efog-blog

RSPB Rye Meads (Herts)

On November 25th, with a touch of frost on the ground and a cloudless sky above us,, we had a lovely sunny, though chilly, Saturday for a stroll round the RSPB site. We didn’t see any particularly rare/unusual birds, but did see magpies feasting on a dead goose.

efog rye meads 231125art The only kingfisher near ‘kingfisher hide’ was the sculpture we posed beside.

Shortly after ‘kingfisher hide’ we opted to leave the site through the one-way turnstile and do the 1km walk around the perimeter of the reserve. The total walk was 2.5 miles.

On returning to the car park most of us then went to the Rye House pub for a meal. Although it’s a large pub with a beer garden we discovered that at this time of year they don’t serve food outdoors, though we could take our drinks outside. As a result it was pretty full inside, but after 10/15 minutes a table did become free so we were able to enjoy a meal and then return home in plenty of time for the evening’s RNLI quiz in Loughton which some of us were taking part in.

Richard. 25th November 2023

Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace

On a slightly mixed, but mainly sunny Saturday 11th November, a group of us met at Finsbury Park station and were led by Trevor through Finsbury Park, over the railway, then along Parkland Walk (South) – a disused railway route which ends just before a fenced off tunnel at Holmesdale Road. Along the way we passed various reminders of the route’s railway past, such as a Pub called ‘The Goods Yard’, a former station-master’s house and the old platforms etc.

Now there are also community nature trails and wild flower gardens off the main track as well as a community play/climbing area (alas for kids not us).

efog parklands walk 231127art At one vantage point there was a good view across to Stratford and Ilford where we tried to pick out landmarks, the obvious one being the ArdelorMittal Orbit.

After leaving the Parklands Walk we followed the road up to The Woodman pub then crossed over to Highgate Woods. A short way into the woods and it opened out to the cricket field but half hidden behind trees and shrubs was the Pavilion Café were we stopped for refreshment.

We then carried on through Highgate Wood to join up with Parkland Walk (North) and follow that. As we crossed a bridge over Cranley Gardens we followed the guide book’s advice and didn’t think of the serial killer, Dennis Nilsen who used to live there, and who was recently portrayed by David Tennant.

We then proceeded to Alexandra Palace and on to Alexandra Palace station, a total of 6 miles.

Richard. 27th November 2023

Haunted Tales in London Walk

On Sunday 5th November, eight of us met at Westminster station at 10.30am for a Haunted / Paranormal Tales walk. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we had to imagine misty mornings on the Thames and grimy streets from days gone by...

Across the road and down to the landing pier, we learned of phantom boats and sightings of a ghostly figure, believed to be Jack the Ripper, seen leaping to his death from the bridge as the clock strikes midnight and the old year passes in to the new. We then moved along to the original Scotland Yard buildings to hear about the headless woman whose body was found when the buildings were being constructed and whose ghost used to be seen roaming the old Black Museum.

At Banqueting House we saw the bricked-up window from which Charles I had stepped out onto a scaffold to be beheaded in1649, having just heard about the 'Touching for the King's Evil' ceremony that was performed in the Hall by multiple monarchs. The King supposedly possessed the divine hereditary right to serve his people by touching them to cure scrofula. I wonder if Charles III knows about it.

Horseguards, across the road, was the subject of a prophetic dream that the Duke of Portland had in 1901: Edward VIIs coronation coach got stuck under the arch, bringing the entire procession to an embarrassing halt. The dream was so vivid that the Duke measured the coach and the arch and discovered that the ground below the arch had been raised since Queen Victoria's coronation.

A few buildings along to Admiralty House, where Martha Ray lived in the 18th century, as the mistress of the Earl of Sandwich, until she was shot dead by a spurned lover. Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan both stated that they saw her ghost. In 1969, Denis Healey discussed Martha’s ghost being seen in the living quarters and said that his children accepted her as part of the household.

Back on the Embankment, the tales turned to a strange tapping noise that emanated from deep within the walls of the National Liberal Club in the 1890s. The Secretary of the Club eventually discovered that the noise only occurred when a particular German servant girl was present and, although convinced that she was not consciously responsible for the sounds, he decided to dismiss her. The noises ceased immediately.

We then moved on to Gordon's Wine Bar where staff have frequently had the unnerving impression that something is watching them from the darkness and many customers have complained of an unseen hand tapping them on the shoulder as they sit enjoying a glass of wine.

Round the corner, in Buckingham Street, we didn't see the happy ghost of a female, thought to have been one of the models in the 'sensuous nudes' painted by William Etty who lived at number 14. Nor did we see the ghost of Samuel Pepys who often peers from the first floor windows at his old house next door. Thankfully we didn't hear the screams of 'Poor Jenny' either; she was a Victorian prostitute who was strangled by one of her clients and left to die under the Adelphi Arches.

Cutting through to the Strand, we arrived at Coutts Bank where, in 1993, the Directors arranged for a medium to deal with a ghost that was haunting staff in the computer room, had appeared headless before the receptionist and turned lights on and off. The medium claimed to make contact with the ghost of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, who was executed in 1572; he then successfully persuaded the spirit to depart. All paranormal activity stopped after that.

After navigating a long, narrow alleyway, we arrived in Theatreland to hear of multiple incidents at The Coliseum, The Duke of York, The Albery (now The Noel Coward) and The Garrick, including a First World War soldier haunting The Coliseum for 10 years and a possessed bolero jacket that attempted to strangle any actress who wore it.

With the walk at an end, six of us headed to The Marquis pub for Sunday Lunch. One of the beers on tap was 'Poltergeist'. Coincidence?

Jill S. 7th November 2023

10 PIN BOWLING AT THE ROLLERBOWL

We have been bowling at “Rollerbowl”, Collier Row, Romford, many times. On Sunday evening, 29th October, We could not believe the gate had barriers across, and how many cars were parked in all the roads around the place, as it has a huge car park.

Maz and I were fortunately let in by gate security (probably because I look so ancient), but the other members were not so lucky.

When the nine members of the group eventually got together, we enjoyed a good evening bowling, but some of us would have been more successful if we had put the children’s barriers up! How come the direction you bowl the balls in it often ends with them in the gutter! Possibly they have minds of their own!

Maz and Peter Gamble, 31st October 2023

Brockley to Greenwich walk, 21st October 2023

Saturday 21st October, the date of our latest walk, but with Storm Babet wreaking havoc, would anyone turn up; surely Efoggers aren’t beaten by a bit of rain? So I set off for Brockley in south-east London not knowing if anyone else would turn up. Arriving ridiculously early the rain had almost stopped and did so shortly before 11 as Jill V arrived.

After waiting to se if there were any late-comers (nope), we set off, passing the Bob Marley mural of the back of the Wetherspoons pub, heading gradually uphill on tree lined streets to enter Hilly Fields, a pleasant park. Continuing uphill, there were fine views over London, to the Crystal Palace and Croydon transmitter masts to the south-west and Canary Wharf and the City to the north.

Passing a café under the trees we visited a “henge” of stones arranged in a circle, which is in fact a large sundial, and watched a group of “mace swingers” doing their weekly keep fit session. Continuing through the park, we started to descend into Lewisham with its forest of tower blocks.

Passing Lewisham station we came to a small oasis of greenery, at the confluence of the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy. Leaving this we turned right to see Lewisham Police station (the largest in Europe) and then returned to head up Lewisham Hill to Blackheath. At the top of the hill there was a pretty wildflower patch and convenient bench, both provided by Thames Water, which made an attractive spot for lunch.

After lunch, we continued over Blackheath with its impressive views towards Kent, to the Rangers House, a large Georgian House now owned by English Heritage, and followed the edge of the heath to an entrance to Greenwich Park.

Entering the park, we headed to the deer sanctuary, but sadly the sanctuary is being upgraded and the deer have gone to Richmond Park for a holiday, whilst the work is carried out. We continued through the park, picking up chestnuts which had fallen as were many others, and climbing to One Tree Hill and the Royal Observatory with their fabulous views over the Thames and the City. From here we cut across the park and followed the path down to St Mary’s gate, exiting into Greenwich, and headed for the DLR station.

A cracking undulating walk with some terrific views and except for two very light and short showers, good weather and surprisingly warm and sunny for late October.

Trev Eley 26th October 2023

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