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NEWS and VIEWS West London Group May 2019

Chair: Margaret Spooner 020 8995 9152 Secretary: Martin Harris 020 8863 6523 Membership Secretary: Mary Rutherford 020 8998 9796 Programme Co-ordinator: Jackie Gower 020 8579 6723 westlondongroup@yahoo.co.uk www.westlondonramblers.org.uk www.ramblers.org.uk

HelloEveryoneTheysay:“Timeflieswhenyou’rehavingfun”andbydoingatleastonewalkaweeksinceJanuaryandsometimesmoreI’vecertainlyfoundthistobetrue.If,likeme,youaren’taFacebookuseryouwon’thaveseenthephotosonourgroup’sFacebookpage.Sothephotosherewillgiveanimpressionofthevarietyofwalkswe’vehadsinceJanuary–long,short,seasonalandspecialinterest.Forexample,DavidSlatertookusroundtheCitySculpturetrail.Percival,alargescalereplicaofachinaornamentofaClydesdalehorseandcart,bySarahLucas,wasoneofthemorepopularsculptures.Moderntransportproppedbesideit.

AnunexpectedbonuswasfreeentrytotheGardenat120FenchurchStreetwith360°viewsovertheCityfromthenewlyplantedroofgarden.

CambridgealumniMelvinAndersonandSueNevilleshoweduspartsofthecitywhicharenotsowellknowntotouristsincludingtheUniversityCentrecanteenforlunchaswellassomewellknownsights.TheythenledustoteainGrantchesterwithtimeforsomememberstoseetheChurch.

OnwalkstoviewspringflowersMargaretLydamoreshowedusdisplaysofsnowdropsbetweenGreatMissendenandAmersham.SueAldridge,seenabovenearDockeyWoodontheAshridgeEstate,andRichardBacher,inGoring,bothledusthroughswathesofbluebellsinbeechwoods.

GailSandersonandJackieGowertookustoseeazaleasattheirbestinamasseddisplayinthePunchBowlinValleyGardens,WindsorGreatPark.

ElizabethJackson’sfriendsfromSeafordRamblerscameforthedaytojoinherwalkthroughRichmondParkandwereunderstandablyimpressedbytheazaleasandrhododendronsintheIsabellaPlantation.

JyotiGupta,whohasagreedtobeoursocialsecretary,ledapleasantafternoonwalkinHampsteadfollowedbyadeliciousearlyeveningmeal.

Jyotihasalsoagreedtobeournewholidayco-ordinatorso,ifanyonewantstoarrangeaholidayforourgroup,pleasecontactwestlondongroup@yahoo.co.ukandwewillpassyourcontactdetailstoher.

Manypeoplelikedoinglongdistancepaths.AlongrecentsectionsoftheHertfordshireWayweenjoyedlovelyblossom,blackthornandspringflowers.

ThesightsseenalongSection3ofthe1066Harold’sWaywalkrangedfromhistoricinterestatLesnesAbbey,aswestarted,tosomeoftheworstflytippingIhaveseenonanindustrialestateneartheend.ThisshowsexactlywhyRamblersneedtocheckfootpathsinbothurbanareasandthecountryside.HowardDensleyhastakenoverfromMartinHarrisasourFootpathSecretary.HeandMartinhavetogetherbeencreatingmapsofthepublicrightsofwayinEalingandHounslow.Wewillbecontactingmemberslivinginbothboroughstoidentifyanyonewholivesnearpathsweneedtocheckinthehopethatsomeofyoumayhelp.I’mgoingtocheckaclusterofpathsnearthepoolwhereIswimeachweek.

OnEasterSaturdaytheweatherwasbeautifulandwehadwhatmusthavebeenarecordturnoutinrecentyearswhenRowenaMuirledsection5ofthe1066Harold’sWay.Wasshejumpingforjoywhen44turnedup–ornot?Undaunted,sheledusallsafelyfromIsteadRisetoRochester,withaviewofthecastleaswecrossedthebridgeintotown.

ThankyoutoJackieandallourexcellentleadersforanenjoyableandvariedprogrammewithmoregreatwalkstocomethissummer. MargaretSpooner,Chair