Paddington to paddington (June 20th)

weather overcast mostly and humid. 16.7 miles.

I was aware the grand union canal had a second side arm joining the Thames and how to see it resulted in planning a circular walk. so i start with my arrival at Paddington station

with the surprise of seeing a carriage on the platform from the Ffestiniog railway, i gess advertising their existence, or celebrating some milestone, i know no which but a surprise anyway of a railway i hope to ride again in August.

Now purchase a cuppa and wander of around the corner in search of the Paddington end of the grand union canal, a little sign pointed the way and it was nice and quiet as i headed north to little Venice which soon hove into view, pretty enough as i circled to the far side and start following what is now called the regents canal. This did involve a little of pavement looking down on the canal as the path is gated in places for those who live there.

At one point the canal disappears in a short tunnel but this was no problem just following the road ahead and then find a sign for access back down to the tow path where the tunnel ends.

Yes this could all sound a bit to good as i strolled alongside many barges that are homes, because when i got to the far end of them i came upon a locked gate, ho hum the hikers favorite pass time, back tracking !, well lady luck shone on me once again when only a few yards back i mentioned to a man working on his barge roof the locked gate, no problem as he had a key, so a few minutes chat about the canal and what we were both doing with life saw the gate unlocked and me on my way again.

The canal now runs around Regents park but is in a fairly deep cutting giving an unusual view of some nice architecture in the par, after a while i start to hear rather a lot of bird calls then above me rises a huge netted cage with what look like a selection of Ibis in it (that’s my bird type guessing over for today), of course the map showed i was passing a zoo which explained the situation nicely.

Nearing the end of the park there was a very top heavy looking barge, i guess it’s some kind of floating eatery.

It gets a bit difficult to choose what to photograph as this post could be a lot of photo’s long, but on i go wandering along the path this canal meanders through the Camden area and then down towards St pancras.

A few times i have ridden out of this large station and looked down on the canal below wondering what it was like, today i was finding out that it is certainly pretty.

And there was some inspired writing on the wall in some places. (of course there was plenty of graffiti that looked little more than a mess to me).

Moving on towards the Islington area brings a small problem.

The canal disappears in a tunnel but i could just see light at the end of the tunnel, with no foot path through the tunnel i climbed the steps to street level.

Initially i spotted a sign pointing me in the direction of the eastern end of the tunnel, then the signs disappeared and after a while of guess work i became a little nervous of getting to far north, the biggest problem is old eyes starign at the street map in vain and not wanting to put my pack down to fish out some spectacles i did the other option and asked some one who gave excellent directions.  So i’m at street level walking through Islington, seems like a good idea to take a snack break as i was feeling the humidity a little. Food and drink enjoyed i continue, find the canal again and down the steps, onto the path and the quiet canal side stroll continues, through some really nice area’s, old locks, buildings, even a tall chimney, some new development happening, bits of parks and wildlife sanctuaries. i passed the junction with the Hartford canal and thought oh another path unwalked, maybe in the future.

I can only say it was a pleasure all the way to meeting the Thames once again, this time at the Limehouse basin.

And took the this photo back at the last lock into that basin. Now i planned to pick up the Thames path, this time on the north side of the river which was easy enough and i found like when i was on the south side some time ago, it consists of quite a bit of popping to the waters edge where access allows and back amongst high buildings where access is denied. Never mind it’s what we have and i must say initially it was surprisingly quiet.  Approaching tower bridge this changed as throngs of tourists were encountered.

It did give a nice photo opportunity for architecture old and new.

So the theme is places i have not been before, i carry on along the north shore passing many things i have heard of like Cleopatra’s needle, and when i get opposite the London eye, beside big ben i turn right to find St James park. Oh dear, noise abundant, music, loud hailers and banners, yes it’s some sort of protest and i’m walking through the middle of it while noticing the large police presence, none of this was much of a hindrance and provided a nice counter play to reaching the park which was quiet and green with some pleasant wild scents on the breeze. So a walk in the park is all very nice, then it ends at a big round about.

I found myself outside a big house with shiny gates, but seeing no sign for cream tea’s i didn’t stop. No, i carried on up constitution hill and across into Hyde park where there was a tea kiosk, it sure was time for a pack of rest. The walk through this park was along side the serpentine and i’m used to seeing Canada geese in this country but was a little surprised that here they were out numbered by graylag geese and Egyptian geese. At the far end of the serpentine is the end of the park, leaving me with a few streets to navigate before seeing where i started. Was it a good day, well the forecast today was for many showers, i must admit the air did feel damp for a couple of short spells, but it was not easy to notice so basically a dry day.

Slough to Ealing (June 6th).

warm most of the time, occasional cool breeze. 17.5 miles.

The early train to Slough ran smoothly and a short walk with careful attention to the map, well, just gazing around actually got me to the very end of the slough arm of the Grand union canal and away we go to see what it is like.

Very nice i have to say, surprisingly quiet and flat all the way to the main junction which is getting a bit ahead of myself as it’s five miles of wildlife, two fishermen, a very occasional dog walker or cyclist and amazingly quiet, one area of barges moored but it appears all the occupants are having a lie in, and there was a bridge with a wall covering of collected garbage (yep it looked good).

When i reach the main canal it’s an area of canalside development which is nice enough and a little busier, even see a barge moving while a cormorant went paddling by like a duck seemingly totally at ease with people on the tow path (that would not happen at home). So its nice, sunny, i pass under some excellent new’ish bridges and some of the canal side flowers are two good to not photograph like this mass of wild rose.

When it’s this nice, time and miles slip by with little attention and when i reach Hayes i decide to pop of the path and into the town for a snack, what a difference, suddenly mass of people and i can report it is definitely multi cultural. Snack over it’s return to the quiet path and carry on regardless, Heathrow airport is as busy as usual but the way the wind is means little noise from the planes. I reach the next canal junction which links with the arm that goes to Paddington and beyond, not that way for me today but it’s on the todo list.

Still more wildlife than people, (am i really near London?) and shock when i reach Hanwell as there is the first lock of the day (that means a slope to negotiate :).  In a way i now run out of words good enough for the couple of miles there are several locks as the canal descends from the hills and this area is more beautiful than i could ever of imagined, i would go as far as saying it’s as good as any part of the grand union canal i have walked, i could easily imagine this is just how it looked a hundred years ago and can only recommend anyone near London walk this stretch.

As i get nearer Brentford the tall buildings start to appear but not in a spoil the view way and in one place i pass a long wall covered in a mural (only get part of it in an image).

I finally reach some huge motorised locks and the gate house says Thames lock,

yes the signs change from Grand union canal walk to Thames path and looking down from a nearby bridge it would appear the tide is out and the river is mostly mud.

Now my walk didn’t finish here as i had worked out earlier from maps that my best bet for getting on the train line going west (homeward) was to walk onto Ealing, so i followed the path a little further and turned north on the correct road to plod through what was a nice enough area including passing the entrance to Ealing cemetery whose clock was very wrong but the building was great to look at.

I even passed a sign pointing to Ealing studios, could some of us meet there some time to make “Carry on hiking” Well i suppose we would have to practice innuendo (not really a serious thought). There we are, i found Ealing station and was soon homeward bound. Another good day. (really i feel it was excellent).

Bedwyn to Newbury (June 1st)

forecast dry start with wet afternoon. 13.5 miles. A walk i have done before at a different time of year and still very enjoyable. It’s a short train journey to the start and just over a bridge and onto the canal path, nature has been very busy growing since i was last here and it soon obvious that flowering plants are abundant.   The miles tick by as does the time while i get distracted often to look at plants and insects, a few barges pass by, but i would say the canal is far from busy, i pass a couple of fishermen and an occasional walker but mostly i am alone.  I go under the old railbridge which has recently had a coat of paint and reach Hungerford marsh where i divert from the canal path to follow a small stream i know often has some interesting birds on it, today was a little disappointing in that respect but still very nice area. so back on the canal path i enter the lovely town and find the coffee shop which has a baguette that catches my eye as well, it’s a hard life is hiking. So sit by the canal and enjoy lunch while some optimistic ducks hang around for crumbs.  Once i leave hungerford the path goes along the edge of Hungerford common and then dunmill where i spot a lovely family of swans. And so the path continues, sometimes the wind gets a bit busy but the promised rain has not arrived yet. Beyond Kintbury i stop by a bridge for it’s the sort of day where sitting with the boots amongst flowers and gazing downstream seems a great idea, summer isn’t for ever. Yes it’s lovely the last 3 miles pass by nicely, the path is good all the way, and after i reach home the rain starts. (must be a good day).

Kingham circuit (May 30th)

weather fair, 5 to 6 miles.

Well, meet with a small band of friends today for a wildlife ramble in the cotswolds, we met at Kingham station and wandered towards Kingham village where for some unknown reason we visited two pubs for comparison and then set of across fields towards Bledington. The day was nice and so were the paths with some nice wooden bridges across streams.                                                                                                          

Bledington itself is as pretty as such villages should remain and the church certainly caught my eye.

From here we headed across farmland towards and through the woods surrounding foxhole and dropped down onto the Oxfordshire way at a point i remember walking a couple of years ago following the river evenlode. so it was a familiar path back to Bledington and then a small road to the station for return home. There we are, nothing special to report just a jolly in the countryside. another good day.

Ludgvan to lands end (May 23rd)

What a lovely place to wake up with the sound of a few farm animals nearby and a light mist gradually clearing, yes i get to pack a fairly dry tent after cup o soup, this is going to be a day to enjoy. We set of across fields on footpaths not always clear and gradually Penzance comes into view. The gentle down hill into town was a pleasure and we come upon a little cafe that does the full breakfast, then stroll through town making any purchases necesary and work our way westward past the youth hostel and out onto footpaths and small lanes again. Time we reached Sancreed it was hot and a pack of rest was needed. I looked around the church for a water supply but found none, though i did see bees swarming on the back of the church and a very interesting grave stone made from an old mill stone. I asked a local about a shop or pub and there was none, but he supplied me with water and was very interesting to talk to giving a potted history of the pubs demise and told me about the nearby holy well. So when we left we visited the holy well which had a tree overhanging it covered in bits of cloth and other donations. Now followed a couple of hours of mostly foot paths and eventually the uphill slog to the top of Carn Brae, (here again i saw a sign warning of Adders but saw no adders). Pack of sat at the top made the journey worthwhile, we had a great view of the southern end of the country with the rocks and attendant light house clearly in view. Ah, the end is near, we wandered down the hill and along a road to Sennan for sandwich and drink, then it was the last mile or so to the lands end sign post where Andy could finally say he made it. (He rightly looked rather pleased and relieved, well done pal ). What we hadn’t expected was that on approaching lands end i heard a fog horn and sure enough a bank of fog was across the sea obscuring any views of the rocks and light house we could see so clearly a little while ago (such is cornish weather).

So after photo’s were taken, drinks were found and it’s catch a bus in the car park back to Penzance, the ride was great fun after so much walking. A pub in town served excellent food and then we went out to Marazion to a small campsite which again i would recommend. One thing that should be mentioned at the end of this approximately 130 mile journey is Andy’s humor about his new tent. Yes night one started with big smiles about the new cute tent, through the week i have never known a tent who’s poles have snapped so often, there were repair tubes, sticks, a walking pole and plenty of duct tape holding it together by the last night, i will leave him to write a review of it on his blog.