SOUTH EAST a Perfect Match
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SOUTH EAST No. 91 September 2015 ‘Narrowestwalker path in London’ ungated t is not often that a path one point, Brydges Place runs claimed it was private property in the centre of London between St Martin’s Lane and and started using it as a garage. Ifeatures in South East Bedfordbury with an offshoot Westminster City Council’s Walker but an alleyway, close to into Chandos Place. Dominic policy is generally against Trafalgar Square, has been the tells the story: gating so how this application subject of a 13-year campaign In 2000, a resident living next was granted is unclear. When spearheaded by Dominic Pinto, to the path, somehow obtained I first became involved in early Vice-Chair of Inner London planning permission from 2009, I discovered some unusual Ramblers Reputedly the Westminster City Council to features. The file was not in narrowest footpath in London place doors across the Chandos the planning department but and only 15 inches wide at Place entrance to Brydges Place, continued on page 3 Brydges Place at its narrowest. A perfect match hen Helen Box and keep up with the theme of how Steven Van Boxel they met, Steven proposed to W joined Oxon 20s Helen during a walk on the & 30s Walkers in September Long Mynd in Shropshire. 2012, little did they know that They celebrated their wedding they were about to meet their on 7 April this year and their perfect match. cake was artistically decorated They met on a very wet walk with a walking theme including along the Ridgeway and soon boots, map, waymark signs and realised they had lots in common beautiful countryside scenery. A spectacular cake, created by Little including a love of walking. To Alice Marten Cow Creative Cakes. The happy couple. Photo: Alexa-loy.com Eager to start: Hundreds of people turned out for the sixth Bedfordshire Walking Festival last year and many more are expected to join this year’s nine-day event which begins on Saturday 5 September (see page 7). Photo: Barry Ingram 2 South East Walker Going the Way of St Augustine 19 - m i l e ( 3 0 . 5 k m ) and at the first of these it is possible direction) can be found at http:// pilgrimage route along to be a pioneer of ‘champing’, explorekent.org/activities/the-way- A the Stour Valley between or church camping, by prior of-st-augustine Ramsgate and Canterbury was arrangement. launched on 26 and 27 May, the Developed by the Green * In July, the Heritage Lottery feast days of St Augustine, the Pilgrimage Network Canterbury Fund awarded a grant towards a first Archbishop of Canterbury. Partnership, the route is an initiative £1 million plan to create a Pugin It begins at the Shrine of St run by the Diocese of Canterbury, and Augustine education and Augustine in Ramsgate and working with Explore Kent, the visitor centre at St Augustine’s passes through Minster and Churches Conservation Trust and Abbey Church in Ramsgate. Stodmarsh National Nature the Shrine of St Augustine. The church, considered the Reserve to the World Heritage For those who like a souvenir, a masterwork of Gothic Revival Site of Canterbury. Parts of the passport scheme is available which architect Augustus Pugin, is one of route coincide with the Saxon can be stamped at various points. 29 buildings in the town featured Shore Way and Stour Valley Some restaurants on the route offer on ‘The Pugins: A Ramsgate Walk. discounts to passport holders and Town Trail leaflet. Copies can be Along the way, two churches pilgrims are welcome in Canterbury found in the tourist information now in the care of the Churches Cathedral free of charge. centres at Ramsgate and Margate Conservation Trust are passed at A step-by-step guide to the route or from author Catriona Blaker West Stourmouth and Fordwich (in the Canterbury to Ramsgate via http://thepuginsociety.co.uk. St Augustine’s Cross, near Cliffsend, commemorates the arrival of Augustine and his mission in 597. Augustine, the prior of a monastery in Rome, had been chosen by Pope Gregory the Great to ‘christianise’ King Ethelbert and his Kingdom of Kent. A brass statue on Lady Wootton’s Green in Canterbury of King Ethelbert who Minster Abbey in the ancient capital of Thanet. welcomed Augustine to Kent. Waymarks: the route logo represents the Chair of St Augustine All Saints’, West Stourmouth, where by prior booking an overnight stop can be made. The village name dates from when the mouth of the Stour in Canterbury Cathedral. (now several miles away) was nearby. South East Walker 3 walkerSOUTH EAST Views sought on Gates open to Distributed quarterly to members of the Ramblers in Bedfordshire, Epping Forest Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Wandle reserve Keynes and West Middlesex, Essex, Inner London, Kent, Oxfordshire and he Conservators of all the issues). The six themes cover atermeads nature bridges with public access from Surrey Areas. Epping Forest are public recreation and enjoyment, reserve, on the dawn to dusk and visitors can preparing a new 10- the preservation of the natural River Wandle in pass through it when walking THE RAMBLERS T year management plan and are aspect, protection of the unspoilt W Address: 2nd Floor, Camelford south west London, opened the adjacent Wandle Trail route House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, asking the public to contribute forest, regulation and management, to the public in May after from Waddon near Croydon to London SE1 7TW. their views to this through an heritage, and deer management. being hidden behind locked the river’s confluence with the Tel: 020 7339 8500 online consultation which runs Most readers who visit Epping gates for 100 years. The 11- Thames at Wandsworth. Fax: 020 7339 8501 until 20 September. They are Forest from time to time are acre (4.5h) site off London Once a trout stream, the Email: [email protected] asking for help to find out what likely to have views on the public Web: www.ramblers.org.uk Road in Mitcham, was one Wandle became one of the most Company registration no: you value most about the forest recreation and enjoyment of the first places to be saved industrialised and polluted 4458492 and which issues are important strand which includes accessibility, by the National Trust after rivers with at least two mills Registered charity no: 1093577 to you. paths and trails and public a successful appeal by trust operating at Watermeads. Based on the six key duties they transport, and many may be able to founding member Octavia Later, in the 20th century, the EDITORIAL are charged with under the Epping offer valuable contributions to the Editor: Les Douglas Hill and her sister Miranda. area was planted with cricket Email: [email protected] Forest Act 1878, the consultation other themes. The site now has new paths and bat willows. Tel: 020 8809 2338 covers six themes and divided into To participate in the consultation, (please leave message) 58 management issues (though they go to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ don’t expect anyone to respond to eppingforestconsultations. DESIGN AND PRINT Mortons Print Ltd - 01507 529255 Opinions expressed by contributors are not specifically endorsed by The Ramblers. ISSN 1747-4140 C 2015 The Ramblers. All rights reserved. Copy Date: For issue No. 92 is 12 October This sandstone bench overlooking the river at Watermeads was placed here in Epping Forest heritage treasure: timber-framed Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge, 1910 in memory of Octavia Hill’s sister, Miranda, a local teacher. near Chingford, built in 1543. continued from page 1 opinion and eventually they would take action held in a private file by a lengthy meeting with to remove them. In A a senior planner and the cabinet member and January 2014, the key papers including lawyers and a further doors came down. We walk details of the previous review. then pressed for street application were Finally, in 2013, the name signs, which had missing. However, city council decided to existed up to 2002, be between when the file wasassert that Brydges Place restored and private eventually located, was a public highway property signs removed. trains a complete copy was and gave notice that It has taken another 18 made available to me - unless the obstructing months to achieve this he Abbey Line at modest cost. That, doors were removed, but the signs are now up. Trail, launched together with the Tin March, links results of my searching stations on the Watford the minute book of St Junction to St Albans Martin’s vestry, backing Abbey branch railway from the community line. The full waymarked association and advice route between the from the Open Spaces termini is about nine Society, got my work on miles (15km) along the the way. Ver and Colne valleys but The collection and submission of local offshoots to intermediate residents’ statements stations provide a range about the open nature of shorter options. and uninterrupted use of The trail is the the alley going back to initiative of the Abbey at least the 1950s, were Line Community Rail all significant in getting Partnership, set up in 2005 the council to look at the to promote the line, and matter again. With local installed by Hertfordshire councillors involved Countryside Management and the endorsement of Service. A leaflet showing Inner London Ramblers all the route options is to pursue the matter, I available locally or can be and a local businessman, downloaded from http:// kept up the pressure. www.abbeyline.org.uk/ This culminated in the walks.htm. council taking counsel’s Signs now makes clear the legal status of the path.