Gerald Colton Way, Part 1

Today saw a walk along the first section of the Gerald Colton Way. Gerald Colton was the Hampstead Group's first Walks Organiser, and he was a valuable member of the group for many years. In this, Hampstead's 25th anniversary year, we have commemorated his contribution by re-naming the walk he devised in his honour.

The walk goes from Waterloo on London's South Bank, all the way out to Wendover in the Chilterns. We will be walking it in six segments over the coming weeks.

An impressive 31 people gathered on a superb sunny London morning.



A birds-eye view of our walkers.

The walk was originally called the Nelson Mandela Way, and starts from his statue on the South Bank.



Our route passed the changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace and the parks St. James, Green, Hyde and Regent's!




The walk leader for today was Robin Midwinter, here pictured in front of Constitution Arch, Hyde Park.




Sufficient loos are an invaluable part of a ramble, and Westminster Council have worked out a novel way of ensuring timely "comfort stops"...



On the outskirts of Regent's park I spotted this handsome Swamp Cypress growing by the water.



Lunch was at the Queen in Primrose Hill Village. The walkers proceeded to Hampstead Heath (by which time numbers had gone down to 14), and the walk finished at Kentish Town. Part Two of the walk is on Sunday, May 3rd.