Monday, November 8, 2021

Starting the Green Chain


I finally got my lazy self moving yesterday and started the Green Chain walk in South London. As I mentioned before, this walk consists of interlinked paths, rather than being a linear route like some of the other walks I've taken around London. So doing more than one segment at a time is tricky because you may have to travel to another location to start the next.

In my case, I just did the first link -- Thamesmead to Lesnes Abbey. I took the tube and then a train and then a bus to get to the starting point beside the Thames, in a rather industrial part of the river (above). You can see the towers of Canary Wharf and the city off in the distance to the left.


The route took me through Crossway Park in Thamesmead, where these colorful murals depicted the wildlife. Thamesmead is a large planned community built in the 1960s on what used to be known as the Plumstead marshes.


There's still some wildlife around, like these ladybugs nestled into the leaves of a strange, white plant...


...but most of Thamesmead looks like this, with towering apartment blocks surrounded by lower buildings of flats. Exterior scenes for the movies "A Clockwork Orange" and "Beautiful Thing" were filmed here.


In Southmere Park I found a lot of residue from Guy Fawkes Night celebrations -- mainly shredded and scorched cardboard tubes that used to contain fireworks. There was also this peculiar guy, who had a hole in the back of his head containing burned-out fireworks.

In the park, I came across a woman walking five yappy dachshunds. (Her male companion was pushing two more in a pram, an old one and a very pregnant one.) Every time they saw another dog they'd send up a chorus of barks. She kept telling them to pipe down and exclaiming that they weren't usually like that, which I find hard to believe, but they were very cute.


Here's the world's shortest video just to show them in action.


I took some photos of graffiti murals in Thamesmead, where apparently there's an effort to improve this basketball court known as "The Cage." I met some women who are working on that project and, seeing my camera, they asked if I was on Instagram. I said no, because I am a technological dinosaur, I'm on Flickr, and I told them I'd send them a link -- even though most of the pictures there are of Olga.


Finally, my 2.6-mile walk ended at Lesnes Abbey, a ruined 12th century monastery founded by Richard de Luci, possibly (according to Wikipedia) in penance for his involvement in the murder of Thomas รก Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury. As you can see, people can walk among the abbey ruins and romp with their dogs, and there are gardens, a visitor's center and a vast tract of ancient woodland.

I considered grabbing a bus or train and going to the trailhead of section two of the chain, but it was already about 1:30 p.m. and since the sun sets at about 4:30 I figured I'd save it for another day. I caught a Thameslink train back to West Hampstead (direct!) and took Olga on a walk to the cemetery instead.

45 comments:

  1. The Green Chain walk is an interesting opportunity for exploration, but it does sound like it requires a bit more effort than just going for a walk. Still, a great “project.” Yeah, I’ll just bet those dachshunds aren’t usually like that. And they ARE cute.

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    1. It's a very weird network of paths. Not the most practical design.

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  2. What variety in 2.6 miles! I'm glad I have a dog that almost never barks; it would drive me bonkers having to quiet them all the time.

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    1. And imagine having seven! (Though the woman told me not all of them are hers -- apparently she was dogsitting some of them.)

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  3. The monastery couldn't be fixed up? Maybe not.
    Poor pumpkin looks so sad.
    I look forward to your next part of the walk.

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    1. LOL -- I think that monastery is beyond repair.

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  4. This sounds like a great start to the walking challenge and I am already looking forward to future reports. I must say that I had never heard of Lesnes Abbey.

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    1. I hadn't heard of it either, but it was quite fascinating! I'm always amazed at how many of these historic sites are around us.

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  5. I would love to know more of the history of those ruins and the walk itself. That pumpkin does look sad...

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    1. There's a link to the Wikipedia page about the abbey, which is quite interesting. The park also has its own web site, though it seems more geared to people who want to hire it out for events:

      https://www.lesnesabbeywoods.org/

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  6. There is a road I cross every day (more than once) not that far from where I live. The gutter is covered with the most beautiful vivid autumn coloured leaves, blown there by the wind in an almost orderly fashion - a bit like your library shelves. They make me think of you every single time without fail.

    U

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    1. Well, I'm flattered that you think of me when you see beautiful autumn leaves. There are worse things to be associated with! :)

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  7. Sounds like a good project, the Green Chain walk. I especially liked the abbey grounds. I'm fond of ruins.

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    1. They were very interesting, and something I'd never seen or heard of before.

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  8. All Of Those Sights In Just Over Two Miles - Like WoW - Dig Those Ladybugs As Well - Good Eye - Enjoy The Week Ahead

    Cheers

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    1. That's the good thing about an urban area -- lots of interesting sights within a relatively short distance! But you've got those wide-open spaces!

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  9. "Pretty girl style"? I think not.
    You KNOW those dogs are yappers. Why would they say they're not? Do those people own all those dogs? Maybe she's just a dogwalker who specializes in dachshunds.
    I think you are going to entertain us all with your new walking project. Those ladybugs- whoa! What a shot!

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    1. She apparently owns some of them and was dog-sitting some. I didn't get the exact breakdown of ownership! My dad had a dog just like those named Mabel and she was quite yappy. (But very cute.)

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  10. So much cool stuff...the idea of that linked walk sounds like fun, and then the strange head on the wall, and the lady bugs and graffiti, and then ending with Lesnes Abbey.
    I'm rather envious right now.

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    1. The ladybugs were an interesting (and surprising) find, especially on that white poplar.

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  11. Your walks are so interesting and also that London has them. Seems like I lot of trouble to get to this one.

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  12. That was quite a lovely walk you had there. Makes me wonder how far from home you traveled to get to this place.

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    1. It's across town diagonally from where we live. I'll post a map at some point!

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  13. You have a lot of beautiful scenery. That photo of the ladybugs on the white plant is awesome! You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. And isn't that a weird looking plant? It's called a white poplar, I believe.

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  14. You will get a lot of great posts out of these Green Chain walks! I am looking forward to it!

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    1. Yeah, a good long walking trail always provides lots of post material!

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  15. I'm glad you are doing the walks. If today is any example, we'll get to see lots of interesting photos as a result. That plant almost looks like it was spray painted or something. It certainly makes a nice backdrop for the ladybugs, though!

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    1. It's called a white poplar, I believe. The leaves are green farther down the stalk, but the newer leaves are very white.

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  16. The white leaf with snoozing lady bugs cuddled up wins the blogworld today! I think that you should insure your legs,Heidi Klum has insured her legs for $2 million (each!), and yours are much more valuable!

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    1. Ha! Wasn't it Betty Grable who first insured her legs? With Lloyd's of London, as I recall.

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  17. Doing a walk in sections is a good idea. That is an interesting one

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    1. Yeah, but I wish the sections were longer or that I could easily do two at a time. I could happily walk farther than three miles. But getting from the end of one part of the trail to the beginning of the next is a challenge.

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  18. Your mastery of the various forms of public transportation is impressive. I have never lived anywhere that had decent service.

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    1. London has EXCELLENT public transportation. It's really quite amazing, as much as we all complain about it.

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  19. I wouldn't like having to constantly untangle all those leashes!

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    1. Yeah, can you imagine what a nightmare that must be?

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  20. Interesting to see your photo of the white plant with ladybirds/ladybugs. When I came home from getting my booster jab this morning, my deck area, kitchen door and window were absolute covered with ladybirds/ladybugs. Hundreds of them continually flying around while others were landing on all available spaces. The deck umbrella--both underside and top--is covered in them. Trying to keep them out of the house. Sammy (the dog) was not amused.

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    1. I've heard that ladybirds swarm like that in the winter. I've never actually witnessed a big swarm.

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  21. The second photo I’d have on my wall x

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  22. I always enjoy your view of the world, as seen through your feet and your camera lens!

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