Nice walk on Sunday 31st - All welcome!

Ian Bull · Post by **Ian Bull** » 23 Jan 2010 05:04

Hullo everyone.

I tried to put this in the diary but it wouldn't work.

On Sunday 31st, at 10am 'Walk London' is offering a guided walk from Nunhead station to Crystal Palace. Some of you joined this a year ago and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. This year it's a bit longer but still leisurely and has a very special treat in Crystal Palace Park. There's no need to book.

The route follows the Green Chain Walk's forthcoming Crystal Palace to Nunhead extension. There will be a publicised opening walk in April but that will be less comprehensive than ours and they won't get the historical photos or commentary!

Leaving the station we'll take a good look around Nunhead Cemetery and then to Camberwell New Cemetery. Up the steep path to the top of One Tree Hill to see 'The Oak of Honour' and the wonderful view.

Down the other side of One Tree Hill and meet with resident, Ian White, at the pioneering self-build housing in Walter's Way for a talk. Very popular last year. We'll then go to the Horniman Museum for lunch.

The muddy and green Sydenham Hill Woods Nature Reserve follows. We'll seek out the remains of the once splendid gardens amongst the trees. Past the modernist 'Six Pillars' and the 'Dulwich Wood House' into the former Upper Sydenham railway station, its station house and the mouths of old railway tunnels.

A strange concrete blockhouse (you'll see) and the imposing entrance to 'Paxton Tunnel' await in High Level Drive and then up the slope to Sydenham Hill. Through Crystal Palace Park to meet Ranger, Andy Hayden, who'll give us our treat. He's going to take us to feed the Dinosaurs. The rare privilege of getting onto their island.

Good stuff eh? Should be excellent fun!

Just to sum up...

Sunday 31st. Meet at Nunhead station 10am. About 6.5 miles. Finish by 4.30pm. You can see the route on the web at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3360491

Hope to see you all there. My mobile No. on the day will be 077 998 101 78. PLEASE NOTE that this cannot receive texts or voicemail messages. Meanwhile, feel free to ask any questions you might have.

All the best

Ian Bull

020 7223 3572

Tim Lund · Post by **Tim Lund** » 24 Jan 2010 19:10

I just spoke to Ian - apparently advisable to bring gumboots to get across to the dinosoaur island at the end. Steve Grindlay also tells me he hopes to be in the walk, so we'll be extra well informed!

mikej · Post by **mikej** » 24 Jan 2010 20:38

Thanks Ian, it sounds just brilliant. Fingers crossed for decent weather. I hope to be there.

Ian Bull · Post by **Ian Bull** » 26 Jan 2010 01:15

Thanks to Tim Lund and Mikej for the replies.

As Tim said, there's a little fording to be done at the end. To get onto the Dinosaur's island we'll have to cross the top of a weir. It's about three feet wide and the water will be one inch deep.

I hope this doesn't put you all off!

Best

Ian Bull

Tim Lund · Post by **Tim Lund** » 26 Jan 2010 09:17

I'm going to put a few pairs of gumboots in a rucksack, have them available for loan. So you wear the boots, carrying your own footware across, escorted by me, say, and then put your own footware back on, while I take the gumboots back for more who want to walk with dinosours. A variant might be wellie wanging, to save the trouble of an escort - how far is it to throw?

Ian Bull · Post by **Ian Bull** » 27 Jan 2010 02:15

Tim, that's very kind of you and am sure your generosity will be well received.

If we're going to have a welly throwing contest there will be no losers as the water is only 3 feet wide and one inch deep. I'm going to jump it! (I hope).

Best

Ian

juliand · Post by **juliand** » 30 Jan 2010 12:59

Ian Bull wrote:Sunday 31st. Meet at Nunhead station 10am. About 6.5 miles. Finish by 4.30pm. You can see the route on the web at...

Ian,

I'm interested in coming along on the walk with the kids but would like to join you at Hornimans for just the second half, if that's ok. What time do you think you will be leaving Hornimans?

Hope to see you tommorow,
Julian.

Ian Bull · Post by **Ian Bull** » 31 Jan 2010 02:53

Hullo Julian,

Sorry for the delay, I was out leading another walk today!

I'm hoping we'll be at Hornimans at about 12.30. The Café may be busy so I suspect we won't be leaving until 1pm. Last year most of us ended up around the conservatory.

Please note that you MUST be signed-in to this walk. Either I or one of the back-markers will be around to do this. Ask for me or Allen Conley.

My No. will be 077 998 101 78. This cannot receive voicemails or texts.

All the best

Ian

Falkor · Post by **Falkor** » 31 Jan 2010 21:15

Thanks to Ian and the crowd of 80 or so that turned up; much needed bit of exercise!

Best info IMO was about the DIY houses off Honor Oak Park, for which I plan to share the video I captured. In the meantime, here's my photos, which I had to crop down a bit.

(click for larger)

Falkor · Post by **Falkor** » 31 Jan 2010 22:31

3 more pictures have been added to the above since my initial post, and here's the first 2 (out of 3) videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehbmqb4VK_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPVZaODrMaQ
Big 9 minute one to follow tomorrow!

Falkor · Post by **Falkor** » 1 Feb 2010 06:50

Last video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPJDE-xvzs

Ian Bull · Post by **Ian Bull** » 2 Feb 2010 03:14

Hullo everyone,

Many thanks to the very many of you who took part in this walk. It was a real privilege to have such a pleasant group for company. I do hope you enjoyed it.

With such a large number, no less than 96 in all (!), it just wasn't possible to give the detail I'd like to have done. I've a lot of walk leading under my belt and know that the larger the group, the slower the progress.

I just had to stay at the front all time or risk the group losing momentum. The result was that I hardly had the chance to speak to any of you and I regret this.

The unexpected cancellation of our special visit at *literally* the last minute (well, within 4 minutes) was a great disappointment and most embarrassing for me. That said, from the emails I've received I suspect that most of you did enjoy the walk very much. I'm more than pleased about that.

Thanks to all again for being such great company and thanks to 'Falkor' for putting up his photos and videos.

There'll be more walks on the Green Chain, possibly quite a few, from April or so and I'll keep everyone informed.

All the best

Ian

noangel · Post by **noangel** » 2 Feb 2010 11:58

Ian, thanks very much for leading this walk. I had a fabulous time on the walk and wouldn't hesitate to join such a walk again. I discovered places that are 5 minutes away from my front door that I never knew existed!! I would recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to this walk if the opportunity arose again.

Whilst slightly disappointed about the last minute cancellation, it was a blessing as I had reached the point where it was time to head home to warmth and a nice cuppa

Once again very many thanks.

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Nice walk on Sunday 31st - All welcome!

Nice walk on Sunday 31st - All welcome!

Walk on 31st January. Additional information.

Re: Nice walk on Sunday 31st - All welcome!

Walk on 31st January. Additional information.

Thanks for walking!