Green Chain Mega-amble again this weekend

Green Chain Mega-walkers gather at Crystal Palace Station
Green Chain Mega-walkers gather at Crystal Palace Station

If you fancy a 16.5 mile, 8 hour walk through some of south-east London’s greenest scenery then this Saturday provides an opportunity. Once again Ian Bull is leading the Green Chain Megawalk as part of Walk London’s Autumn Ambles weekend. It’s a slightly different route than last time, taking in Charlton’s parks and ending at the Thames Barrier rather than Bostall Woods and the Thames at Erith, which cuts some five miles off the distance. Walkers will meet at 9.15am outside Crystal Palace station, and the walk finishes at Charlton Station. The Walk London website has more details:

Walk Description:
A packed lunch is essential as is water to drink along the way. There is a small supermarket at the beginning but opportunities to re-stock along the way are very limited.
No other London walk offers such a pleasant challenge.
The Green Chain Megawalk is by a considerable margin the longest established long-distance guided walk in London and many hundreds have participated. Some thought they wouldn’t complete such a distance, yet the camaraderie and expert guidance have seen all but a handful achieve an on-time finish. Every one of the participants has taken wonderful memories from the day. Here’s your chance to join the institution!
South East London possesses London’s finest landscape but in places the remarkably bucolic components of that landscape are not quite contiguous. The ‘Green Chain Walk’ was laid-out in 1977 to link those Pearls together becoming the Capital’s first long distance footpath in the process. Today the Green Chain network is over 50 miles long and the many thousands of acres of open space and woodland it joins are deservedly to be considered for Regional Park status. The Megawalk carefully balances distance, gradient, landscape, and views to bring a true taste of this exceptional system into one day.
We’ll gently climb to some of the highest points in the city, suburbia giving way to outstanding views and much woodland, some established for 8,000 years. For lengthy sections you won’t know you are in a town, let alone the Metropolis, as well over half the route is off-road. After lunch we descend through woodland and across heaths to a splendid complex of parks in Charlton that were a principle location in the 1960s cult film ‘Blow Up’. From there it’s a short distance to our destination at the remarkable Thames Barrier, hopefully glinting in the setting sun. Excellent transport into central London is close-by.
The route is steep in places, a packed lunch is essential, and of course you must be reasonably fit. You must also be able to sustain three miles per hour for most of a day and if you think you can, this particularly friendly event is the one Walk London walk that you should do. There is no need to book, just turn up and go, a remarkable day awaits you.
The Megawalk is never, ever, allowed to finish late. Should the necessary pace prove wearisome there’s plentiful public transport throughout for a comfortable return home. You are also most welcome to join the walk at any point.
The walk leader is the Green Chain Walk’s surveying contractor and will be delighted to share his extensive knowledge both along the way and in advance. Feel very free to contact him, Ian Bull, for further information.  T. 020 7223 3572,  E. ianbull@btinternet.com

The Autumn Ambles programme includes lots of other great walks, though Ian’s walk on Sunday which takes in Severndroog Castle is unfortunately already fully booked. However Seafaring London – Tower Bridge to Greenwich sounds interesting, as do some of the shorter walks in central London such as The Real West End – Soho, Chinatown and Covent Garden which is just 1.5miles, the same distance as Secret Diaries and Public Spaces – The Legacy of Pepys and Wren.

Time to brush off those walking boots.

View from Cox's Mount, Maryon Park
View from Cox’s Mount, Maryon Park

 

Baby Killers Over Woolwich – local history talk on Thursday

British propaganda postcard from 1916. Text reads: "The End of the 'Baby-Killer'". Public domain, source Wikipedia
British propaganda postcard from 1916. Text reads: “The End of the ‘Baby-Killer'”. Public domain, source Wikipedia

Steve wrote to tell me that Shooters Hill Local History Group will be hosting a talk by local archaeologist Andy Brockman on Thursday about Zeppelins in the First World War. Andy posted further details in the History Mill Facebook Group:

“Baby Killers Over Woolwich – how Zeppelins brought the First Blitz to south east London”
A talk for the Shooters Hill History Group by Andy Brockman
8pm Thursday 15 October 2015
Venue: Shrewsbury House, Shooters Hill
A century on form the first blitz on London, the talk will tell the story of the attempts of the German Imperial Navy and Air Force Zeppelin crews to attack London and their impact on Woolwich and Plumstead.
All welcome
Cost: Free to SHLHG Members, Guests: £2 to help cover room hire.

The area around Shooters Hill was subject to a number of bombing raids by Zeppelins during WW1, including one which severely damaged a number of homes in Dickson Road on the Progress Estate. There was also an anti-aircraft gun in Eaglesfield Park, the base of which was uncovered by the Digging Dad’s Army project.

Andy is a very engaging speaker on our local history: it should be a fascinating presentation.

Andy Brockman at Colonel Bagnold's air raid shelter
Andy Brockman at Colonel Bagnold’s air raid shelter
WW I poster from Wikipedia - "It is far better to face the bullets than to be killed at home by a bomb. Join the army at once & help to stop an air raid. God save the King" Public domain.
WW I poster from Wikipedia – “It is far better to face the bullets than to be killed at home by a bomb. Join the army at once & help to stop an air raid. God save the King” Public domain.

Apple Day and October events at Woodlands Farm

October events at Woodlands Farm 2015

Autumn seems to have been particularly fruitful at Woodlands Farm this year, with Blackthorn bows bending under the weight of sloes and the wild roses  covered with bright red hips. Time for the farm’s annual Apple Day, which this year features the music of folk band Skinner’s Rats and concertina band Kettle Bridge Concertinas. Maureen from the farm wrote with the details:

Apple Day 18 October 11am-4pm
Join us for a celebration of British apples on Sunday 18 October, from 11am to 4pm. Discover and buy different types of traditional British apples.  There will be music by Skinners Rats, Kettle Bridge Concertinas, food from our Café, a variety of activities including: crafts, a treasure hunt, apple pressing to make delicious juice, stalls selling local produce, including our own honey and homemade jams, and an opportunity to try some delicious Kentish cider.  A great day out for all the family.  Entry is free, but donations are always welcome and go towards the running of the Farm.

As usual there will be a good selection of English apples to try and buy.

Apples at Woodlands Farm
Apples at Woodlands Farm

Then on the 25th October there will be a walking tour of the farm followed by a hearty lunch. Hannah sent details:

Mid-Autumn Walk at 10am followed by lunch at 12pm Sunday 25th October
Join us for a seasonal guided walk around Woodlands Farm.  The walk will be at a strolling pace for about 2 hours and will show changes on the farm with the seasons and the cycle of the farming year.  Dust off those boots and come and join us.  Meet in the green education building in the Farmyard at 10am.
In addition to the walk we will be providing a lunch suitable for country appetites at 12pm. Lunch will be a mug of farmhouse soup, followed by a cheese Ploughman’s (suitable for vegetarians). Feel free to bring liquid refreshment (and glasses) to accompany the lunch, or we can supply hot drinks on request.   Lunch will still go ahead even if the walk is cancelled as this is a catered event.
Walk and Lunch £6
To book please contact the farm office on 020 8319 8900 or email us at admin@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org

Sloe berries at Woodlands Farm
Sloe berries at Woodlands Farm

Finally for October, Maureen also sent details of the farm’s half term activities for children, which coincides with Halloween:

Hibernation Trail Wednesday 28th October   1pm-3pm  £1 per child
All the animals are getting ready for the winter and finding somewhere to hibernate and sleep through the coldest part of the year.  Can you follow our trail and find them hidden round the farm yard?  This is a drop in session so no need to book.  For more information call 020 8319 8900.
Make a felt key ring or badge Thursday 29th October.  10am-12pm £2 per child
Come along to this session to design and create your own key ring using felt.  All the materials will be provided just what can your imagination come up with?  This is a drop in session so no need to book.  For more information call 020 8319 8900
Horrible Halloween Friday 30th October     6pm-8pm £4 per child
Come along to a spooky evening at Woodlands Farm.  Wear fancy dress as we explore the farm by night as well as make a spooky craft to take home.
To book go to our website www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org
Horrible Halloween Saturday 31st October    6pm-8pm £4 per child
Come along to a spooky evening at Woodlands Farm.  Wear fancy dress as we explore the farm by night as well as make a spooky craft to take home.
To book go to our website: www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org

It’s a great month for a visit to the farm.

Wild Rose hips at Woodlands Farm
Wild Rose hips at Woodlands Farm