Ramble No. 3 - Knole Park, Kent

Date: Wed 15 June 2011
Place : Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent

Distance: Only about 3 miles

Time: about 90 mins
Weather: Overcast, occasional sunny spells.


Start: NT Car Park, Knole


Followed the Daily Telegraph route starting from the house, where deer were posing conveniently for us.

Through open park land, followed by a plantation,














then open parkland again.

 

 Finished with a tour of the house and afternoon tea.

 

Ramble No. 2 - Chelsea

Date: Thu 9 June 2011
Place : Chelsea, London

Distance: No idea!

Time: No idea!
Weather: Overcast, occasional light showers


Start: Sloane Square tube station


After a look round Peter Jones (well it was raining!), headed for the Royal Hospital, but the grounds were closed for Founders Day. Over Chelsea Bridge with galleon lamp standards and views of Battersea power station. Into Battersea Park, renovated for the anniversary of the 1951 Festival of Britain, past the Buddhist Peace Pagoda.
 

Lunch outside a park cafe before finding Henry Moore's 3(4?) standing figures. Over Albert Bridge  (pedestrian only as it's in the midst of major renovation).

 Down Cheyne Walk, avoiding a shower by dodging into Chelsea Old Church (completely rebuilt after bombing in the war) to see the Thomas Moore memorial.

Zig-zagged through some very nice Chelsea back streets past a medieval hall and the site of the Chelsea porcelain factory through the Chelsea Farmer's Market to St Luke's Church where Dickens was married and we had afternoon tea.

Back to Sloane Square via King's Road shops and a visit to the free Saatchi Gallery (in the old Duke of York's Territorial HQ). 

PS Too early to get the train home on our cheap ticket, so rounded off the day with supper at the National Theatre and two of the best stalls seats for £10 each to see a preview of "Emperor and Galilean" by Ibsen. A long day (home at 23:45 after over 22,000 steps), as the trains were disrupted due to cable theft at Woking!

Ramble No.1 - Box Hill

Date: Fri 3 June 2011
Place : Box Hill, Surrey
Distance: 5 miles
Time: No idea!
Weather: Warm sunshine
Going: Very dry


Start: NT car park at the top of Box Hill



After coffee at the NT cafe, we failed at our first attempt to find a geocache.  From the view point we walked downhill to cross the stepping stones (busy as it's half term).












Then along the River Mole past two dogs jumping for a rope swing, past the Burford Bridge Hotel and the car park at the foot of the hill.

A long steady climb up a bridle path through 'Happy Valley' back to the top for an ice cream from a van.









Map:

View Ramble No.1 in a larger map