the East.

highgate tunnels 

The track is London’s longest nature reserve and is home even to Muntjack Deer although I didn’t see one. The track has artworks installed, both officially and unofficially. An official one is the figure of a spriggan emerging from the old brickwork outside the former crouch hill station. Spriggans were said to steal human children and leave baby spriggans in their place!


the spriggan 

The track crosses Tollington Park, which is where, at No. 63 Miss Eliza Barrow was murdered by Frederick Henry Seddon, called by some the meanest murderer of all time. He poisoned Miss Barrow with using flypapers, but it is hard to have any sympathy for any of the participants in the case, although Seddon called on the Great Architect of the Universe when in the dock to try to prove his innocence. All rather too late as he was hung.
After crossing the East Coast Main Line I entered Finsbury Park where I was surprised to find Jason Beazley and a friend of his, Greg, cycling through the park. We passed the time of day. Jason had been going to work but wasn’t going to make it on a bicycle that day so was going home.
Finsbury Park was quiet and, in keeping with London park names, is 3 miles from Finsbury. Southwark Park is also in Rotherhithe not Southwark although it is in the Borough of Southwark. But a pleasant park none the less. The New River was next. I have walked by this in Hertfordshire at Cheshunt. The new river is not a river and it isn’t new. It is over 400 years old and is a canal designed to bring water to the capital from springs in Hertfordshire, a function it performs to this day. It looked quite full as did the reservoirs. I could not walk all the way along the river as the path was closed but I walked down Seven Sisters Road (which for some reason I translate into German – Sieben schwestern) and joined the new river again disturbing two rats in the process.
The reservoirs were home to bird life including a moorhen with chicks, a nesting swan some Canada geese with chicks and a heron, again the heron flew away before I could get a good shot. Rather camera shy are herons. Here you can see two geese with their goslings.


geese and goslings 

The path came out at the castle, a former pumping station, and the next green spot was Clissold Park. Jason had warned me that Clissold Park would be busy and he was right. There were lots of people using the park and several drinking fountains in view of the reservoirs nearby I suppose. I drank at the fountain in memory of “three sweet sisters” aged one three and four. Clissold Park is very beautiful with lakes and flowering trees, all dominated by the massive spire of George Gilbert Scott’s St Mary’s Church. The Mansion in Clissold park holds a café and I had a fairly nice burger here! The walk led on by the little 16th Century church, also dominated by the 19th Century one. I had a peep into the old church but something was going on in it so I didn’t go further. The fine 1930s Stoke Newington Town Hall is now just relegated to offices for Hackney Council but Stoke Newington Church Street is fine with lots of cafes and fair to lousy bookshops with surly assistants or maybe they were their proprietors. I was impressed with this street and it seems like one of the nicer parts of Hackney.
Leaving Church Street behind I entered Abney Park Cemetery, where William Booth founder of the Salvation Army is interred and where Isaac Watts has a memorial (although he is buried with other great dissenters in Bunhill Fields). The ruined chapel (including ruined outside toilet with pointed window) looked rather sad, I hope the trust can restore it. The cemetery as a whole was very overgrown and luxuriant. Over 300000 people have been buried there. One of the graves had a racehorse with a horseshoe over it, one had a lion couchant and yet another had a bicycle on to commemorate a record breaking feat of cycling. The Cemetery and the walk ended at Stamford Hill. A very quiet walk with some pleasant scenery and only 12 miles to Woolwich!!

Hendon to Highgate – Walk 11 of the Capital Ring.

One of the nicest walks so far in many ways and especially on the domestic architecture front. So it should be as it incorporates Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Starting at Hendon Park I took a walk to Brent Park. This was not clearly signposted and I did get slightly lost on the way. Brent Park was tatty it just looked like waste ground but the 1000 year old duck decoy lake was interesting to see as were the little pillars (like a fallen down bridge) over the Brent River. This led me to the mutton brook and eventually to Hampstead Garden Suburb, a model suburb, laid out by Parker and Unwin.

The suburb is the forerunner of 1920s council estates but unlike these the suburb has had money spent on it and consequently is a very pleasant place indeed. The Lyttleton Playing Fields had an interesting 1930s pavilion (see Picture) and the walk to East Finchley station passed through a 1930s development with a little green area in the middle of it (see picture).

lyttleton Pavillion 


beauty in suburbia 

East Finchley station has a sculpture of an archer on it to symbolise rapid transport. Ironic it should be on the Misery line but the extension to East Finchley must have seemed rapid when it was built.

Cherry Tree Wood (formerly Dirthouse Wood as it was where London’s night soil was dumped) is more of the ancient Middlesex woodlands. This is a nice park and somewhat unexpected in the middle of the traffic on the Great North Road.

Highgate wood is where the Capital Ring was launched in 2005 and there is a commemorative plaque. The City Corporation has opened a café there which was very busy. The whole wood was thronged with people unlike the nearby Queens Wood which was so peaceful I sat in it for a good quarter of an hour and saw nobody!

Highgate station represented journey’s end – for now at least.



Capital Ring inaugauration plaque 

Weymouth – King George III and Queen Victoria’s Jubilee.

A mistake led me to a day out in Weymouth, where the boat trains used to run in the streets and the Condor Ferry still makes its expensive way to Guernsey and Jersey. We intended to go to Swanage but ended up in Weymouth. Weymouth was made famous by King George III the first monarch to enter a bathing machine in 1789 and there is a garishly coloured statue of him by the sea. There is also a clock erected to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and the picture shows this monument. Weymouth is a dignified Georgian place with a few modern touches that do not detract. It has beautiful views of the Dorset coast and a marina.

Of course the joke goes “I went to Weymouth for my holidays”
“In Dorset?”
“Yes, I’d recommend it to anyone!” Boom boom!


jubilee clock weymouth 

Bournemouth and Boscombe - Health Resort?

I made a day trip to Bournemouth, which always reminds me of Scarborough. Bournemouth is celebrating 100 years either this year or last year and it has always been a planned town with the gardens running down to the sea front complete with pines which seem to indicate that the resort was aimed at tuberculous patients – of a refined sort of course. You have to pay to go on the pier (6d probably) so I didn’t take up that pleasure but went in the Russell Coates Museum (admission free). This museum is in the former home of an ex mayor of Bournemouth (Mr Russell Coates) and is being restored by the Bournemouth Council to house the Russell Coates Collection and other things. The house itself is interesting with its insights into late Victorian interior design. The fireplace in the study had a monogram on the tiles – MRC – which could stand for Metropolitan Railway Company! It’s a nice museum though and feels quite pleasant as you walk around.

After this I walked along the cliffs to Boscombe where the picture was taken. It was a beautiful sunny day and the gorse was in bloom. Then I went on to Pokesdown where I got the train back.

The picture shows beach huts under the cliff with gorse behind.

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Beach huts and gorse - Boscome 

Greenford to Hendon- stages 9 and 10 of the Capital Ring

After an unpromising start the weather got better in the morning so I decided to continue the walk. The water meadows at Greenford (with views over a shopping centre) were OK but Horsenden Hill at 84 Meters (278 feet) was one of the highlights of this walk, which took in some very diverse areas. Firstly though I walked by the towpath of the Grand Union Canal (Paddington Branch) and saw a heron. I just had time to get a picture (it will be OK but not good) when it flew away its massive wings flapping. I left the canal at Ballot Box Bridge. The advertised visitors centre for Horsenden Hill is nothing of the kind. They are lax about locking up and the gate was open when I called although “it shouldn’t be” said one of the rangers. Getting onto Horsenden Hill was easy enough. There was a great abundance of birdlife and I saw a Goldfinch, a Nuthatch and plenty of tits in the old woodland. The top of the hill had some wonderful views, again the sort that cannot be captured on camera so you’ll need to go and see them yourself! The thing about Horsenden Hill is that there are two reservoirs under it, one used and one disused. Surely in these times of drought both should be used.

In the woods coming down from Greenford towards Sudbury Hill the bluebells were in bloom and this was a chance to use the rolleinar close up lens. I hope I have a good macro photo of the bluebell!

After this the walk led through some suburban streets (which with the number of skips around looked more like building sites) past a rather attractive brick built church with a concrete cross and a beautiful peace garden and up to Sudbury Hill Station in the moderne style. Off the walk there was a cottage ornee style building bearing the legend Lancsville. I do not know what this was but it was most incongruous amongst the 1930s factories and houses.

Back on the walk there was a steep climb up Piggy Lane and an incongruous Regency Terrace in a modern gated development overlooking playing fields. Next a steep climb up Sudbury Hill to Harrow, dominated by its school for boys, rather posh don’tcha know, and its church of St Mary. The church (heavily restored) was being used for an ‘art’ exhibition but these were mostly chocolate boxy views and cutesey teddy bears playing poker so awful daubs really. Harrow school was quite attractive with buildings dating from all periods, but none of them were open this morning so I couldn’t go in. The playing fields were fun with joggers wearing skimpy shorts and taking the Ducker Path I took a naughty diversion to see the old derelict swimming pool for Harrow School. After a brief getting lost on Northwick Park Golf Course dodging the golf balls I came out into Northwick Park itself where there was some filming going on. The walk leaflet said that the Windemere pub was noted for its 1930s interiors so I stopped there for refreshment. Unfortunately it was only liquid refreshment that they could offer so I had a pint and soaked up the atmosphere. It had horizontal panelling on the walls, a tiled fireplace with pictorial tiles of windmills and a scalloped coved ceiling with globed brass chandeliers. There was a dancing room (which I didn’t see much of) and the gents had large upright urinals. The interior was typically 1930s but it also had a typical 1930s smoky fug and an untypical large screen television for football matches. I did not stay long there.
Walk 10 led me through South Kenton which appears to be quite a poor suburb, the Borough of Brent is not so posh as Harrow and in fact this section of the walk was quite dowdy altogether. I passed under the Jubilee Line and saw (but did not pass) a little brick church with a pepper pot turret in concrete – very amusing! Thtough more suburban streets into Fryent Country Park, (see earlier entry) then on into Kingsbury where the old church of St Andrew incorporates roman bricks in its structure. I could not see inside it. The new church of St Andrew has been moved stone by stone from where it stood in Wells Street (WC1).

The next port of call was the Welsh Harp (or Brent) Reservoir which was built to supply the Regent’s Canal with water. The welsh Harp was a pub with a music hall and dining room and was a great resort in Victoria’s day. Demolished in 1971 to make way for the Hendon Passover. After this there were some very dull suburban streets but Hendon Park at the end was good. Basic and small but full of life. All in all these two walks were too much for one day but I managed it!
The picture shows the Greenford Cascade

Brighton Beautiful!

To Brighton for the Bank Holiday Monday after Easter on a whim. A glorious day for a walk with Mike, Ken, Alistair and Catherine-Mary. Had a walk along the sea front including a stroll along the pier with a slight detour to see the new Brighton Library had a lovely rest in Mike and Ken's garden. They have laid decking in the graden which is looking good. Will be great when it is finished. I then went on to visit Mike and Tony and had a good chat with them. A good day.
The picture shows the new Brighton Library

Richmond to Greenford stages 7 and 8 of the capital ring

Maundy Thursday afternoon is always given to British Civil Servants as a half day off, and I never know what to do with it! This year I did two of my capital ring walks.

Starting in Richmond, Surrey I crossed the river at Richmond lock and for the first time in this walk went north of the Thames into Middlesex! Richmond lock cost £60000 to build in 1894 and each of the sluices weighs 32 tons. Thus we leave Richmond behind and cross to Isleworth. Isleworth had a deserted convent and residential home called Nazareth House, which William IV visited (it sez ‘ere). I don’t know why he would visit it. After this the passage of the walk is blocked presumably because people in the posh riverside flats don’t want walkers coming near them. The walk has been diverted since 2004 so it’s time something was done. I’ll let you know how I get on with Hounslow Council’s rights of way officer.

After that disappointment I walked past Isleworth Ait nature reserve and listened for a bit to the birdsong. Passing the London Apprentice inn, which dates from Tudor times,
The London Apprentice at Isleworth  and a Gothick house on the banks of the river
Gothick house at Isleworth  I came to the Church of All Saints Isleworth. The only part of the structure that is old is the tower but this curious sundial on the wall of the church counts our sunny hours.
The curious sundial on Isleworth Church 

The next place of interest is Syon House with the Percy lion on top. This weighs three tons (according to Arthur Mee) but eluded the picture I took of the house. This is the home of the Duke of Northumberland along with Alnwick Castle (used for the filming of Harry PotterTM) and Northumberland House in London. They have a pink summer house in the garden, and two cottages that look like towers. I wonder if any of these are available?

After Syon the path led me to the Grand Union Canal basin with its colourful narrowboats. There was a covered dock with a gloomy air of dereliction right next to some nice flats. This dock was in use until the 1980s. Walking by the peaceful canal turned my mind to thoughts of narrow boats and whether I should get one or not. Maybe I will…

The rest of this stage was up the Grand Union Canal past Boston Manor with its wonderful plaster ceilings and ended at Osterley Lock which marks the half way point of the Capital Ring. It has taken me less time than I thought to go round.

I decided to go on to the next section, which goes from Osterley Lock to Greenford. The Canal follows the course of the River Brent but sometimes there are cuttings to make it straighter. Obviously being a canal there are industrial developments along the banks but these were not obtrusive. I left the canal at Hanwell lock and followed the course of the River Brent along Fitzherbert Walk where I saw robins and magpies, and Ealing Hospital being demolished. I reached Hanwell Bridge where there is a tunnel underneath the bridge although the direction posts advise one to cross the road as the tunnel may be flooded. Going under the Bridge enables one to see the differing structures of the bridge, from the 1762 original and three widenings although the rough stone original looked a lot earlier than 1762 to my eyes. Hanwell Town Centre has a cabinet maker and a glass printer. There is a very impressive viaduct with the coat of arms of Lord Wharncliffe on it as he promoted it. Wortley Hall near Sheffield was the family seat however this is now the Labour Educational and Recreational Holiday Homes, a coöperative holiday centre.

The park below it contains beautiful pansies in bloom, a tree in blossom
The blossom tree  and a maze commemorating the millennium. Adjoining the church, this park is very beautiful. There were robins here too! I followed the course of the Brent over a bridge and through the Ealing Council golf course onto a reclaimed landfill site, and into the suburb of Greenford. I saw a jay in Perivale Park. Also in Greenford it seems that people do not move when their house is too small: they build on to them. This picture was one of the worst examples but by no means untypical.
Beauty in Suburbia? (Greenford) 
Why do people ruin a perfectly well proportioned house? Later in this street the houses were better and some pictures could really be beauty in suburbia. However the Central Line Viaduct dominates the backs of these houses. It is a c.1930s structure built of concrete to mimic a Victorian viaduct with arches and bricky lines on it. It looks absurd and false. I ended my walk at Greenford station with a look at what is next to come.

Sevenoaks and Knole

Sevenoaks is a wealthy town in Kent that can be reached in about half an hour from London, that is, about 24 miles. It is quite poshly suburban - in fact I had to pay £5 for a film that would normally cost me £2.25.

The church was locked up when I called but I could see through the plate glass doors that it has been considerably reordered with a carpet for the congregation to warm their feet on and modern seating. These comforts must be welcome to worshippers.

The major attraction of Sevenoaks is Knole.


Knole courtyard 

Once home to the Archbishops of Canterbury it is now home to the Sackvilles, Earls of Dorset who gave it to the National Trust when they decided they didn’t want to maintain it any more, but wanted to continue living there. Must be very nice for them.
Knole is approached by car or on foot over the park which is filled with miniature deer, hardly monarchs of the glen. I took the way past Sevenoaks Ecology Park (this usually seems to mean that the ground is not maintained and this park was no exception). The Ecology seemed to consist of a dried up pond and a load of brambles spreading over the ground. This led me through the park on foot tracks as people must have approached in 1454. The west front is the first thing the visitor from this direction sees.

See Picture

knole west front 

It looks like a row of terraced houses in the Dutch style but is actually rather like an Oxbridge college inside. The first room you enter is the great hall with official portrait of George IV (why?) hanging above the dais. After this room is the staircase of virtues with a sculpture of a naked woman who was one of the Sackville’s mistresses. I detect a pleasing sense of irony here. The galleries were interesting as were the bedrooms and state rooms. The house has grown organically and from the north looks like a medieval town with gables and chimneys. It is not a formal house of the 18th Century type.
One of the Sackvilles didn’t just fill sacks, he filled carts and wagons with furniture from Whitehall Palace where he was Kings Chamberlain. Hence Knole has one of the greatest collections of Stuart furniture in the country. It looks like it would upholster well too. This was in the galleries and bedrooms. There was also some silver furniture in the Kings Bedroom.
On Friday I went to see the Gothic Nightmares exhibition at Tate Britain, which contained a cartoon of Count Ugolino realising that he has to eat his children to survive. The oil painting of this picture is in Knole – synchronicity!
Unusually for the National Trust (which likes to remind the peasants of their lot) there was no kitchen in Knole and he tour only included the state rooms. 13 out of 365 for £7.50. However the park was free and I walked around the perimeter wall, and photographed this miniature deer for you to look at.

Deer in Knole Park 

Wimbledon Park to Richmond now with a picture

This is the longest walk in the whole circuit and it did feel like it. I suppose I should be aware of April showers but that still does not make sheltering under trees in driving rain any more pleasant. But there were some points of interest on the walk and overall it was enjoyable.

I started out at Wimbledon Park station and walked to the park form there. The park is bordered by the railway (not so many trains this time) and is extensive with a golf course and athletic stadium as well as a large lake. The wind was whipping this lake into waves which lapped across the path. It looked pretty full as hosepipe bans are introduced across the South East. This part of Wimbledon is rather posh with some big houses that all look rather pleasant. After walking up to Wimbledon Common through these streets I came to the Wimbledon Windmill which is a museum of windmills in general. The voluntary staff were very pleasant and helpful and interested in my walk round London. We had quite a conversation and I would recommend a visit to this mill.

After spending a good half hour in there unfortunately the rain started. I had to press on and walked across the common dodging the golf balls. There is a peace memorial to the people living near the common who have died. Unfortunately all the letters of the names have been stolen. In my opinion the conservators of the common should have these replaced.

The next part of the walk led almost directly into Richmond Royal Park at the Robin Hood Gate. Here again the rain came down but there was a tree to shelter under. On by Spanker's Hill Woods (what goes on in there I wonder?) and by pen ponds, then through another woodland trying out my rolleisoft filtre.

The heavens opened again through petersham meadows and I could not appreciate the views of Richmond.

Richmond in Surrey is named after Richmond in North Yorkshire. It is not the other way round.

The Surrey Richmond (like the Yorkshire Richmond) is very attractive and well worth a visit.

Unfortunately the tube was not running due to engineering work and bus connections are not very good to East London.

the picture shows a signpost in Richmond park

From Streatham to Wimbledon Park: suburbia with a harder edge.

Streatham is an interesting suburb, one with lots of charity shops and leisure facilities such as a monster Odeon (Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation), Ceasar’s night club, Streatham Leisure Centre and Streatham Ice Rink. Lots of charity shops too and I picked up a copy of the Golden Bough and a book describing the work of the London County Council in 1951. In fact today I seem to be laden with books- not the best way to walk. Other aspects of Streatham’s interest are there are lots of flats- some very posh others not so posh and some dowdy. It must be a very mixed area.

Starting out from Streatham I walked by the railway passed the Southwark and Vauxhall water works pumping station. This was designed to look like a mosque and very successfully too. It took a neat photograph and was well framed by the lens. Conyers Road is a road in need of gentrification which hasn’t quite happened yet. One house has a stained glass window of a woman watching a departing ship. Other houses are being done up but some have yet to catch up with the backlog of maintenance which houses all require.

Crossing to Tooting Bec common with its 100 year old lido (the biggest pool in Europe says the guide but I’m always sceptical of superlatives) had some photo opportunities especially at the lake where I tried out my new cross filter (gives a star effect on points of light), but was really quite plain. The refreshment hut had reinvented itself as a fairly upmarket café, with a lot of staff. I still had a bottle of lemonade and some biscuits though. I wasn’t tempted by the meals on offer.

After this through more suburban streets to Balham via Ritherdon Road where I worked long ago as a volunteer for the Woodcraft Folk – the Coöperative young people’s charity. I crossed Balham High Road past Du Cane Court – once the home of film stars possibly as it was quite near Merton Park studios of the 1930s. More suburban streets, although more gentrified than Streatham leading to another walk by a railway. I felt an Anna Karenina moment coming on as I watched all the trains today. As I got to where the walk leads through the ticket office at Wandsworth Common Railway station the rain started. Luckily there was not too much of it or I might have gone home there and then, but the sun came out again and lasted most of the day. After the station was a major capital ring sign which gave the distance from Woolwich Foot Tunnel as 25 miles. I seem to have come a long way since I began!

After a pleasant walk on Wandsworth Common passing by the old farmhouse I came to the grim Wandsworth Prison. Oscar Wilde was an inmate here. I then came to Wandsworth Cemetery which also has trains running by. In the cemetery there was a grave which gave the occupations of three members of a family as curator, radio engineer and Biologist. It just seemed rather an odd thing to do. After calling at Earlsfield bookshop where I bought two books I crossed the River Wandle into Merton Borough (see picture).
River Wandle 
The Wandle once powered many mills upstream of this section and flows very quickly. There still is a lot of industry on the banks of the Wandle at this point although none of it is water powered.

I then walked through a recreation ground, past Wimbledon mosque (which looks dirty and has seen better days – some of the moons had dropped off the top) to the end of the walk at Wimbledon Park Station. I paused for refreshment at the Wimbledon Park Welcome store (see picture)


Welcome store at Wimbledon Park 


All in all a good if a little tiring walk.

Crystal Palace to Streatham - Croydon’s metroland.

Walk no 4 in the capital ring cycle (or rather walk) which took me over the hills around south London on a gloriously sunny (if cold) Sunday. This is a hilly walk with some fairly steep climbs but some stunning views over towards the city when walking along a ridge of South London hill. Beginning at the Crystal palace, Norwood (not Sydenham) with its somewhat noisy museum with interesting displays this walk leads to the station at Streatham Common, although I cheated and finished at Streatham Peace Memorial. I have covered Norwood in a previous post and I’m sure I will cover Streatham later.

After a somewhat uninteresting start this walk went up Belvedere Road where there was a house with two lions on it.

lion house
The road then went through Westow Park which is plain but had a building in it that I could not see its purpose- perhaps a youth club? Then via Upper Norwood Recreation Ground, just a field really, to Beulah Hill, which, with Bentleys in mock tudor mansion drives, is reminiscent of Sir John Betjeman’s Metroland. From this section were glorious views downhill towards St Pauls and Canary Wharf. The other side has views towards Croydon. These views do not come out on camera so no pictures unfortunately. Then down Biggin Hill and through the ancient Biggin wood. There were four tennis courts here and three were in use so it looks like the tennis season has already started in Croydon.

After Biggin Wood the walk led me through a 1930s housing estate of fairly substantial houses. One with a 1950s Wolesley outside (this walk is all cars) See the photo here which I have GIMPed to black and white to give a period look. It could have been taken in the 1950s…



Norwood Grove was where my film ended. As it was such a nice day, and the purple flowers in Norwood Grove gardens were so pretty that I decided to load up with a colour film to take the pictures. This was a good choice as it stayed good all day. Norwood Grove Mansion is used for a bowling club and some other purpose which Croydon Council does not even hint at. I thought as it was the home of the Nettlefolds (the N in GKN, G is Guest and K is Keen) that it might be something to do with music as the Nettlefold Hall is part of the Music Library in West Norwood but I cannot be sure. It may just be mothballed. Anyway the gardens were very neat and tidy and the little lodge near a dried up tributary of the River Graveney and a row of 400year old oak trees mark the boundary between the Croydon part of Norwood and Streatham which is in Lambeth.

Streatham common is not particularly interesting but the Rookery Gardens (not on the walking route) are quite something and well worth the detour. On the side of a hill they descend in terraces to an olde Englishe Garden with ponds, crazy paving and a wishing well which is part of the original Streatham Spa with its medicinal wells. An informal garden with a water cascade and stepping stones leads back up the hill to a nearby café furnished with Ercol chairs but with somewhat surly service one expects in park cafés of low quality (although not low prices). I completed (well nearly) the walk by walking to the newly cleaned peace memorial which stands in a little park near a council estate called Albert Carr Gardens. I do not know where I have read about this but the name is familiar. As is Pullman court which I saw on the ‘bus home. Pullman court is an iconic modernist block of flats recently the subject of a Twentieth Century Society building of the month.

All in all this walk is recommended.

Stratford on Avon- Warwickshire Resort

Stratford on Avon (or Stratford upon Avon as the railway station is named) is a pleasant little market town in Warwickshire. I went there Thursday to Sunday and stayed at the Holiday Inn (what came first the ‘White Christmas’ film or the hotel chain I wonder?). The Holiday Inn was gradually being redecorated and refurbished and the rooms looked a little tired but the public areas and swimming pool (with better than expected quota of cutie-pies) were up to date and clean.

Stratford on Avon has more than its share of black and white buildings. Some of these are more authentic than others, but restorations have generally been good. There is a large theatre complex on a greensward near the Avon River, and these lawns have street lamp columns donated by cities and countries all over the world. Amongst the ones I saw were from Westminster, Hungary, Portsmouth, Southampton and America. The town is obviously a resort with lots of restaurants and touristy pubs, although when I arrived at 2200 on Thursday there were very few diners and some restaurants were closed.

The River Avon and the canal run through the town. There is an old bridge over the Avon and a canal basin that joins the river. I took a picture of a boat that had almost gone over the weir – cast adrift or somebody not looking where they were going – who can tell? There were narrow boats including a floating art gallery in the canal basin and moorings that must be crowded in summer. There were lots of ducks and swans.

I found two second hand book shops both on the pricey side but I thought that was rather few. Perhaps there’s a business opening for an entrepeneur? Charity shops were reasonably well represented but not well stocked.

The CoöperativesUK conference was stimulating and well attended with some controversial debate. Already the phrase ‘post Stratford’ is being used. All in all a worthwhile visit.

Chatham and Rochester

Arthur Mee says that Chatham has little that’s lovely and I’m inclined to agree. I was there for an East Kent store visit. St Mary’s Island was quite attractive where the first store was. A lot of effort has been put into cleaning up the former Naval Dockyard and there are some good developments. The rest of Chatham is still grotty although it was a good visit. At one store we visited the derelict hall above. Although my photos were poor some, did come out, including the old Coöperative Women’s Guild noticeboard and the photo of the lady who had had her wedding reception in the hall some forty years ago.

We also visited two other small places around East Kent.

A very enjoyable day out with fine weather followed by a drink in a Rochester pub. No chance to walk round the towns alas!

The picture is an old one of Rochester Cathedral

Capital Ring Walk 3- Downham To Crystal Palace, and an art evening.

I continued my journey round the Capital ring on a long walk of 8¾ miles which started at Marvels Lane where I finished the last one. This is now unfamiliar territory to me as I am not familiar with these areas at all, although I have been to Crystal Palace Park a few times. As trains to Grove Park station don’t go where I want them to go I took the bus to Lewisham and changed to go to Grove Park Station, actually on the edge of Downham. The walk is mainly through parks and country lanes but has a few suburban streets and is therefore not particularly interesting. That said there are some excellent views. These are distant views of places and the camera does not do these sorts of views justice- you have to be there!

Arthur Mee has a bit to say about Downham. Named after a chairman of the London County Council it is a model town on 500 acres with 6000 attractive cottages with gardens. One of the streets with some woodland in its central reservation was called Undershaw Road a shaw being a copse! One of Downham’s great facilities is a narrow strip of ancient woodland. This is well maintained and does not seem to be used as a rubbish dump which is often the fate of such places. In fact the whole estate seems to have worn very well in the 70 years it has been up. There are two Coöperative stores here- Downham which is a smaller store and Downham Tavern which is a large store. Both busy when I called. There were views of Canary wharf and docklands from Undershaw Road, which is at quite a high level. Surprisingly high!

Past some of the shops and into another park, Lewisham seem to keep their parks better than Greenwich, which had the Ravensbourne River running through it. Across a railway line and into Beckenham Place Golf club which has a large mansion as its club house. This is Beckenham Place Mansion only open to golfers but perhaps that way its safety is secured unlike Danson House in Bexley. There were some very attractive houses and blocks of flats on Porchester Road. This is an area where a lot of firms have sports and social clubs- these are usually large firms, such as HSBC etc. Then on in the walk went through several parks culminating at Crystal Palace Park where I walked round the maze and admired the remains of the palace. A friend of a friend had a theory that the Government were behind the fire as it was an attraction to German bombers but there is no evidence for this. It must have been a really impressive structure though. Bromley Council run Crystal Palace Park and Bromley have been most unhelpful for the guide leaflets to the capital ring. When I can do the next stage depends on when I get leaflet No 4 – Crystal Palace to Streatham Common. People who read the liberal press will be aware how useless Bromley Council is anyway.

Crystal Palace (upper Norwood) is where 5 boroughs meet- Lambeth, Lewisham, Bromley, Croydon and Southwark.

Upper Norwood Public Library is a curious anomaly- it is jointly funded by Lewisham and Croydon but is independent of both those boroughs. It seemed well stocked and in good order in a modernised historic building. Although notices were posted saying staff did not always have resources to assist enquirers they would do their best. They seemed to be doing very well indeed.

Finished the day at a private view of Carl Hoare’s paintings, which were extremely good, although I thought they were more suitable for a gallery than for a private home.

Faversham and the Isle of Sheppey.

An unexpected visit to Faversham and the Isle of Sheppey to see coöp stores on the Island on a rainy day. I set out in the hope that I could take a few photos in Faversham before going on the outing as it is a medieval town but this was not possible owing to the rain. However the town of Faversham is very picturesque with lots of medieval buildings including half timbered houses and a market hall supported on wooden pillars which has a pump in front of it.

The Isle of Sheppey is an island in the Thames estuary reached by a lifting bridge which carries both road and railway. There is a new bridge, which is in the process of construction, to carry the road at a level where it will not need to lift, however the railway bridge will remain and will have to continue to lift. Therefore it seems as though the new bridge and associated infrastructure is a monstrous waste of money, not to mention labour and resources. The island is a popular tourist destination for Londoners as it is only an hour and a half outside London. However it does seem a bit bleak and not well developed. The seaside resort is Sheerness and it needs a lot of money spent on it. Probably only less discerning Londoners go there.

The coöp stores were worth visiting. On return to Faversham we had lunch in a pub called the Chimney Boy which had a lovely warm inglenook and decent food. After leaving there I looked round the town. Unfortunately most of the shops were closed at 4 o’clock in the afternoon! Some of the local shops were open so I don’t suppose it was half day closing. There was a campaign going on to ‘save our shops’ to ensure that local shops were able to stay open. I think they are slowly committing suicide, and therefore nothing can save them. Faversham is a commuter town and commuters will want to shop at six at night. I did not sign the petition to save our shops.

A good day spoiled by the rain.

The Capital Ring Walks 1 & 2: Woolwich to Grove Park

Went on the first and second walks of the Capital Ring today. Woolwich to Grove Park station which is at the bottom of Downham (more later). Most of today’s walk I have done before so it was more revision than new territory but one must start at the beginning and keep going. My feet will be happy when they reach the end though. Only 13 more sections to do.

I started at the Woolwich Foot tunnel (where the Capital ring begins, although a circle never ends does it?) and walked along the river, getting slightly lost at a building site. But I did see the Woolwich free ferry in operation. Woolwich was the headquarters of the Royal Arsenal Coöperative Society and although the former Central Stores with their statue of Alexander McLeod were not on the route Commonwealth Buildings (the Coöperative commonwealth of course) were. These buildings are now a funeral depot but there used to be all kinds of productive premises there, including a jam factory. It all looks a bit sad now. Woolwich is not somewhere one would go in search of visual delights, excellent shopping, beautiful architecture and it is better to get out of it fast. I did- via Maryon Park and Maryon Wilson Park. Maryon Park is quite attractive with tree covered hills and valleys made out of old sand pits- Maryon Wilson Park is a bit bleaker although it does contain a children’s zoo with a herd of deer that had to be evacuated during the second world war. In fact Maryon Wilson Park was quite overgrown with some ruined shelters. I don’t think Greenwich Council looks after its parks very well as there was another demolished shelter in Charlton Park and each toilet I passed was closed!

Charlton Park consisted mostly of boys playing football and Charlton House which you can see elsewhere on this web log. Arthur Mee liked it and it is a beautiful house with ceiling plasterwork and chimneypieces. I have been to several events there and it is well worth a visit.

From Charlton Park to Woolwich Common (which I haven’t been across before) this is bleak also, but it is where soldiers drilled in days gone by, then up by Shooters Hill to Severndroog Castle. Severndroog Castle featured in the film Mr In-between (why do they always set British gangster films in South East London? I always know the locations!), but was built to commemorate a British victory at Severndroog which was a pirate fortress in Malabar on the Indian Sub-continent. Here I had a little encounter with two extremely pleasant men out walking their dog. Another dog was playing there with it and I said what a beautiful dog it was. Trouble was it was the wrong dog I referred to! Bang went any chance of being invited in for tea and crumpets there! Actually Castle Wood, Jack Wood and Oxleas Wood around here are very ancient woodlands dating back to Saxon times and they look it.

A stop for refreshment in Jack Wood café then on to the concrete bridge over Rochester way which is the finish of Walk 1 and the beginning of Walk 2.

Walk 2 leads from the dull Eltham Park South (just a football field with nobody playing on it) through some posh suburban streets. I also called in at Holy Trinity Church Eltham which has been re ordered in a modern manner whilst preserving the best of the Victorian parts of the church. The communion table is in the body of the church in true prayerbook style and the congregation sit on chairs with a carpet to warm their feet. There is a stage at the back of the church for performances, and a little chapel, which is dedicated to the fallen of Gallipoli. There is some good stained glass both old and new and a friendly guide who gave me a history of the church.

Outside the church there was a little conduit head which, built in the 16th Century, formerly supplied Eltham Palace with water.

More boring suburban streets for me to walk down until I reached Eltham Palace (which is mentioned elsewhere in the Web log). It is well worth a visit though if you get the chance.

Crossing the railway line into the Borough Of Bromley was marked by green playing fields including the City Of London Sports Ground, and the playing fields of Eltham College. The Playing Fields of Eton in a smaller way. The path is highly fenced and I think I saw a rat (or maybe a squirrel) here. The path also goes by a very tiny River Quaggy at this point. Then on to journey’s end at the signpost on Marvels Lane- but the walk requires a final flourish to Grove Park Station. Home again tired and happy with only 66½ miles to go to complete the Capital Ring which works out as an average of 5½ miles each walk.

Fryent country park near Wembley

As Sunday was a nice day I decided to take the camera to Fryent Country Park between Kingsbury and Wembley in Middlesex. This park was like a walk through open fields with a wood in the middle and and old Saxon way called Ele Strete going through.

I started off in Roe Green Park in Kingsbury and took a pic of Kingsbury Manor, once owned by the MP for Islington. It is now a mental health resource centre for asians, but pretty none the less.

There were some good photo opps though the day may be too hazy for them to come out well. One was of a triangulation pillar at Barn Hill with the new Wembley Arch above it like a rainbow- we'll see how this comes out. The Ele Strete was like a woodland path with some woodland glade pictures available, also a very peaceful looking fox lying in the grass. It took me a good 30 seconds to realise it was dead, but took a picture of it anyway as it looked like it was only sleeping. And here it is!


Barn Hill was a slightly more formal park with trimmed lawns.

On the way home the Jubilee line was out of action so a 45 minute journey took over two hours. Very poor.

The photos show a capital ring signpost at Barn Hill pond and an arty one of my shadow to prove I was there.



Actually the Capital Ring and the London Loop might be a project for the spring and summer ahead. If I can get hold of the directions. Brent Council have been very helpful so far- many thanks to the Brent Parks Dept!

Little Bradley Suffolk

A little hamlet right out in the country. Very nice.

Thanks RJ

Southampton Again

I don't know why the backstreets of So'ton are so run down, the city is not desperately poor. I suspect people's priorities are not their houses, and it may be that the Southampton Brickfields yeilded clay that is picturesque on a Romsey manor house but did not weather the acid rain and sulphur dioxide of millions of fires very well.

No pictures but a great party at John and Ray's. Thanks guys

Hatcham and Nunhead

A short bank holiday walk from Hatcham to Nunhead and round the cemetery there. The cemetery is all overgrown and practically derelict with a ruined chapel and lodges but some interesting graves that often give addresses. All views obscured by the vegetation but well worth a visit.

Bluewater and Dartford

Visit to Bluewater on Saturday- I couldn't get away fast enough. Dartford OK, an average Kent market town.