Walk – Page 3 – Neil Baldwin's blog : Warning contains walking, technology, photography, holidays.

Orford Crown and Castle

We picked a great weekend for the weather, the forecast was sunny cloudy, we were off the stay a couple of nights at the Crown and Castle in Orford. I dealt with a couple of administrative items before we left at 09:30ish, round the M25 and up the A12, traffic was relatively ok apart from the usual black spots on the A12.

We chose to head to Minsmere RSPB reserve first, for a walk to Lighthouse cottages, for lunch, then back to the the reserve via the hides. The heather was in fine bloom on the heath, as we approached Lighthouse cottages, the Dartford Warblers were about but quite elusive, generally spotted disappearing into the heather.

At the NT cafe we had a drink and scone/cake then headed down to the beach and onto the east scrape hide. There were lots of Sandpipers and Black Godwits to mention a couple. We sent a while enjoying the wildlife and then headed back to the visitors centre in the hope of seeing Bearded Tits on the reeds overlooked by the flood defences. Helen had a quick peruse around the gift shop, then we headed back up the road but took the turning to Orford.
We got the last parking space at the Crown and Castle, settled in then went for a walk down to the harbour and quay. The village is full of old cottages many of them looked like holiday cottages. It is a looking village, very typical of rural Suffolk.

Our dinner was very good the highlight for me was the skate main course. We were quite tired and retired to our room by 21:00. Breakfast was at 08:30 and the dinning room was quite quiet, I had poached eggs on toast and Helen had French toast and maple syrup. We planned to go to Orfordness by boat so we grabbed some lovely bread from the Pump House bakery in the village, and some cheese from the village shop, then headed down to the quay we missed the first boat but were lucky enough to get in the 10:20.

There were reports of a Ted Necked Pharalope and we teamed up with a bird watcher in an attempt to find it. We walked to the wardens hut via the blue route which is where it was seen, but we failed to spot it. At the wardens hut we had a look at some moths the researchers had caught over night. The Tiger Moth was most impressive with its bold camouflage colours.

Next stop was a building with some impressive binoculars mounted on top, good for viewing distant things as they were rock solid. From there a gravel path led to the red and white lighthouse, where we stopped for a rest on the gravel bags used to shore up the coast line and stop the lighthouse falling down. The trek along the shingle beach was tedious and led us to a group of buildings where we stopped for a rustic sandwich.

The church that featured in the Detectorists

We were determined to see the Pharalope so we decided to do the blue route too, which is the more remote of the paths in the spit. It takes you close to Alpha Mist which is still a broadcasting installation for the BBC world service. The track back to the jetty had passing places, we decided that it is hard to imagine that they would ever be used because all vehicles have to arrive by boat.

Close to the jetty Helen spotted a brown mammal approaching, it was a hare. We stood for a while and although it was aware of our presence it came very close and wandered across the track and into the grass right in front of us. One of those amazing but rare wildlife encounters. We had a short wait for the ferry boat after getting out tickets back from the warden who checks everyone is off the island.

We stopped for a coffee at the tea room where Helen was harassed by a wasp, while I watched the tide almost reach the cafe terrace. I fancied an ice cream from the van at the car park but the queue was too long so we headed back to the hotel and had a half of Adnams each on the terrace, and as always after a day out in the fresh it it tasted better than normal.

On sunday we had the routine cooked breakfast and sadly we checked out and headed out of Suffolk, but before we left we would have a few things to check out. First as we left orford we spotted the school used in the Detectorists where teacher and partner of the lanky bloke taught. Then we went to an RSPB reserve called Wolves Wood near Hadleigh in Suffolk the plan was to walk from the reserve to the church that featured in the same BBC 4 comedy. It turned out you could not easily get from the reserve because it would have meant leaving the trail, so we did the trail then headed bay car to Aldham Church which is a stunning little church set on a small rise at the end of a country lane. I took some photos and a timelapse which turned out to be useless because the breeze move the camera.

next we visited my Aunt and Uncle for a cup of tea and cake, then headed round the M25 to visit a big M&S to get some clothes and grab some supplies for dinner. We were home by 16:00 and had had a very enjoyable weekend.

OAR Princes Risborough to Aston Clinton

My Sunday was free so I thought I would fit a walk in. I had previously looked at the Outer Aylesbury Ring but could not see a way to easily do 12 ish miles especially with Sunday public transport, however another look at the OS on line maps and I had realised the route from Princes Risborough to Aston Clinton was 12 miles, and a bus at 09:09 and train would get me there before 10:00. A plan was hatched!

I was early for the bus but not with enough time to pop home and get some headphones which I had forgotten, much to my annoyance. The bus stopped outside the station and my ticket to Princes Risborough was only £2.80 on a railcard. Coffee and Snickers were procured but I almost ended up on the wrong train when I boarded the one on platform 3 instead of the correct one on 2. I had a minute to spare.

Bacombe Hill Panorama, Vale of Aylesbury

I had planned a route from the station but did not follow intended route but used a more interesting gated road. I tried in the high street ti get some earphones but failed. It was a long hard slog to get out of Princes Risborough and on to the top of the hill. Steps had been built in the upper parts and they seemed to go on for ever. I welcomed the rest at the top whilst chatting to an old boy who had walked up to listen to aircraft traffic on his scanner.

The view from Whiteleaf was stunning as there was little haze. The path then dropped down into Cadsden where the Plough pub/restaurant was not quite open for a coffee, and it was a bit early to be stopping for a coffee break. The path then goes up again then across a hill where you can get views of Chequers. The route from there to Edlesborough takes you through an unusual natural Box Hedge, which extends across the whole of the valley.

A coffee would have been good but it was the wrong Sunday at Edlesborough church, so I headed off towards Bacombe Hill, where I encountered the steepest hill of the day. On my way up I pass a group of families coming down. I was not sure if it was easier going up or coming down as the path was a bit slippery from the recent rain. At the top the rain started so the poncho came out again, until I was at the monument, where I rested and took a timelapse sequence, which turned out to be shaky because of the stiff wind. I had made a point of steadying the camera.

Down in Wendover I stopped for a sandwich and a coffee at what I call Two Poundland but which is actually called No 2 Pound Street. I took my time as it started to rain and I was on no rush to get started again. I chose to walk around the edge of Halton and ended up walking through a new estate there. It seemed like a great place to live really close to Wendover woods and quiet. I headed across the road and down to Harebridge lane then around the end of Halton Airfield, where I saw a glider land. Then it was through Aston Clinton park and home.

It was a god 12 mile walk with no complaints from my back things were looking up.

Outer Aylesbury Ring – Wing to Aston Clinton

I felt confident enough about my back to attempt a 12 mile walk, after a couple of weekends ramping up the mileage. I considered the next stretch of the Ridgeway but decided a local walk would allow for an easy rescue if I needed it. I arranged a very much appreciated lift to Wing with Helen’s dad. He dropped me off at 10:00 at the edge of Wing where I picked up the OAR path, heading towards Mentmore.

It was easy going to start with the path going slightly down hill, a short up action dumped me out on the last hundred yards of the road to Mentmore, where I stopped for a rest on a bench, and consumed my Snickers for the day. The path is well sign posted with the OAR logo however it is small and nearly always stuck or nailed to another sign so you have to look carefully.

From Mentmore it was again down hill to the railway, which is great train robbery country, however the path does not pass the famous bridge which is a Mike down the track from where the path crosses. Soon after the railway the path hits the Grand Union and stays on it for the rest of the days section, which ends up in Aston Clinton on the disused Wendover arm. I would finish the section at Stablebridge.

I passed a few sights of a note a lady duck a and some Ducklings who were surprisingly trusting, and some barnacle geese which were too. There were some signs about dredging along the way and a I noticed some bits of metal at the side of a the towpath on occasions, most of it of little interest, however I did come a cross a cigarette machine near a bridge, which was open. It was full of mussel shells presumably emptied by birds.

At about mile 6 I found a bench at a lock keepers cottage to rest and eat my sandwiches, Red Leicester in wholemeal Babs left over from our veggie burgers the night before. At Marsworth the path leaves the canal to take a detour though the village, only to join it again at the reservoirs. I stopped for coffee and cake at the Bluebell tearooms where the queue of two took some time while a spotty teenager was trained on the till. I sat outside and ate my chocolate cake which had spent to long on the cooler, the sparrows were not so bothered and wolfed down the crumbs I offered. I tried to get them to eat out of my hand but they would only get with 12 inches.

Between Startops and Wilstone reservoirs there were quite a few groups of Duke of Edinburgh kids with large packs. The renovation of the Wendover arm was a bit further forward than the last time I was around. It is taking quite a while I suspect that without more funding it will be quite a few decades before it is finished. I rested for 10 minutes on a convenient bench at the point where the renovation stopped then finished off the section.

Blakeney 2017 – Cley NWT and Felbrigg NT

The weather man promised a mixed day bright start with an increasing chance of rain as the day in folded. We decided on Cley for an early walk then the Bird Photographer of the year exhibition and Felbrigg National trust property for when it was raining.

We left the house before 10 and drove to Cley which is just around the headland so to speak. There was the odd spit of rain but we checked in and then headed out to East Bank to see what was about and have a look at the new hide/shelter. There were plenty of Avocets, the odd Ringed Plover, the usual Redshank, as well as little brown jobs (Sedge Warbler and Reed Buntings). The highlight was a couple of Weasels running along the track at the bottom.of the East Bank.

The new shelter although windowless was a welcome shelter from the wind and rain, we shared it with an elderly couple competing on id’ing the bird first. We took a quick look at the sea which had taken over the bank which makes the walk to the car park relatively easy, making it look like a real hard slog. We scanned the sea for seals and seabirds but there was not much to see, so we headed back into the wind to try out the hide near the visitors center.

There was only really Avocet to see from the hide, so we did not stop long. Back at the visitors center the exhibition was not quite ready, so we headed to Felbrigg planning to return via Cley on the way home.

We parked up and Helen threatened violence if food and coffee were not forthcoming, however my back needed straightening so I risked a wander up to the house and back before we ventured in to the cafe. At the ticket office I was informed that my NT card with an expiry date of June 2018 was not valid, because the previous one, due to expire June 2017 was still valid. They let me in but warned me that I needed to use the old one until June. It was not clear and they did not tell me when I could start using the new one, however just like you do when you receive a new credit card I had already destroyed the previous card.

At the cafe we had some lunch I had crab sandwich and Helen backed potato with baked beans,. The house is fairly interesting it had last been lived in back in the 20’s so there was not a lot of contemporary stuff which I really like. I was able to give one of the volunteers some advice on his diet to help with his gout based on someone I know who managed to stop gout by changing diet, it is all about reducing the reducing your intake of purines apparently. Helen went to have a look around the shop while I sat in the courtyard and tried to get pictures of Chaffinches scrounging crumbs from the tables.

On the way out we had a stroll around the extensive walled gardens, which in my opinion are the jewel of the property. I was amazed at the number of Blackbirds around the gardens. We drove back via Cromer to Cley where we had a look at the fantastic photos of the Bird Photographer of the year exhibition. We had a walk out to the hides to get 10,000 steps on the fitBIt there was not anything that we had not seen earlier, Helen was disappointed to not see Bearded Tits.

Back in Blakeney I picked up an Amazon delivery from the post office then we went back to the house and had veggie sausage sandwiches and salad for tea, then settled in for the evening to watch Patriot on Prime, and a couple of beers from my Adnams mini keg of Best Bitter.

Blakeney 2017 – Holme and Titchwell

First full day in Blakeney we were up at reasonable time but did not leave the house until just after 10. We drove out to Holme NWT and would work our way back to Blakeney with a few stop offs.

Although it had been raining on the way there by the time we got to the reserve the sun was out. At the gate we blagged our way in by saying we were going to renew our membership, which Helen did while I straightened my back out. We then headed for the pines where a Spotted Fly Catcher had been seen. It did not take us long to find, posing in it’s distinctive more upright pose that other birds of it size. We then headed along the boardwalk along the dunes until there was an opportunity to get on the beach a mile or two down.

It was nice to be away from the crowds at one point we seemed like the only souls on the beach. We wandered slowly along the beach back to level with the pines and headed back to the visitor centre for a coffee then got back in the car and headed to Titchwell stopping on the way at Thornham deli to grab a vegetable pasty to eat at Titchwell.

At Titchwell the recent spots board was interesting, I wanted to see the Turtle Dove and Helen the Yellow Browed Warbler. We headed first towards the Fen Hide. We saw two baby pigeons in a nest and heard Reed Warblers but failed to get the birds we wanted. We headed straight out to the sea and sat and ate our pasties in the edge of the dunes. After Helen went to hunt for waders on the sea edge I took a timelapse set on the brick building rubble on the beach.

We headed back into the reserve and stopped off at the modern looking Parrinder the highlights were Turnstone and baby Avocets, being protected by all incoming birds by a parent. We tried again for the star species but dipped, however on the way out to the car park we got fleeting glimpses of another Spotted Fly Catcher high in a tree.

We stopped off at Deepdale on the way back where Helen bought a couple of books. Back at the hut I had a shower before we went to the White Horse for dinner. I had the Bream on roasted fennel and saffron potatoes and Helen the Haloumi salad both delicious.

Blakeney 2017 – The journey there

Another holiday in North Norfolk! We haven;t been for just over a year. We left the house just before 10 and obeyed the SatNav which took us on the M25 to the A1M then Cambridge way and through Thetford forest via Mildenhall and Lakenheath. We stopped and at the Lakenheath watching area but as promised by the website it was like most weekends, nothing was happening, so we stretched our legs for 5 minutes and carried on to Swaffham where we grabbed supplies at the Waitrose.

The cottage was a bungalow just off Mariner Hill and had a parking space which is very rare for Blakeney. Parking was a challenge but a neighbour put us right, the parking for the cottage was not outside by the other side of the next door neighbour. I would have loved to see the plans for the cluster of houses, because there were parking spaces belonging to houses opposite and orphaned well kept gardens. We unpacked and I did me Osteopath homework to sort out my back, then we went for a walk.

We walked to Cley along the sea wall the weather was warm despite the breeze, and the weather for the week promised more of the same if not warmer. At Cley we got the bus back to Blakeney, had a swift half and booked a table for Sunday evening then retired to the hut for some more back exercises and a salad dinner. We watched Babs on iPlayer which I thought was average and Helen really enjoyed. Helen then watched Graham Norton Show while I went down to the quay to get some pictures of the Sunset.

We were looking forward to the rest of the week.

London – Robot exhibition at the Science Museum

My back was still not right, but I managed a 6 mile local walk the day before so I thought I would go a bit further a field, but I was not up to the Ridgeway. Scanning the what’s on on London sites I was reminded of the robot special exhibition at the Science Museum, so I booked myself an 11:00 ticket, giving me plenty of flexibility on time. If things went to plan I would get the tube there then walk back through the London parks back to Euston on the return journey.

I was up early, and managed to get the 08:06, but no coffee as the station cafe is shut on a Sunday. I grabbed the Victoria line to Green park then the Piccadilly to South Kensington. I got out of the pedestrian tunnel early in favour of fresh air and as luck would have I exited right opposite a Le Pain Quotidian where I grabbed an excellent coffee and even better Raisin Danish, which was essentially a Pain Au Raisin but twisted not twirled. I was a bit early and there was just one person and child outside the entrance, I joined them and therefore started a queue, which by 10:00 was a few hundred yards long.

Being the second person in the place meant that I could have a few sections of the museum to my self. I headed straight down to the far end of the ground floor, where there was a section about machine learning. One machine took my photo then deduced I was happy (smiling) and estimated to be 50, I was happy to take that. Next I headed up to the top floor where there are some aircraft and a load of aircraft engines through history, something I was not aware of despite previous visits. I worked my way down to the first floor stopping off to look at some of the stuff, my favourite bits are the mechanical simulation machines, the economy, tides etc. The Robots special exhibition was good and not too crowded, it marked the history of the development of robots, from automata through to the latest ones made by Honda, Toyota etc. Some of them you could interact with.

I had planned to walk back to Euston via Foyles. In Hyde Park I chanced upon some american expats plying baseball in the corner of a field. I got chatting to an older guy who explained that they were not all from the embassy some were bankers and other business people. He asked if I played, I was able to explain that I had when I was young played in the little league. I had to turn down the offer of a game because of my back, which was a shame.

I headed to Buckingham palace via Wellington Arch and Constitution Hill, then down to The Mall, to Admiralty Arch when I took a couple of pictures of one of the Seven Noses of Soho , which are brasses noses on several buildings placed by an artist making a point about the prevalence of CCTV in the city. Next was Trafalgar square where I was starting to flag, my back was hurting. I was amused by a Chinese lady shouting at a group of Chinese children having their picture taken on the steps to the National Gallery. The children wee very polite and obedient I think the lady was just power crazy. I am not sure who they all were but the adults in the group had DSLR’s and a 4k professional video camera.

I jumped on a 29 bus for a couple of stops, and had a look around Foyles computing section, but was not in the mood for buying. It is a short walk to Tottenham Court station and grabbed to the Northern line to Euston. I grabbed a sandwich, then waited for the train to be given a platform. The train was delayed because they were waiting for the police to take a person who had assaulted the guard to be taken away.

The Ridgeway – Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George

After a successful testing of my back finishing off the Capital Ring, it was time for a new challenge, The Ridgeway. I got up early as getting to the far end would take some time 1:30 to Ogbourne St George then another 1:30 of buses to get to Overton Hill. The final miles of the M4 and A346 was typical of the countryside I would be walking through, rolling chalk down which was looking great in the spring light, even under the overcast skies.

Parking in Ogbourne St George was easy, a sleepy village with a pub, B&B, and hotel. I had to walk about a mile to the main roan to find the bus stop, then had a 25 minute wait for X5 bus at 09:46. It was a good job i did not try for the earlier bus because there wasn’t one. The X5 never turned up but the 80 at 09:52 did, and I was soon in Marlborough. A coffee at Nero wash down a pain au raisin, while I considered my next move, the 42 passed through West Overton and departed in 30 minutes so I scrubbed the idea of a taxi to keep costs down.

I had to walk a mile to the start of the Ridgeway at Overton Hill, my FitBit had registered 3 mikes by that point. Just before the start I took a quick look at The Sanctuary a stone and wood circle. The beginning is a by way and as such is a series of white scars caused by off roaders, which luckily for me are banned from 1 October to 30 April. The path keeps to the ridge, as you would expect to, he views are distant, a.x there are barrows and stone circles to be seen all over the landscape.

There was a codd wind blowing so i did not hang about, the occasional breaking of the clouds bought welcome warming sunshine. The path was fairly quiet considering the status of the path I passed a few walkers and a couple of mountain bikers. I had a ack lunch and stopped at about mile 4 of the trail.

There were plenty of birds about and they were easy to spot because the land scan had few trees so they congregated in the odd hawthorn that edged the path. I spotted Twite, Skylarks, Lapwing, and Chaffinch to mention a few. The path rolled with the hills but stayed high all the time, one of the higher points was Barbury castle which is now just earth banks, I’m not sure what it looked like when it was first built. I stopped for my second sandwich after the castle on a long grass stretch, called Smeathe’s Ridge and used for gallops, it had stunning views all around.

The trial descend as it gets to Ogbourne St George and I left the path 200m before the bus stop I started at to take a look at the river that runs through, it was a bit of a disappointment because it was dry. It gave me a chance to see the rest of the village as the car was parked at the other end of the high street. In all I had done just over 10 miles of the path, so if I could keep that rate up and slightly more I should be able to do it in another 7 sections. Lets wait and see if I manage it.

Capital Ring – Stratford to Cyprus the final section

Easter holidays a great opportunity to get some mileage in, one problem for me though I had done something to my back and was struggling a bit. I joined a FitBit group at work and the WorkWeek Hustle spurned me to walk to work, but after two days I had a bad back, not sure if the walking caused it, possibly by walking at a faster than usual pace, either way it was painful. Getting from sitting to standing was the problem so I figured walking was better than sitting around the house all day, and got the 07:56, to Euston.

I was on the last stretch it was 8.6 miles to Woolwich ferry, which would mean I did slightly further than needed, I had started at Cyprus because it was a convenient place to start near the river crossing. At Euston I opted for Northern then Central line to Stratford. It was almost impossible to get the other side of the railway from the Olympic park all paths under were blocked, I ended up taking a mile and a half detour and even then has to climb three fences.

The route follows the Jubilee Greenway another path I have considered doing, quite short but right in the middle of London, it even goes past Buckingham palace. The section I was seemed to be a disused railway. I found out it was a sewer and every so often you get a whiff of it. I left the Greenway and walled through a housing estate, where I missed a turn but was soon back on track and in Becton Park, where I saw a mistle thrush fly up into a tree, as I walked past I realised it was at the top of the short trunk sitting on a nest.

Victorian pump station seen from the Jubilee Greenway

It wasn’t long before I got to Cyprus station where i had started the Ring, it had been a short walk around 7 miles. I spent the rest of my day wandering along south Bank. I started at Bank and walked down the north side until millenium bridge. Whilst cross the bridge I spotted someone who was familiar selling the worlds smallest kites, it was Julian McDonnell who has a Youtube channel that I subscribe to, Fun London Guides – Julian McDonnell Films. His video are always interesting showing the more quirky side of London. One video in particular I enjoyed is about his attempt to get to Pitcairn island a very difficult place to get to indeed and quite an adventure, check it out for yourself : Take Me To Pitcairn – Full Documentary Any way we chatted for a few minutes, he seemed like a nice guy, then I carried on down Southbank and stopped for my first Burrito outside the national Film Theatre.

From there I headed up through Trafalgar Square where they were reenacting Jesus rising from the dead. I dropped into Foyles but did not purchase any books. Carrying on I walked up Tottenham Court road where it seems all the electronics shops had been replaced by shops i have no interest in, a sad state of affairs. Final I passed by by Euston road and used the back road to the station so I could check out Callumet camera shop, no bargains or whoops moments today though.

Capital Ring – Hendon Central to Pudding Hill Lane

With a work social event the night before I wondered if I would get an early start on the Saturday, but as luck would have it a colleague offered me a lift home soon after 21:00. I was up at 06:00 and made the 07:01 from Berkhamsted with coffee in hand, the journey was relatively short at just over the hour to the starting point, Hendon Central.

At Euston I just had to get the Northern line, but not before having to get let through the barriers, by Tube staff, my ticket validated ok when I got off the train but was not working on the tube barriers, luckily i only had a total of four barriers to pass. Interestingly named tube stations for the journey were Mornington Crescent, Chalk Farm, and Folders Green. One of the things I have gained walking in London is a sense of where things are. I knew the center ok but the outskirts were always a bit of a mystery, but when I hear places talked about I am reminded of places I have walked through or travelled through on my journeys.

Right from the get go I was passing Jewish people on there way to the synagogue with their wide brimmed black hats and shawls, known as Tallit. The housing estate was very neat and tidy with well manicured front gardens and the pavements were lined with cherry trees. Next change of scene was a small brook which i followed for a while getting lost at one point when I missed a sign, but it was fairly trivial to get back on track. I noticed bluebells and wild garlic starting to bloom.

Back in a well to do estate I came a cross a Synagogue just at the edge of Hampstead Gardens Suburb, there were no less than three security guards in black suits, dark glasses and ear pieces. I asked one of them why they were there thinking maybe an important person was coming, but apparently that is what they have to do to counter the threats they get, what a sad state of affairs!

The next housing area was very prim with very tended front gardens the houses were Mock Tudor, all had sharply cut hedges and flowers in the gardens, one had a ornate box hedge covering g the whole of the front. A short footpath lead to East Finchley tube station which you walk through to get to the other side of the line. It is the first public footpath path I have seen as through a station.

Next was Cherry Tree Wood, followed by Highgate Wood of the Corporation of London, then I came across an organic coffee shop in Queens Wood, was a welcome stop, I had an Americano and a really crisp and puffed up chocolate croissant. By this time the sun which had been shining since the start had me in my T-shirt, the skies were blue horizon to horizon.

The Parklands Walk part of a disused railway between Edgware, Highgate, and Finsbury took me all the way to Finsbury park, there were lots of joggers and walkers out enjoying the early warm weather. The path then follows a river in a sweeping curve to West and East reservoir near Woodberry Down. I cam across a nature reserve cafe, Woodberry NR, but the food wait was 45 minutes so I carried on.

Next I spotted what looked like a castle, it was a climbing centre, I’m guessing it was one of those grand Victorian pump station building. On the edge of Stoke Newington i came across a welcome pub called the Brownswood, where I indulged in a mozzarella burger with some chips and an orange juice and soda water to wash it down. I lingered for a while recuperating the weather was so nice I guessed a long walk was possible, especially as i was travelling light, I had ditched my DSLR and camera bag for my Linux LX5 on my belt and no rucksack. It made a difference I felt fresher at 10 miles than I usually did.

At Clissold Park seemed everyone one n the neighbourhood were out on the sun. Out the other side of the park I passed through Abney park NR and cemetery, what an interesting place. There were lots of fairly old graves, last century none recent, and the place was completely overgrown. I spotted the grave of William and Catherine Booth the founder and mother of the Salvation Army.

In the next housing area I spotted another synagogue in an area where Jews seemed to live along side Muslims, in apparent harmony, there were not security guards that I could see. The Jews were wearing even more elaborate hats like large cake tins but mass of a hairy fabric, possibly some sort of fur. Apparently called a shtreimel and worn by married believers.

After passing through another park and a short down hill I was a in Lea valley following the river for a few miles. At the ice rink the man on the entrance allowed me in to use the facilities. It was getting warm outside and the coolness inside was very welcomed. The river path got more and more busy as we got to the Olympic park, where West Ham was playing Swansea, it was great to hear the crowds chanting in the stadium. I got the impression that the game started just as I passed by.

I was heading for Pudding Mill station, but a policeman told me they usually shut it on match days, I had to walk to Stratford station instead, which added about a mile to my walk. I was not too pleased. I got on a Jubilee line train to Waterloo, to then get the Northern line to Euston. At London bridge station I checked Google it suggested getting off a and getting the Northern line there, I decided it made a no difference. I should have listened. At Waterloo I just missed the train even tried stopping the doors from closing. I then just missed the 16:05 to Berkhamsted, as I arrived it was taken off the departures board. I took the opportunity to grab some food for dinner from Mark’s and Spencer.

It had been a good day out and the sixteen mils had been easier than the week before, my body was getting more accustomed to the walking. I wonder if i can manage 20 miles in a day before the summer is over?