We started this week’s section of the London Loop from the same place as last week: Uxbridge. This time we went south instead of north, taking in Harefield West, Hayes & Harlington, and Hatton Cross. The contrast to last week’s walk was immediate. The Grand Union Canal led into the lusciously green Colne Valley Park … Continue reading / view photos London Loop – sections 10, 11
Category: Hiking
London Loop – sections 12, 13, 14
Yesterday, we tackled three sections of the London Loop since they were all fairly short. Section 12 started in Uxbridge, which has brightened up since my last visit a few years ago. The station itself has stained glass windows near the entrance. There’s also a fine vintage cigarette machine in the station. From Uxbridge tube … Continue reading / view photos London Loop – sections 12, 13, 14
London Loop – section 15
For the section from Hatch End to Elstree and Borehamwood, our group expanded from two to four hikers. This walk was quite something. For the first quarter, we had cloudy weather but it soon picked up and the sun came out to shine on some lovely views. The group was still small enough to make … Continue reading / view photos London Loop – section 15
London Loop – section 16
After the dire warnings on Monday from the UK Government’s Chief Medical Adviser and Chief Scientific Adviser, I was expecting the Government to announce a second national lockdown on Tuesday evening. With that in mind, and because it was the last day of summer, a friend and I decided to embark on the 242 km London … Continue reading / view photos London Loop – section 16
Flower show in Snowshill
Every time I go to the Cotswolds, I marvel at the honey-coloured houses and the immaculate front gardens everyone seems to have. I sometimes wonder if the area is inhabited by retired gardeners; perhaps to incentivise them, people are rewarded with a prize each year for best garden; or, maybe, cultivating a beautiful garden is … Continue reading / view photos Flower show in Snowshill
Hay Bluff and Hay-on-Wye
Friday was probably the hottest day in the UK this year. We felt the heat walking up Hay Bluff. The photo of it doesn’t do justice to the steep (but short) ascent. It was an enjoyable short circular walk before driving to Hay-on-Wye, the UK’s bookshop town. Living up to Wales’ reputation, Hay delivered spits … Continue reading / view photos Hay Bluff and Hay-on-Wye
Clee Hill, Shropshire
This was a fairly short walk on Sunday from The Welsh Marches, a pocket walking guide book. It was a walk of two halves. The first half required walking past industrial coal, ironstone and dhustone (black stone) quarries. The view improved on the pathless moorland route to a radio station. At other times of the … Continue reading / view photos Clee Hill, Shropshire
Cannock Chase and Stafford
Cannock Chase in Staffordshire is an area of outstanding beauty. The dense woods are a wonderful place to walk and relax. We did a short walk there in the limited time we had on Saturday before going to Stafford. I noticed how much more friendly people were in Cannock Chase than on the Gorring walk … Continue reading / view photos Cannock Chase and Stafford
Pigs in Notting Hill
This Sunday, in trying to avoid coronavirus-drenched crowds but still wanting to make the most of the British summer, we turned to Stephen Millar’s book, London’s Hidden Walks. We went to Notting Hill. It was an illuminating day. The origins of the name Notting Hill are uncertain. An early version, Knottynghull, was recorded in 1356. … Continue reading / view photos Pigs in Notting Hill
Cows and chips on the Thames
For a moment, I thought I was back in India, where cows are everywhere – from the high street to the beach. Curiously, I’d been on several Meetup walks in Gorring but none of them took in the Thames. We were following a walk in the OS Pathfinder series for the Home Countries, which I … Continue reading / view photos Cows and chips on the Thames