Central London CTC blog » Walks

Memorials, Sculpture and Architecture Walk 14th Jan 2012

Marion Houghton — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:52:00 +0000

Fantastic bright cold and sunny weather greeted the large group that assembled at Embankment Tube and we set out at once to savour the statues of the great and good in Embankment Gardens. Taking in the controversial Battle of Britain memorial and Boudicca on her chariot we pressed on through the tourists past Cromwell and Richard I to the Victoria Tower gardens to see the work of a Victorian ‘rogue’ gothic architect in the colourful shape of the Buxton fountain. Back through Parliament Square for a well earned coffee in the Methodist Central Hall and a spontaneous guided tour of the building. Then up Whitehall for the Cenotaph, Foreign Office, Haig and sundry others and through Horseguards to see “the best equestrian statue ever”. After lunch the memorials came thick and fast down the Mall, up the Duke of York steps for more Boys Own heroes and onwards to finish triumphantly at Hyde Park corner in the gathering gloom of a January afternoon. I didn’t count but it must have been 20-25 individual artworks in all in the space of about 2 miles. They were in turn sad, pompous, eccentric, vainglorious, heroic, dignified, restrained and some frankly naff – all of them gave us something to think about.

Epping Forest Walk

Anna Bagi — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:05:01 +0000

A nice crowd of fifteen gathered outside Theydon Bois station, which is the last station before Epping on the central line. We managed to navigate our way through Epping Forest’s innumerable unmarked paths with a deliberate diversion off the path for some extra fun. Had a tea stop at High Beach. We were very lucky with the weather so we could comfortably sit outside.

: Epping Forest

We continued through the endless labyrinth of further paths and miraculously found our lunch stop, the Tudor gem: Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge near Chingford station, which it was compulsory to visit to add a historical/cultural edge to the walk.

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge

Most people had a pub lunch at the Royal Forest next door, while few of us had their sandwiches outside in the wind.

We continued following the Centenary walk, which is marked in most maps, but never on the actual path. Dodged many puddles and flying golf balls. Near Highams Park station there was an escape opportunity for the sensible or the faraway living people at about 16.00. Twelve of us continued the remaining 4km. We managed to negotiate the labyrinth of the A503-A406 roundabout after which deep mud was waiting for us in the dark forest. This was not to everyone’s taste for some reason, so they choose the road instead finishing in Snaresbrook tube station. Five brave musketeers continued on the path which turned out to be very enjoyable in the moonlight, reminding some of us of the atmosphere of the Dunwich Dynamo.

We rewarded ourselves with some well deserved drinks and food in the Walnut Tree (a very pleasant Weatherspoons). Some people managed to miss the fabulous Hitchcock mosaics at Leytonstone station. I imagine this was due to being deep in a conversation, rather than being under the influence …

: Hitchcock Mosaic

Walking in a winter wonderland

Richard Philpott — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:41:54 +0000

Some photos from last Saturday’s walk, led by Phil Benstead:

Walking the Seven Sisters

Richard Philpott — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:14:56 +0000

Four photos, by James Blandford, of a sunny but very breezy walk along the Sussex cliffs last Saturday.

Map of the walk.

The Start (and End) of Summer

Richard Philpott — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:05:25 +0000

On Michael’s walk along the ridge of the South Downs on Saturday, with ice creams on Ditchling Beacon and afternoon tea in Lewes, it felt as if Summer had arrived at last (for one day only). Here are a few photos and a map of the walk: