tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.comments2024-03-15T22:41:45.412+00:00London underfootDes de Moorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-22147636824060612592024-03-15T22:41:23.325+00:002024-03-15T22:41:23.325+00:00Thanks Rambler and Strawberryyog! Delighted that t...Thanks Rambler and Strawberryyog! Delighted that this blog is still proving helpful, though overdue for an update I fear.<br /><br />And on that note, Keith, for some reason I thought I'd replied to the comment you posted in 2020 but it appears not. Thanks so much for that and I'm really gratified to read it. And thanks for all your work in putting the thing together in the first place. If, when, I get the time, I'll be revising this series of posts and bringing them more into line with the treatment I've been giving the London Loop and Capital Ring, more room for the heroes that helped shape the environment of the walk.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-64191882225456035392024-03-15T13:10:53.002+00:002024-03-15T13:10:53.002+00:00I was delighted to see the Ramblers comment above ...I was delighted to see the Ramblers comment above – I'm following it up! I would love to do this walk one day. Strawberryyoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01088158170872265875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-9857701614497982212024-03-13T21:35:30.739+00:002024-03-13T21:35:30.739+00:00Des
I have been leading the London Countryway as ...Des <br />I have been leading the London Countryway as a walk for Ramblers group Capital Walkers. Starting Feb 22 and due to finish Jun 24. It's been a great project, great walking with so much to experience and see. I have varied my route along the way, referencing both Keith's classic book and of course this very helpful blog. I would recommend this walk to anyone wanting to venture beyond the Capital Ring and London Loop...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-3652116527365611522024-01-11T23:48:26.663+00:002024-01-11T23:48:26.663+00:00Hello nicee postHello nicee postPixel Snpaperhttps://pixelsnpaper.tumblr.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-14055685521089416462023-12-10T11:25:35.963+00:002023-12-10T11:25:35.963+00:00I intend to return for walks in the area in a coup...I intend to return for walks in the area in a couple of years time - I hope to see the garden furniture again then. I used to know every footpath around Oxted and Westerham. I also hope to see the sad shrine near Chartwell when I return.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10603987317820861401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-76436203326583927792023-11-24T14:19:52.467+00:002023-11-24T14:19:52.467+00:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.John Myersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12295822154945997789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-33951599086002555472023-09-05T11:42:49.492+01:002023-09-05T11:42:49.492+01:00Hi Dee Dee and glad you're finding this useful...Hi Dee Dee and glad you're finding this useful. Shame about the overgrown path, seem to remember that's the one through the trees on the main road embankment. Unfortunately busy roads and overgrown paths are the bane of walks like this.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-17288659688076823022023-09-05T11:40:59.073+01:002023-09-05T11:40:59.073+01:00Thanks all!Thanks all!Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-48989652399179683182023-09-05T11:40:19.758+01:002023-09-05T11:40:19.758+01:00Thanks Anonymous and Jim. I think I remember that ...Thanks Anonymous and Jim. I think I remember that road section -- it's not too long and I can't remember it being particularly busy but it might depend on the time of the day. At some point if I get a chance to look at the route again I'll see if it can be avoided.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-3481177540087362212023-08-29T21:58:14.564+01:002023-08-29T21:58:14.564+01:00Hi Des, thanks so much for all this info and to ev...Hi Des, thanks so much for all this info and to everyone for the warnings about the terrifying road crossing. We did the walk yesterday and really enjoyed it. Just wanted to tell anyone planning to do it that the path from the church is extremely overgrown at the moment and not really passable. It’s worth the detour to have a look but you might need to walk back to the road. Dee Deenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-60139763869548307272023-08-25T09:54:41.457+01:002023-08-25T09:54:41.457+01:00Greaat shareGreaat shareThe Sixth Menhttps://thesixthmen.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-42369507262591281762023-08-04T17:21:12.319+01:002023-08-04T17:21:12.319+01:00Thanks for this brilliant blog - I've been usi...Thanks for this brilliant blog - I've been using it extensively as I've done the CountryWay over this summer (one stage to go). Something I found on this stage was a road section on the B2016 by Highlands House on the OS map was incredibly dangerous - very heavy, fast traffic including lorries with most of the stretch lacking walkable verges. If I ever did the Route again I would make for the Wealdway after Addington which then rejoins the standard route at the next point where it crosses a minor road.Ashvale Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449949637524979441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-34927541231528364842023-05-15T21:02:53.659+01:002023-05-15T21:02:53.659+01:00Hi Julian, glad you appreciated it and thanks for ...Hi Julian, glad you appreciated it and thanks for your detailed comments, your corrections and amplifications. I always assumed that tower was part of the Copper Box! Will incorporate your corrections when I get a chance. Cheers -- DesDes de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-12393420416906340122023-05-08T21:09:32.519+01:002023-05-08T21:09:32.519+01:00Hi, thanks for this very detailed description of t...Hi, thanks for this very detailed description of the locations along this walk. I lived in Muswell Hill back in the 1970s when they opened the walk along the Old railway. In the 1980s I moved to Stroud Green so at different times I used to walk the sections between Highgate Woods and Alexandra Palace and then between Highgate Woods and Finsbury Park. Other great memories of those times were the creation of the Jackson's Lane Community Centre and the long-running campaign to stop the widening of the Archway Road and the public inquiry into the project. <br /><br />More recently I moved to the other end of the ring and became familiar with the Marshes and Hackney Wick. <br /><br />I would like to add a couple of comments on the latter part of the walk when it gets to Hackney Wick and the Olympic Park. <br /><br />You say of Here East "Behind those hoardings they were building the Media Centre on the former site of the old Hackney Wick Stadium". I would have to say for the most part, the Media Centre/Here East is built on the former common land at Arena Fields, which is where the children from the Gainsborough School used to play, using their bridge to get across the canal. The Olympics Act allowed the Olympic Delivery Authority to build on that piece of common land, which otherwise would not have happened. The old dog stadium may intrude a bit on the site but for the most part was further east. It was on the west side of Waterden Road on its previous alignment when it ran nearer to the Old River Lea. <br /><br />A bit further on you write "On the left is the distinctive tower of the Copper Box". I am not sure what tower you are referring to. As far as I am aware the Copper Box doesn't have a tower. However, there is a tower which is part of the Energy Centre, which is just over the road from the Copper Box, which in turn was built on the site of the King's Yard https://www.power-technology.com/projects/olympic-park-energy-centre/. The ODA originally promised to keep King's Yard, the brother site of Queen's Yard on the other side of the canal but then broke their promise. Part of the King's Yard was retained, http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/archive/node/414.html. King's Yard included curved roofs on timber Belfast trusses.<br /><br />Finally, you refer to the "Wallis Road footbridge, opened in 2013, which even has a lift at the far end". Sadly, one of the consequences of the construction of this bridge and the lift that was later added was they took land away from the Eton Mission Rowing Club http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/archive/blog/1972.html and https://spitalfieldslife.com/2011/07/12/at-the-eton-mission-rowing-club/.<br /><br />There is a wonderful mix of sardonic comment in this Hackney Wick section of your blog. I particularly loved "The district, much of which forms a conservation area, is still in the process of being transformed into the sort of residential neighbourhood that estate agents describe as ‘vibrant’, while rendering it unaffordable to the people who created that vibrancy in the first place" and "In 2015, Michael Vallance, who had run a car repair business in the yard since 1992, left claiming he was forced out by ‘arty types colonising east London’. Without a trace of irony, Crate, who took over the vacant unit as an events venue, gave it the suitably funky name ‘Mick’s Garage’" and of the Lord Napier "It was restored and reopened in 2021 as a comfortable but determinedly on-trend bar and venue, and the new owners have retained its former decorations, including a slogan across an upper floor which bluntly summarises the recent history of the area as ‘From shithouse to penthouse’."<br /><br />Thank you.Julian Cheynenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-73704446535021204702023-05-03T17:05:17.863+01:002023-05-03T17:05:17.863+01:00Thanks for comment London Rambler. The Countryway ...Thanks for comment London Rambler. The Countryway is more challenging and rural and the sections between stations tend to be longer, but it's still doable by trains from London (assuming they're running). And well worth it.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-30609423336202306372023-04-02T12:46:20.610+01:002023-04-02T12:46:20.610+01:00Having previously completed the Capital Ring and j...Having previously completed the Capital Ring and just done the London Loop I was looking around for something else.<br />Unfortunately, travel to and from the various London Loop stages (mostly two at a time) was a wee bit "challenging", especially with the strikes.<br />I fear that completing the London Country Way would be an absolute nightmare from the point of view of getting there and back.London Ramblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-71407596256771277402022-11-04T17:17:43.204+00:002022-11-04T17:17:43.204+00:00Very good and detailed. A shame you couldn't q...Very good and detailed. A shame you couldn't quite keep a lid on your class prejudices when it comes to the school at Harrow-on-the-Hill - but I suppose you are playing to the gallery! I may use some of the other text as a guide to my next ramble around Greedford, where I grew up in the 60s, but spent little time learning its history. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12623092152027364855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-35037659323112087682022-10-12T14:02:21.574+01:002022-10-12T14:02:21.574+01:00I walked this section last weekend. I had marked t...I walked this section last weekend. I had marked the whole route with a highlighter pen on multiple OS maps and mostly followed OS 148 without referring to the directions. However, I did go wrong once I had crossed Teston Road - the right of way is no longer (or not currently) visible on the ground and I missed an essential right-turn, instead continuing south on the vehicle track through the orchards and emerging eventually on Comp Lane. I got back on track by walking past the various Comps and turning right at Great Comp. On the plus side, having gone astray in this way, I didn't have to walk through the second of the two golf courses on this section. <br /><br />The London Underfoot commentary is excellent.<br /><br />Will be walking stage 3 this coming weekend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-74472898140359269602022-10-02T16:55:50.578+01:002022-10-02T16:55:50.578+01:00I am walking the Countryway over the winter. Just ...I am walking the Countryway over the winter. Just completed the first section and the detailed instructions were excellent. Used these to get out of Gravesend, which otherwise would have been tricky (unless you are not concerned to follow the intended route). Also to cross Jeskyns, which isn't shown as such on my older OS map 163. There are, by the way, none of the accidental left/right confusions mentioned elsewhere. The contextual information is very good too - you could print off and bind the route descriptions and commentaries and make a very decent book! <br /><br />Thanks for making the Countryway available - I'm looking forward to the next 21 sections.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-9839945462887096732022-07-09T21:33:48.482+01:002022-07-09T21:33:48.482+01:00The Jubilee Path section is no longer passable. It...The Jubilee Path section is no longer passable. It's now completely overgrown. Have to use the<br />Enfield Greenway.Jackchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649291158478839951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-1593784043372815532022-06-07T20:06:29.920+01:002022-06-07T20:06:29.920+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.A Class Fabricationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815541207978976682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-72241595773545346142022-06-01T21:03:40.216+01:002022-06-01T21:03:40.216+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Wanjaranomad123https://www.blogger.com/profile/10923905309470880581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-15371935109232316952022-06-01T19:20:33.566+01:002022-06-01T19:20:33.566+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Astrologer Satinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00291030673852537794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-66216083829141325512022-06-01T19:19:44.392+01:002022-06-01T19:19:44.392+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Astrologer Satinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00291030673852537794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-77642491355727763392022-05-31T19:21:36.277+01:002022-05-31T19:21:36.277+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Astrologer Satinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00291030673852537794noreply@blogger.com