May
31
2025

Arm Chair traveller

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 Joys of an Arm Chair Traveller.

Lately I have been what is known as an Arm Chair Traveller. It’s as far as I have got, around the world only in my imagination. 

Arm Chair traveller. Pros & Cons

Well the Pros are obvious, the world is your oyster, the cons are you don’t actually do anything! so far I’ve  visited Inverness, taken a boat to  Puffin Islands; one of the many Islands in Scotland.  Flew to  San-Francisco, then travelled  by train across America to the East Coast and  back again.

Furthermore I have stayed a couple of nights in Portland, and done a bit of writing there while sitting outside in cafes. As well as resided in a log cabin in Sussex on some writing retreat.

I considered the pilgrimage Camino hike that is a huge enterprise for travel agents, and extremely popular. I liked the look of The Portuguese section, and  got as far as having a telephone conversation about all of the many options; without leaving my chair. (a lot more research needed here)

As an Arm chair traveller I get to fantasise about the routes and it lasts as long as I can keep reality firmly at bay.

I’ve considered walking from Aberdeen to John O Groats, Visiting the Orkney Islands, and pondered on the options of taking a ferry from Scotland to Ireland. Popped over to Amsterdam, and Lille on the Eurostar;

.

I bought various reading material to help me in my quest, including a map of Scotland , a book about travelling by train from the East coast of America to the West, or vice-versa and a map of circular walks near Aberdeen.

 With a stroke of luck, on a walk to a friends’ OPEN HOUSE  art exhibition, I called in at Oxfam Bookshop in Herne Hill London. I was thrilled to see the box of maps.

A bargain, 3 ordinance survey maps for £2. Including Ben Nevis & Loch Lomond ( for the fantasy adventurous in me). Faversham and beyond, my frequent go to place;  Lands End, St Ives, Cornwall. 

IN the MEANTIME

I amble on or ramble on.

Penny Farthing bicycle around the back of Kings Cross London.

Picture captured in St Georges Garden Borough of Camden. I have taken to walking from Farringdon to Bloomsbury on Saturday Mornings

 

Sometimes I prefer not to make plans. Something usually shows up.

Look No further , here it is, or here I am…

 

ELECTRIC DREAMS Exhibition Tate Modern- The artist, Gysin introduced his friend, the author William Burroughs to the CUT UP technique at the Beat Hotel.

We don’t own words, however, we do share words,

 

out and about

A little breather in The Garden of Eden, en route to Chelsea from Brixton

I LOVE how someone picked daisy’s and laid them on this dead crow in Battersea Park.

 

A rare spell of good weather and an after work mid week walk, from Teddington to Richmond.

 

Keep on dreaming. keep on walking

In the main, it was peaceful, and very warm. Summer is around the corner.

 

Finding not so easy walks to lead

During the Bank Holiday Weekend, two of us got it together to venture back into the kent area . It’s near Sevenoaks.  Kent known as the garden of England has some lovely walks and I intend to get to know it a bit better.

This is probably the 2nd or 3rd attempt of navigating this walk without a map.

Using a print out route produced by an online walking group, it became clear,  we were so close yet so far. The instructions weren’t clear, and navigating in dense  woods was confusing. It was turning into a bit of a wild goose chase.

After reaching Lullingstone Castle we headed back the way we came, via Eagle Heights and under the viaduct. We took a  train from Eynsford to Shoreham. At the end of the days we walked about 11 miles.

The Lonesome Tree Eynsford

The Mighty Viaduct at Enysford.

A beautiful stone sign.

The path leads up into woods where it is easy to get lost.

Wide Open Space and wild daisies blowing in the wind.

 

I discovered  another post about armchair travel in January 2014, it’s short but sweet and you can read it here.

Armchair Traveller

At the time of this post I will be leading a walk, from Faversham to Whitstable.

See one I did earlier.

Walking from Faversham to Whitstable

Keep on keeping on see you in June

Apr
30
2025

WALKS TO DO IN APRIL

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Easy walks to do in April

April is a month to start venturing further afield. I planned three walks in April, beginning with the two creeks of Faversham. There are so many walks to do in April, and I kind of amended my choices by opting out of the second group walk and walking alone in Guildford my second planned walk.

Walks to do in April from London.

TWO CREEKS OF FAVERSHAM

OLD TIMBER HOUSE FAVERSHAM

 

An easy  walk to do for Spring, is the two creeks of Faversham it is all flat, although despite that, someone did manage to have a tumble and fall. It held the whole group up. : ‘Ladies,’ please wear proper walking shoes. It might be easy, but the paths are rarely smooth!

I have walked along the two creeks on several  occasions that include one or two of the creeks.

A walk I would like to do again was  Teynam to Faversham via ORE CREEK (going back a few summers) I remember orchards, and a lovely village on route. I will have to dig that one out.

The original -Guildford 12mile hike was not going to be easy.

I had intended on joining up with a walking group from Clandon to Guildford via woods and St Marthas hill. There were various reasons why I opted out and just did a solo walk. Mainly as I was having a bit of knee trouble I didn’t want to aggravate it by a 12mile hike.

DAYTRIPPER

It’s unlike me to change my mind but the knee had been niggling at me for a while and i didn’t want to get stuck halfway there with no way back. I opted for the easy way, I had bought my day return, so would just have a half a day out.

I had been to Guildford several times but could not remember it being so difficult to get down to the river. I ventured into the tourist information centre and requested some info on river walks. No one mentioned the entrance had been shut off.

I walked past this the first time, taking no notice of it. I just looked at the top bit!

 

IF IN DOUBT JUST ASK

I saw the Towpath sign earlier but ignored it. So after spending a bit of time walking this way, then that way,  eventually a woman not in a hurry, emerged from the car park and I asked her how to get to the river.

Later a cyclist explains to me that the Towpath bridge  collapse in  2019 due to heavy flooding, and it still hasn’t been fixed https://guildford-dragon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cartoon-46-copy.jpg)

The women had told me, pointing upwards, “up that way & around but if you want precise details,  ask Duncan in the pub ”  (her brother-in-law). I didn’t bother asking Duncan.

“Up and around “was good enough for me

I walked past a bunch of very expensive-looking houses and wondered if I was on the right path, but lo and behold, I came across some steps down to the river.

Further along the cyclist came by and  I had  asked him which way was Godalming AND furthermore, is there a route to get back into town?, then garbled on about my attempts to find a route down to the river,  he explained to me about the towpath.

Boys canoeing.

 

Earlier in the day, in the town centre

Elizabethan clock projecting onto the high st, from The Guildhall.

https://www.smithofderby.com/projects/guildford-projecting-clock/

Walking into the Castle Garden , the first thing that hit me was the colour and smell of the tulips and blossom.

 

Part of the castle next to a young blossom tree.

Right up my ALLEY, finding my way down to the river.

Further along the way were some new spring lambs, guaranteed to melt anyone with a heart. I took some videos,

I was happy enough to do a six mile walk, and chuffed I eventually found the path to the river. It had been some years since I was in Guildford and then it wasn’t blocked.  In 2017, A long time ago, I walked from Guildford to Godalming

 

My last big walk in April.  A  perfect spring day and Within 40 minutes of Brixton, we were at Otford in Kent.

OTFORD CIRCULAR VIA SHOREHAM

Five minutes around the corner from the train station, we saw a sign to the North Downs and walked up a steep hill into the woods.

BLACK SHEEP BLACK COWS, ENJOYING THE GRAZE.

 

Overall it was a lovely walk.

We somehow managed to pace ourselves spreading out when we could It was a group of 31 in total.

 

One person managed to lose his balance twice, climbing over a style. His 2nd fall was in a bunch of nettles and he caught his hand in barbed wire trying to get up.

He wouldn’t let anyone pull him up! He had two nasty cuts and his hand was bleeding quite a bit, we managed to produce a few plasters between us and an antiseptic wipe.

He headed off at Shoreham to take the train home, or maybe just amble about,

APPROACHING CASTLE FARM WE WERE CLOSE TO SHOREHAM. OUR LUNCH STOP OFF POINT

Geoff one of the South Bank Ramblers, is an occasional walk leader, He used to work in the same library as me some time ago back in the rocking 80’s.

wide open spaces, walk at your own pace, chat with someone if you want to , or just amble along.

 

A mixture of fields and woods the scenery was pretty and lovely to see. We sat in a churchyard for a short wile before heading off to The Samuel Palmer pub opposite for lunch.

 

Wild Garlic & Potato soup with a large dollop of (vegan) Butter and some sort of corn bread. It was delicious.

https://thesamuelpalmer.com

Palmer lived in Shoreham in a run-down cottage, ‘Rat Abbey’, between 1826 and 1835, where he created many of his most celebrated paintings, depicting the area as a mysterious paradise. Palmer is now indelibly linked to the village of Shoreham.

THE SAMUEL PALMER PUB

PRETTY WILLOW TREE OVERLOOKING THE RIVER.

 

BLUEBELL SEASON

 

 

COWSLIP FLOWERS (Some call them horseslip)

 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/cowslip/

GET INTO THE GROOVE AND WALK THE WALK.

Take in the views.

After much climbing and walking (approximately 9 miles) we are back at Otford.

Pretty sign for Otford village.

We walk through another old church yard towards the village to get the train back to London.

As walks go I would say this is a 10 out of 10 walk, due to the distance from London to get there, (not too far)

On top of that, there are great amenities in the village of Shoreham, varied landscape and at the end the village of Otford, make it a classic great walk.

The walk itself was moderate to tough, quite a few up hill climbs and stiles. Unlike some country walks there wasn’t masses of bramble to get through and thankfully there hadn’t been any rain lately so it wasn’t muddy.

 

As yet no great plans for May but I am leading a MEET UP walking group on the 31st of May from Faversham to Whitstable. Anyone interested can check out The hiking group,  Countryside Hiking https://meetu.ps/e/P1LfZ/2kQWh/i

In the meantime, I’m sure there are a few adventures close to home until then. see you here on the 31st .

 

 

 

 

Mar
31
2025

Walking Meditation

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I have been practising walking meditation as far back as I can remember.

Walking down a lovely road, far from the crowds.

In early March, on one side of the road, it’s spring; on the other, it is winter.

To walk daily in a place like this is bliss.

 

Walking and thinking go hand in hand.

 

Nature has it’s own reason.

Lately, I have discovered that I’m moving away from fixed ideas and towards the unknown.

It seems to be a bit of a theme lately. When I say lately, it has been a running theme over the last couple of years. Walking meditation is the best form of therapy. It gives you time to unravel, and in a beautiful place like this, just looking around at nature can reduce stress as all problems shrink into insignificance.

Walking meditation in the Lochearnhead area

Every day, I did a walking meditation.

I came here to work at The Buddhist retreat centre, assisting in the kitchen, but after 2 days, I came down with a lousy cold. Sods law and all of that. It is pure Buddhism to accept that what is and not what could be, so I soothed myself with that thought.

Walking meditations.

For anyone who has never meditated in their life (the majority of the population), it is simply a way of slowing down the brain and letting the thoughts go. It’s not about grasping onto the thoughts or trying to control them.

Despite feeling lousy, I made the best of the situation and went on lots of walks.

 

Walking out into the open sky and forest.

I scrambled up behind the back of the house alongside the waterfall, and got to the track to the road. The snow is on the mountaintop in the distance. The air is sweet and clean.

WALKING INTO THE FOREST, I REALISE I DON’T HAVE A COPY OF THE WALK IN MY BAG AND HOPE I REMEMBER IT. I DO. THIS IS THE VIEW FROM THE TOP.

 

For 3 days, I have nothing to do but walk and read. I walk as much as I can, taking photographs and making videos.

 

There’s so much stunning scenery, the air is crisp and clean, it stirs my soul, and this makes it easy to forget any problems.

Early one morning, it may have been Wednesday, and the worst of my cold is over, I see deer in the garden from the kitchen window, and a magnificent sunrise. I walk down to the Loch to take some more pictures.

With a better camera, perhaps I could have spent longer zooming in. The colours were more purple, pink, and grey.

Turner would have been in heaven here, with the sky changing every second.

 

Making Plans and sticking to them.

I’m finding it increasingly difficult to plan walks for various reasons. Sometimes things (most of the time) are out of my control: Train cancellations, flu, work disputes and all sorts of issues. But more irritating lately has been a feeling of sheer exhaustion.

Unsure Direction

I can’t even begin to say how uncertain the future feels. There was a small part of me that hoped I would work in the kitchen for a week and enjoy it so much I would opt to stay there!

Everyone was so kind to me and just let me be, so in a way, I still feel like maybe I owe them a week in the kitchen; the ball’s in the chef’s court.

On a spiritual level, it was great to connect with nature and here are a couple of pictures of a couple of friends I made!

Bernard, what a handsome beast. (My name for him)

Quality time with Community Cat.

 

BASS PLAYER BLUES

I also made friends with the Maintenance guy who lived in the community house.  He showed me how he played me some grooves, Playing chords, like on a guitar and put the tunes to  Buddhist mantras-  it was really quite beautiful. I was inspired.  My bass playing days have been abandoned but not forgotten.

He was kind enough to leave it out for me to play, as I was at a bit of a loose end when not walking. It was a Fender Jazz and was lovely to hold, I am out of practice to say the very least, but I had a go.

I’m digging up some unfinished song-writing done with my old pal who passed away last year, and I’m hoping to revive a couple of tunes and rewrite the lyrics and possibly come up with some new tunes. 

My Final Day at the Buddhist Retreat

I managed to walk  a couple of miles before the minibus arrived to take a bunch of us to Stirling. After that I was taking the train to Edinburgh and onwards to Newcastle Upon Tyne.  I Usually stay in the North East after Scotland, it’s too much to head straight to London.

It was a breath-taking, captivating walk, watching the mist rise. I couldn’t have been happier. I was leaving feeling better than when I arrived, at least.

Misty Blue.

Close up and blue.

 

Northumberland walks

After a night out in Newcastle seeing the pop band from the old days but still going The Rezillos. The following day an old friend picked us up and drove us up to the coast near Alnmouth. 

The sea, the sea..

 

It was quiet and spacious, and it felt lovely to be by the sea

The last episode of Vera (a detective TV character based in the North East) was filmed around here.

 

The following day, the fog on the Tyne wouldn’t shift, so instead of doing a Durham walk, my friend drove us to Hexham, where the mist had shifted.

What’s left of an old railway bridge along the river in Hexham.

 

More walks are coming up next time.

Until then, keep on Keeping on. What else can you do?

 

Looking across Rob Roy Country can be seen here

https://studio.youtube.com/video/YEJuPq3b7LQ/edit

 

Feb
28
2025

The Year of the Snake.

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I enjoyed the celebrations for the Year of the Snake.

The year of the snake in Chinese Astrology symbolises the need for transformation and rebirth.  A friend and I got a good view of the procession standing on the steps of St. Martins Church. It was a cold day, but the bright blue sky and the colourful costumes made it worth it.

Looking out towards TRAFALGAR SQUARE BEFORE THE CROWDS

Standing alongside Charing Cross Road near St Martins Church, waiting for the Procession to start.

Bright and sunny but freezing cold. A bright picture of Grayson Perry poster on the side of The National Portrait Gallery building

 

NoMad Hotel & Bow Street Police Station.

BOW STREET MAGISTRATES COURT ENTRANCE. NO LONGER IN USE.

 

While sitting in the NoMad Hotel, which used to be Bow Street Police Station, we chatted about our pasts. A friend and I had the pleasure of spending a couple of nights at Bow Street holding cells. We got caught shoplifting in Oxford Street in 1978. I will never forget that day.

This would have been a side entrance to the building originally. Now the entrance to BOW STREET POLICE MUSEUM.

 

SHOPLIFTING IN OXFORD STREET

I wouldn’t mind, but we walked out of HMV with albums tucked under our arms, barely concealing that we were nicking them. We then made the mistake of going to Marks and Spencer and tucked a pair of of all things, slippers! into the lining of a big shabby coat. We were living in a scruffy squat in Finsbury Park and had the pleasure of sharing this with Junkies and Hells Angels.

As we were of no fixed abode ( living in a squat in Finsbury Park), we were arrested on Saturday afternoon & they would not let us go until Monday morning.

Meanwhile, another story emerged as my companion had worked briefly as a clothes designer for The Clash, and their Manager had accused her of nicking a roll of material, which was absurd and untrue. The lounge in the NoMad Hotel seemed the perfect setting for these stories to emerge.

Bow Street was unusual in that it was a court and Police station all in the same building.

I often wondered if I remembered correctly the string of events back in 1978. It all came back to me when I saw the photographs and the dock. NoMad Hotel has taken over most of the original building, and the local council has preserved some of the old nick, the original cells and the dock.

Looking at the dock and the photograph of the courtroom,  It looked as I remembered it, a very small, old-fashioned oak panelled dock.

THE ORIGINAL DOCK AT BOW STREET MAGISTRATES COURT

 

The women’s cells were originally upstairs -now gone and not part of the museum. They had preserved some of the men’s cells on the ground floor.

To think I have stood in the same dock as the suffragettes and Oscar Wilde among others whose pictures and stories were displayed in the cells.

“On the evening of April 5 1895, Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan Hotel for committing indecent acts. He spent the night in the cells at Bow Street, having been refused bail.” Taken from inside one of the cells.

There are so many stories in the museum about criminals, and I will probably return to read them in more detail. Criminality is fascinating. Upcoming walking tours include Of Mollies and Men, Reform, Rebel, Riot.

https://bowstreetpolicemuseum.org.uk

 

FAREWELL FEBRUARY

February is not usually associated with sunny days and blue skies. However, it has been an interesting month and a very busy time at work.

Therefore, it is a good time for a break. This time last year, on my mum’s birthday, the 27th of February, I scattered her ashes, some in Scotland, the rest in the Northeast. I’m revisiting Scotland, this time for different reasons.  (more on that next month).

After Scotland, I will stop off at Newcastle for a night out, then visit South Shields and Northumberland, I hope to get a few walks in before returning to London.

 

Some videos from the Chinese New Year procession can be found on my YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/@icantexplainmyfeetjuliecon3522

Until next time, keep on keeping on,  shed that skin & embrace the changes.

 

A great theme song under the circumstances!

 

https://youtu.be/huBWPHHCD6M?si=lmDNDjsQ9DQ-Cekq

 

 

 

Jan
31
2025

Easy Walks

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 There are all sorts of walks to do, easy walks are extremely beneficial

Don’t be fooled into thinking you must walk long distances and climb mountains to stay fit. Just trying to stay upright throughout the day is a good start. My plan throughout January to February is to do lots of easy walks.

EASY WALKS & average but essential walks

It is how I transport myself from home to work. January is the worst month ever, but still, on occasion, I get to walk through Ruskin Park and see the squirrels jump about and it does cheer me up a bit.

Easy Walks, moderate Walks and tough Walks.

When I went on a hill walking retreat it was difficult to decide what level of fitness I was at and if I wanted to push myself. Taking the Easy way out is sometimes the better option. Easy can often be a good choice and a sensible solution to anything complex. In  Buddhist philosophy, easy is a good thing, So three cheers for that.

A short walk from Blackfriars station on the South Bank to the Poetry Library in the South Bank Centre

It’s bright blue, it’s freezing, My day started with a 2-mile jog, then I took the train later in the day and headed to the South bank. I’m fortunate that I have great transport links to Central London.

 

A short walk with an old friend.

Starting at Teddington train station, a short walk through the town to Teddington lock over the bridge to the pathway to Richmond.  is about a 4-mile walk. I finish the rest of the day Skitting about from shop to shop in the town centre.

A recent early winter morning walk from Brixton to Victoria

Walking along an old haunt, I pondered why I bother writing a blog. a question that comes up now and again.  On a cold morning walking down Stockwell Road, my brain worked over time, as I took stock of buildings that have gone and new ones that have sprung up. Music venues that are now steak houses or are derelict. Everything changes always.  Writing about my walks keeps me connected.

Found this mural quite interesting. I will call it Desolation Row. Stockwell Road

 

I crisscrossed across on and through Nine Elms Concrete Jungle and eventually found myself at the river.

News Alert

For anyone planning on walking from Putney or Hammersmith onto Richmond

Thames towpath remains diverted following collapse

ALPERTON TO PADDINGTON ALONG THE GRAND UNION CANAL – LINEAR

The canal was the first purpose-built freight link from Birmingham to London before newer railways and roads led to its decline. An easy, flat walk along the towpath, ending at Little Venice and Paddington Basin.

Industrial wasteland. Still has a certain beauty about it.

Some canal boats were lived in, but many more were derelict. Luckily the mad Alsatian guard dogs weren’t up to swimming over the canal to attack us. They were very aggressive, and assumedly looking at the state of the boats over there were attached to some drug gang.

 

we later collided with a bunch of friendly cyclists about 100 of them cycling for charity, we had a quick chat with them as we let them by..

 

I enjoyed the walk because it was a complete change of scenery

It’s not an area I knew anything about. It’s pretty industrial most of the way.

Dick is a  South Bank WalkLeader and is full of interesting facts; a great walk leader. However, weatherwise, we managed about an hour and a half before the rain started, and it became a bit of a trudge.

swans gliding up the canal.

A FAB MURAL ON THE SIDE OF A WAREHOUSE.

As we headed into Paddington a more affluent area, we came across this cool-looking boat. ROCK ON THE CANAL. I LOVE THIS.

 

Canal Life

Many people who can’t afford London rents have taken to living in canal boats. They pay a yearly fee. Those who can’t get or afford permanent mooring, move on every 14 days—known as a continuous cruiser, a boat-dweller who doesn’t have a permanent mooring. The 30-year legislation is under review, as more people try living on canal boats.

I may try walking from Alperton towards Isleworth next time, apparently, the towpath  goes all the way to Birmingham,

 

Until February, keep on keeping on.

 

This old post about walking in London at night. See below.

Walking at night