Windsor walk and London march

Last November, on Armistice Day, it was a crisp autumnal day, and the sky was blue for the start of a group walk from Datchet to Windsor. We saw a monument and statues for the Magna Carta, which is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, … Continue reading / view photos Windsor walk and London march

London Loop — section 9

This was my concluding section of the London Loop, from Kingston to Hatton Cross, a total of 16km. I’d started the 242km walk three years ago! Since my fellow London Loop walker had finished, I went with another friend. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day. I’d never been to Bushy Park, the … Continue reading / view photos London Loop — section 9

Kew Gardens Wakehurst

Despite being a member of Kew Gardens for many years, I’d never been to their more rural gardens in Sussex. The public transport to Wakehurst is a bit ropey. Taking the train to Haywards Heath is straightforward. Once you’re there, however, you must wait for one of the infrequent buses for the 10km ride to … Continue reading / view photos Kew Gardens Wakehurst

London Loop — sections 1, 2

I had three more sections of the London Loop left to walk. On a sunny day, I tackled sections 1 and 2 with a friend. My usual London Loop companion had completed the Loop. There was a fast route to Erith via the Elizabth line, which is a recent addition to the London Underground that … Continue reading / view photos London Loop — sections 1, 2

Fort William, Cow Hill, and The Wildcat

We woke up to a blue sky. It was a bit chilly but otherwise the perfect day for a hike. Our original plan was to hike up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. However, for assorted reasons, we couldn’t have a whole a day in Fort William. We, therefore, decided to hike to … Continue reading / view photos Fort William, Cow Hill, and The Wildcat

Stornoway, Unilever, and a German frigate

We had the morning to look around Stornoway before leaving Lewis and Harris to take the ferry back to the Scottish mainland. We started at Lews Castle. It was built by James Matheson in 1847 and then bought by William Lever (Lord Leverhulme). These two Victorians had a noteworthy influence on the island. In 1844, … Continue reading / view photos Stornoway, Unilever, and a German frigate

The Butt of Lewis and Dùn Èistean

Cath was feeling under the weather for our final full day on Lewis and Harris, but she told us of a scenic walk at the northern end of the island, taking in the Butt of Lewis. It was a short walk, about 6km, but the 50-70kph winds made it seem longer. During the walk, we … Continue reading / view photos The Butt of Lewis and Dùn Èistean

Deers, cows, and Harris Tweed

We were back on the road again, being driven around our friend in Lewis and Harris. Two items were on the agenda for the day: a shopping trip to Tarbert (where we had landed a couple of days ago) and a hike. We first went to a shop selling Harris Tweed, which the island is … Continue reading / view photos Deers, cows, and Harris Tweed

Bothies, brochs, and standing stones

We were lucky to be staying with Cath, who lives on the island of Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. For our first full day, Cath drove us around the island. It was beautiful and I kept wanting to get out of the car to take photos. I was happy when we did a … Continue reading / view photos Bothies, brochs, and standing stones

Old Man of Storr and Fairy Glen

When I woke up after our first day in Scotland, I stepped out of the shepherd’s hut in Broadford and was greeted with this beautiful sight: Before sailing to the Outer Hebrides, we had two places we wanted to visit on our drive to the ferry port. The first place was the Old Man of … Continue reading / view photos Old Man of Storr and Fairy Glen