Sunday, October 1, 2017

Bexley to Petts Wood


Finally, after more or less kicking my cold, I was able to go walking again yesterday to tackle another segment of the London LOOP. This one went a little more than seven miles from Bexley, in southeast London, westward to Petts Wood.

I came across a field of dead sunflowers, their seedy heads hanging. "You should have seen them two weeks ago," said some guys who happened to walk past while I was taking this photo. "The whole field was gold!"


I passed the Five Arch Bridge over the River Cray, a "much rebuilt" historic structure dating from 1781.


Then, in the community of Footscray, I passed this very tired (and well-camouflaged) cat.


I also passed the medieval Scadbury Manor, the moated ruins of a manor house dating back to the 1200s. In the 1400s, the powerful Walsingham family replaced an earlier wooden home on this site with one of brick, but a later owner pulled the whole thing down in the 1700s. It was partly rebuilt in the 1930s, and all that's left now (besides the moat) are some reconstructed chimneys and foundations, as well as some newer outbuildings.


From there the path led into Petts Wood, a National Trust woodland full of natural curiosities like this tree, which seems to have fallen over some time in the past and regrown from its collapsed trunk! You can't keep a good tree down.

I finished my walk in the community of Petts Wood, where I stopped at a cafe and had an excellent vegetarian English breakfast -- although it was by now something like 2 p.m. I had a quick wander through town and then caught a train home!

15 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Your pictures are so lovely, Steve. I have never been to England, so I really enjoy getting a bit of the life as experienced through your observant eyes.

Alphie Soup said...

Woo hoo!! Another Loop Walk. Dead sunflowers, wonderful old bridge, snoozing cat, ruins and some tree trickery. Thank you. Thank you.

Alphie

Yorkshire Pudding said...

A marvellous suburban adventure. One never knows what one will see.

crafty cat corner said...

I wonder if the sunflowers were planted for the birds, seems strange to let them die like that. Love the grumpy looking cat, I've always fancied a grey cat.
The fallen tree is amusing looks like its floundering trying to get up. lol
Briony
x

Ms. Moon said...

One of the things I love the most about your rambles and pictures is that they point out how incredibly young western culture is in the US. I mean...ruins of a manor house built in the 1200's? Good Lord! You lend perspective, you share a view of the world you live in which is so similar in some ways to the one we live in here in the states, but so very, very different.
Glad you're able to get out and about again.

Red said...

A trap like this in a huge urban area is a treasure. It sounds like a super place for photographer.

ellen abbott said...

what Ms Moon said. great pictures. I like the fallen tree whose branches became trees. and love the old moated manor house.

Anonymous said...

Glad you are feeling well again and going out for these wonderful walks. Love these photos and especially that fallen tree.

Catalyst said...

That fallen tree sprouting new life kind of reminds me of you rising to the challenge once again after your nasty cold.

Sharon said...

What a wonderful assortment of things to see a long the way. That bridge is beautiful and the manor house ruins but that tree takes the cake. I've never seen anything like it. I can't wait for scenes from the next section.

The Bug said...

I love everything about this walk! Very jealous of both your ability & that location. Sunflowers appeal to me in all their iterations - such fun flowers & even all dried up they are so fascinating.

Allison said...

In addition to my envy of the local walks that are available to you, I envy the fact that you can take a train home. Mass transit options like that are not available to us in much of the western US. You've picked a good place to live.

jenny_o said...

I was thinking what Ms Moon said, only not as beautifully stated. Here in the 1200's there was nothing but forest as far as the eye could see, and the only people were the indigenous Mi'kmaq. Europeans didn't even start arriving until the 1700's. It boggles my mind, the difference between the two continents.

Love the snoozing cat, and I'm glad your cold is mostly better.

jenny_o said...

Sorry, should have said 1600's re the first Europeans :)

John Going Gently said...

That cat is incredibly flat