walkerSOUTH EAST No. 107 September 2019 Path guardian scheme launched for key capital walks wo new footpath guardian We have recruited over 100 Jackie Gower, a Capital Ring schemes for the Capital volunteers to become Rangers Ranger and coordinator of the TRing and London Loop or Leaders for sections of the scheme who led one of the launch were launched on 20 July with 11 Capital Ring and London Loop walks, said: "The Capital Ring and walks on different sections of the and to coordinate the project. the London Loop are such a great Capital Ring path. The volunteers will highlight asset for people who love exploring Will Norman, London's Walking improvements that can be made to in and around London. I'm really and Cycling Commissioner, and the routes to the borough councils excited to help as many people On the Capital Ring near Hackney Wick. Left to right: Keith Rodwell, Van Griffiths, Jackie Gower, Will Norman, Clare Wadd and Des Garrahan. Photo: Matthew Farrand Van Griffiths, Chief Executive of and will work to publicise them as possible discover them and The Ramblers, joined us on section more widely both locally for each hopefully get as much enjoyment and a new generation of volunteers outdoors, whether they are out for 13 of the Capital Ring in Hackney section and across London. Van out of them as I do." now wants to ensure that they are a local stroll or walking the whole Wick to promote the launch. Will Griffiths, commented on the huge These two much-loved routes, properly maintained and improved route. Norman said: "We're here to really enthusiasm of volunteers to get originally set up by the London for the public to enjoy. Whilst the The Ring Rangers and Loop celebrate these wonderful resources involved in the project, saying Walking Forum, were maintained walks can be followed from walks Leaders are hoping to work in for local communities across "it's clear that if volunteering for some years by Transport and websites, Ramblers' intention is partnership with other local the whole city ... I'd encourage opportunities grab people's interest for London, and are now the that it should be possible to follow community and voluntary groups, everybody to get out, explore their and reflect the things they care responsibility of the relevant them from signposts alone, making such as park friends' groups. area and do either a section of the about, then people are more than boroughs. Ramblers volunteers them accessible to all walkers who Clare Wadd Loop or Ring". willing to put themselves forward". played a key role in their creation, want to enjoy London's great Chair, Inner London Area Oxon Weekend Walkers turns 10! Travelling back in time xon Weekend Walkers scientific importance, and a relaxing celebrated their 10th stretch along the Thames Path. urrey and Beyond After a blood-thumping Small Dole for more pub Oanniversary/birthday on Unbeknown to the walkers, the Ramblers (SABRE) climb to Chanctonbury Ring, refreshments, and the bus 9 June. We started with a walk (of committee had a strategically parked Stravelled back in time the route levelled out with journey home. course!), from Wolvercote on the car and a magnificent cake for the on Sunday 28 July when they great views to the North SABRE's Alison Bents said: outskirts of Oxford and taking in morning coffee break. hired a 1953 single-decker Downs in one direction "Thanks to Richard from Wytham Woods, a glorious peaceful The 'apres-walk' involved a meal at bus to ferry 39 walkers to and the English Channel in 1950s-vintage-bus-hire.co.uk woodland and site of international the Plough in Wolvercote, a fun facts Washington in West Sussex the other. After lunch in for making it a vintage day about Oxfordshire quiz, and short for a nine mile linear walk on Bramber, we took a stroll out!" presentations from me and former the South Downs. along the River Adur to Mark Percy Chairs Gavin Powell and Vanessa Corrick. We have also had a 'ten of 10' series of walks over the year as a nod to our anniversary - ten designated 'birthday walks', hopefully taking in much of the wide range of walking which the county has to offer. The Oxfordshire Weekend Walkers emerged out of the 20s&30s group in 2009, when a critical mass reached a certain age. We now have around 150 members, some of whom have been walking with us for many years. We regularly get 15 - 20 on our Sunday walks, which can be anywhere in the county. Hopefully we will continue to The splendid cake commissioned to mark flourish for another 10 years! the group's 10th anniversary and made by Jasmine of Thank Cake for That in Helen Barham Wantage. Photo: Helen Barham Chair, Oxon Weekend Walkers Made it! Photo: Richard Shirley 2 South East Walker September 2019 Illuminated River launched lluminated River is an when the lights on the first unprecedented large- four bridges were switched on. Iscale art project installing The new lighting comes from kinetic illuminations on 15 low-energy LEDs and is better central London bridges across for wildlife as well as reducing the River Thames. It launched electricity usage compared with in July with the lighting of the the previous lighting. first four bridges - London, We've been running a series of Cannon Street, Southwark Illuminated River walks, during and Millennium - and will the summer with some revised eventually extend by 2022 versions planned for the autumn from Tower Bridge to Albert and winter. The first walk took Bridge, a total distance of four place on a balmy July evening and a half miles. Each artwork a week after the launch. Thirty celebrates the role of the eight people joined the walk, Thames' bridges in connecting around 25 of them not currently communities each side of Ramblers members - proving the river and will be in place that this project provides us with initially for 10 years. an opportunity to reach out to a Ramblers has been supporting different audience and tell them the project as it will bring new about the different things we do life and interest to our Thames and of the rich variety of walks Path walks in central London, we have on offer in London. See particularly winter evening www.innerlondonramblers.org. strolls which can be hard to uk for details of upcoming walks programme. We were invited including one on 4 September. to the launch which included Clare Wadd a boat trip on the Thames Chair, Inner London Area An Illuminated London walk pauses by London Bridge. Photo: Clare Wadd Beyond the End of the Line new guidebook to walks of other locations on other lines compiled a collection of walks. I was finally ready for printing. bring me a copy to my bedside in between the last stations like Ealing Broadway, Stanmore, passed through every underground Coincidentally, the day before it hospital. A on London Underground Cockfosters, High Barnet; far away station and explored every terminus was delivered I presented myself Now I am busy promoting and lines was published earlier this and never visited, yet so familiar. point, some of them several times. at A&E with a probable heart distributing. I am particularly year. We asked author Jeff Lock Where were these mysterious places Before each trip I would pore over attack and was kept in hospital pleased that the London Transport to tell us more about it. at the end of the line? As a walker maps and decide on possible routes. for a week before emerging with a Museum in Covent Garden has In winter 2016 I was standing on and an enthusiast about all things I took photographs and gathered stent. Gillian was kind enough to decided to sell it in their bookshop. the Central Line platform at Bond London, I wondered, in particular, local information. I wrote out a Jeff Lock Street station when an indicator whether there was a walking route full description of each route and board aroused my curiosity about to explore at every destination. drew sketch maps. All this was the end points of the London I decided to set out to find the immensely enjoyable but only the Underground. Where on earth was answer. Over the next 18 months, start of the work. West Ruislip? It made me think I travelled the network and To capture the data in an orderly fashion, I built a website. Then I enlisted the help of family and friends to test the walks. Some trials were more successful than others. On one occasion, my friends Jan and Jim got seriously lost on Wimbledon Common because I had used a movable object (a bench) as a marker for a turn; always a mistake. I also enlisted as a walk leader for ENBRO, a Bromley-based walking group, and used some of my walks for groups of 20 to 30 walkers. Then I began to think of a book. Someone suggested a title of Beyond the End of the Line. I touted the idea around publishers without any luck until Countryside Books said they would help me to self-publish. I had desk-top publishing skills from my 10 years as a volunteer with the Vitiligo Society and I was able to produce finished page proofs. This reduced the cost considerably. I was very lucky that my wife, Gillian, got involved as editor. I couldn't have done Beyond the end of the line - 26 walks from the terminus stations of it without her.