walkerSOUTH EAST No. 103 September 2018 London Ramblers pull out the stops for first National Park City week Bedfordshire Walking Festival takes place from 8 -16 September and this is the programme cover. Turn to page 7 for more. One of the London National Park City walks take a break on Streatham Common. Photo: Des Garrahan amblers in London October, and by Croydon and of National Park City week, #LoveLondonWalkLondon put on a brilliant West Essex groups, which form along with Travelcard wallets campaign and about his love of R programme of 30 part of Surrey and Essex Areas containing information about walking in the capital. walks in the inaugural respectively. The walks focused Ramblers in London. A Whilst it's too early to judge National Park City week on London's lesser-known parks SurveyMonkey has also been the event's success, it has been in July. The event, which and green spaces in a wide variety sent to leaders to complete a fantastic opportunity for us ran for nine days including of locations and landscapes so that we can analyse our to showcase to the public and two weekends, was run - including Brockley's Three outcomes and consider what we the Greater London Authority by the Greater London Peaks Walk, Pymmes Brook, the might do differently if the event the variety and scale of what Authority in conjunction Peckham Coal Line, Wanstead runs again next year. Ramblers does in London both with the National Park City Flats and a National Gallery art National Park City week through the walks themselves Foundation. It included 300- walk. We ran weekend walks started on Saturday 21 July with and the social media around plus events in total, run by and both weekday daytime and a community fair at Conway them and the week. Thanks 130 different voluntary and evening walks every day of the Hall in central London. Inner to everyone who supported community organisations, event, ranging in length from London Area Secretary, Helen the Ramblers' engagement and we were pleased to be able three to 11 miles. Abbott, organised a stall there in National Park City week, to make such a significant Prior to the week we ran a to promote Ramblers and our whether by leading a walk, contribution to it. briefing meeting and social at programme of walks for the week. staffing the stall at Conway Walks were provided by over which we distributed special Former national Chair, Des Hall, or by accommodating 20 different leaders from most membership forms to walk Garrahan, was one of the event's the week in your group's walks of the Inner London groups, leaders with a code enabling 26 guest speakers, each of whom programme. Confused: South Bank Ramblers came across this signpost in the village of Blackheath, Surrey. by West London Group, which us to track the number of new was allotted seven minutes. Clare Wadd Photo: Robert Witter joins Inner London Area in members joining as a result Des spoke about the Ramblers' Chair, Inner London Area 2 South East Walker September 2018 South East Walker September 2018 3 walkerSOUTH EAST New guide from Kent Ramblers Pymmes Brook Trail relaunched Distributed quarterly to members ollowing the success of the Area's guide to anyone quoting code SEW1809 when ordering of the Ramblers in Bedfordshire, ack in the 1990s, a much- But one of them, the Pymmes a new and colourfully-illustrated of historical and cultural interest, all South East Walker readers can the first part of the England Coast Path in before the end of October can buy for just £5.00 The Kent Ramblers Guide to Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton 1 missed organisation called Brook Trail, is to be relaunched in 112-page guide to the route by described in the book. buy a copy for the special price of Kent, from Camber to Ramsgate, the Area is Keynes and West Middlesex, Essex, F including postage. Copies of the Coast Path guide the London Walking October. Created as a combined Colin Saunders, whose guides to the Links with stations at High £7.00 plus £2.00 p&p, from Colin planning another walking guide. Three River Valley B Inner London, Kent, Oxfordshire and are still available, currently £6.50 including postage Forum encouraged boroughs initiative of the London Boroughs Capital Ring, London Loop, North Barnet, New Barnet, Cockfosters, Saunders at 35 Gerrards Close, Surrey Areas. The new guide, 'Three River Valley Walks in West if bought from Kent Ramblers (it is also available Walks in West Kent around London to come up with of Barnet and Enfield, it originally Downs Way and Vanguard Way are Arnos Grove, Palmers Green, Silver London N14 4RH, or from his Kent', will cover three of Kent's many named paths, from bookshops and on-line retailers including ideas for new walking routes. ran for 10 miles across north-east familiar to many ramblers. The book Street, Northumberland Park and website www.colinsaunders.org. THE RAMBLERS the Darent Valley Path, the Eden Valley Walk and the Amazon at other prices). However, readers of Darent Valley Path Sadly, the Forum no longer exists, London from Cockfosters station to describes a more logical 13-mile route Tottenham Hale, together with uk. Copies will be available on the Address: 2nd Floor, Camelford Medway Valley Walk. These walks are within easy reach South East Walker quoting the above code can Eden Valley Walk leaving a cavernous hole in the Picketts Lock on the Lee Navigation, that starts at Hadley Green, where excellent bus connections, allow walks. All profits will go to The House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, of large numbers of people, including the millions living buy both books for £9.00 including postage. Medway Valley Walk promotion of walking in the and naturally followed as closely as the headwaters of Pymmes Brook walkers to split the route into as many Enfield Society. London SE1 7TW. in south east London, but are not well used despite Publication date is not yet finalised but should Tel: 020 7339 8500 Robert Peel capital, and many of the routes possible Pymmes Brook, a tributary rise, near the site of the Battle of sections as they want, and there are the attractive scenery and interesting places they pass. be late August or early September. Please check Email: [email protected] Previous guides to the walks produced by Kent County that were developed then have of the River Lea. Barnet, one of the Wars of the Roses, many opportunities for refreshment. our website www.kentramblers.org.uk/books for sunk into obscurity. The relaunch is accompanied by and descends gently through East The relaunch will take place over Web: www.ramblers.org.uk Council have long been out of print so we are hoping Company registration no: the latest information and ordering instructions. Barnet, Osidge, Palmers Green and the weekend of 27 - 28 October, that our new publication will stimulate renewed interest 4458492 in the routes. All profits support the work of Kent Ramblers. Edmonton to finish at Tottenham with a walk of about 6.5 miles each Registered charity no: 1093577 The Coast Path guide has already contributed Hale, where the brook flows into the day. The Saturday walk, led by Dave The book includes newly prepared full-colour 1:25,000 maps which at the time of printing will be a surplus of £2,500 and, more importantly, River Lea. Cockle of The Enfield Society, will EDITORIAL more up to date than the Ordnance Survey Explorer helped to promote the new Coast Path and The route is surprisingly green in start from High Barnet station at Editor: Les Douglas maps, detailed route descriptions, notes on all the encourage people to take advantage of this great such an urban area, passing through 10am and finish at Arnos Grove Email: [email protected] points of interest along the way, background historical opportunity for walkers. Monken Hadley Common, Oak station. The Sunday walk, led Tel: 020 8809 2338 A guide for walkers and cyclists and geographical information and scores of colour Those looking forward to the second part of Hill Park, Brunswick Park, Arnos by Colin Saunders, author of the (please leave message) Newly-drawn mapping based on Ordnance photographs and diagrams. the Coast Path guide will have to wait for some Survey data at 1:25,000 scale Park, Broomfield Park, Bowes guidebook, will start from Arnos DESIGN AND PRINT As with the Coast Path guide, we would like readers time yet as completion of the path in Kent is Information about points of interest, geology, Meadow, Millfield, Pymmes Park Grove station at 10.30am and finish geography and history of the area Mortons Print Ltd - 01507 529255 of South East Walker to be amongst the first to get not expected before 2020. Why not tackle the and Tottenham Marshes, taking at Tottenham Hale station. There their hands on the new book and at a very special price. three river valley walks while waiting? advantage of several new brookside will be opportunities for refreshment Opinions expressed by contributors The list price of the 80-page book will be £7.50 but Robert Peel stretches that have been made at a cafe during the walks, but you are not specifically endorsed by accessible in recent years. One of can bring a picnic if you prefer, and The Ramblers. London's least well-known beauty there are pubs near the finish for ISSN 1747-4140 with neurological problems, which she continued. "It would be a dream spots, Jack's Lake, features early in the further refreshment if required.