Five Peaks Walk

Jane Rosoux writes....

"I attach a few photographs of the Tumulus on Hampstead Heath, the Alexandra Palace section of the Parkland Walk and Alexandra Palace itself for your Rambling On blog.

These were all passed on Robin Midwinter's walk from Regent's Park Station to Alexandra Palace Station on Saturday, 27th February. The morning was overcast and drizzly and not good for photography. It was also very wet and muddy underfoot as a result of the rain on Friday and overnight.

Nevertheless, Robin had 9 other participants at one time or another. He led a convoluted route which went via Regent's Park and Primrose Hill to enter Hampstead Heath near Gospel Oak Station.



[The Tumulus, probably a Neolithic burial mound...]



[....Certainly the oldest man-made feature on the Heath]

He then went via Parliament Hill, the Tumulus, Viaduct Pond, the Vale of Health Pond, Whitestone Pond, West Heath (the Pergola was closed for repairs) and Golders Hill Park. Lunch was taken at 'The Old Bull and Bush'. After lunch he crossed Sandy Heath to the 'Spaniards Inn', entered Kenwood by Ikin Gate and left it by Millfield Gate then went along Fitzroy Park to Highgate and through Highgate Wood to the Parkland Walk...





...then via Alexandra Palace, where a motorbike show was taking place, to Alexandra Palace Station.



[Robin Midwinter, the walk leader, on the Parkland Walk.]

The total distance was around 11 miles."

Many Thanks to Jane for the report and the photos.

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A Midwinter Walk

Jane Rosoux writes...

"Unfortunately, I noticed too late that the batteries have gone in my camera and I was unable to take any photographs of Robin Midwinter's circular walk from Golders Green on Wednesday. There were 10 participants and Robin led us on a circuitous walk across Hampstead Heath Extension to Hampstead Garden Suburb and Big Wood then via a different part of the Extension to Spaniards Road to enter Kenwood by Ikin Gate.

"From there he went to the source of the River Fleet (or rather Highgate brook) and followed the brook to Parliament Hill Fields. From there he went via Parliament Hill to Whitestone Pond then down to the Bull and Bush / Golders Hill Park cafe for the lunch stop after 6 miles.

"After lunch there was just a mile to go. We went through the Hill Garden to the Pergola (which was closed for repairs) then through Golders Hill Park back to Golders Green Station.

"The weather was cold and there were a few flakes of snow so for your blog I attach some photographs of Hampstead Heath and Kenwood which I took on the 6th January 2010..."

Island Gardens to Waterloo

Jane Rosoux reports...

"I attach a few photographs taken on Sunday's 7 mile walk along the Gerald Colton Way Extension from Island Gardens to Waterloo led by Robin Midwinter. Disappointingly there were only four present at the start. It is possible that others were put off by engineering works on the DLR and on other lines but they missed an interesting walk in good weather which had brought out the crowds.

Robin started off along the Thames Path then headed for Mudchute Farm before making for Canary Wharf by an indirect route.



He then headed for The Thames, passing the statue (pictured below)




to follow the North Bank Thames Path to Wapping and the lunch stop at the 'Town of Ramsgate'.



Here I joined the party to make it five, having set out too late, gone to Canary Wharf and then wrongly guessed the route between there and Island Gardens. We crossed to the South Bank of The Thames via Tower Bridge...



The final image shows a skeleton sitting on a wall - perhaps getting ready to jump on Hallowe'en?"



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Hampstead Heath Autumn Ramble, 7th October

Hampstead Stalwart Robin Midwinter led a mid-week walk around the Heath last week.


There was a party of twelve, pictured below. Robin is on the extreme left.




The early autumn colours were stunning... I leave you with some views, taken by Jane Rosoux...






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Hampstead Ramblers 25th Anniversary Walk

Friday the 24th of July saw another of the events held to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Hampstead Group. This short walk led by Robin Midwinter, from Woodside Park to Totteridge, both stations on the Northern Line, was a re-creation of the first walk ever taken by the Hampstead Group back in 1984.

Jane Rosoux reports...

"12 of us set out from Woodside Park Station soon after 7.00 pm.



There had been recent showers which no doubt deterred other potential participants but there was no rain during the walk and there were even glimpses of the sun.

Robin had devised a route as close as he could to Gerald Colton's original and by the time we arrived at 'The Orange Tree' pub for a celebratory drink two hours later we had covered around 5 miles and had been intoduced to many of the most attractive areas of Totteridge. We were also fortunate to pass a cricket match in progress and to see a quite impressive sunset."



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Amersham Circular via Little Missenden

Today's walk was led by Robin Midwinter, and took a seven mile circular route through the Misbourne Hills of the Chilterns.

Rail replacement buses covered the missing link from Rickmansworth to Amersham on the Metropolitan Line. Work on the lines has been an all too frequent irritation for Hampstead and all the other London Rambler's Groups over the last few months.. Nevertheless there were 12 walkers to join Robin, although one was unwell and stopped after a short distance.

The day started overcast...



But the skies soon cleared to give some good views...



The poppies were worthy of an impressionist painter...



Even in the relatively popular walking area of the Chilterns a group can still find "the road less travelled"....



Some scenes had an almost Japanese beauty...



Animals featured strongly. Most of the group had excellent views of a group of three Red Kites in the afternoon. One day I will stop getting so excited when I see them that I will capture one in a photo.

Our lunch stop was at the Red Lion in Little Missenden. There aren't many other pubs with a pond in the beer garden. I was tucking into a very nice hot sausage sandwich and a bowl of excellent chips when I felt a strong nudge on my lower leg...

I looked under the table to see Mr Daffy watching my sarnie...



We also had a narrow escape from a particularly vicious-looking dog...



At the end of an enjoyable day some of the party stopped off at the Amersham church fete, while the rest of us paused to enjoy one last view before heading through the woods for the bus to start our journey home. Robin Midwinter is second from the right...



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London Ramble: Bethnal Green to Charing Cross

Here is Jane's report of Robin Midwinter's walk last Wednesday (April 22nd) from Bethnal Green to Charing Cross...

Robin "...had 14 participants until the lunch stop at the Anchor & Hope pub, Southwark


when 4 dropped out.

The total distance was more like 10 miles than the advertised 8. It was a beautiful day!!

and there were lots of people about enjoying the sunshine.

The group photograph (with half of Robin, extreme right)


was taken after people had left the party.

At Limehouse Basin we were fortunate to see the road bridge on the Thames frontage swing to one side to let a yacht pass...






The route took us into Victoria Park, along the Regent's Canal to Limehouse Basin, along the Thames Path to Westminster Bridge, past the Houses of Parliament (where there were an awful lot of police about, presumably because of the budget) then through Green Park to the Mall and Charing Cross Station.

The image below shows the drained lake in Green Park partly refilled but with the pipe supplying the water from the Westbourne (the Tyburn water has always been considered too polluted) still standing proud


The final image is of a colourful flower bed by the Mall.


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