Friday, January 7, 2022

Starting in Charlton


No, that's not Olga. That's a random dog I met when I walked another link of the Green Chain yesterday. It was tied up across the street from a shop, waiting for its owner and looking a bit anxious.

The weather was bright and sunny when I set out in the morning and took the tube and then a bus down to Charlton, near Greenwich. The route I planned to walk is a bit awkward -- it's shaped like a Y, forking about halfway through. I'd have to choose the A route or the B route, and being a completist, I wanted to do both. So I knew I'd have to figure that out.

I began in Charlton, where I met the dog, and walked through Charlton Park.


There was some tree surgery going on outside Charlton House. I hope they weren't cutting it down entirely, but I didn't stick around to find out.


I walked toward Woolwich and Plumstead, where I came across this brightly tiled pedestrian underpass. The interior was filled with mosaics of animals and angels. An odd combination, but colorful and intriguing.


I also passed this very ordinary block of flats that someone tried to jazz up with a Miami Beach-style canopy. I'm not sure it worked.


My walk took me across Plumstead Common, where I found someone's lost dog collar and tag hanging from a fence. Mindful of my own recent experience with losing a dog tag, I called the phone number and told the owner where they could find it. They seemed very appreciative so hopefully they'll follow through and retrieve it.

I then walked on to an area called "The Slade," where these houses overlooked a rather steep drop into a park with a pond. Those houses have a great view, and at first I thought that must be a desirable place to live. But then I wondered if they have to maintain that retaining wall. And what's their insurance payment like?

I walked all the way to Bostall Woods, where you may remember a couple of these Green Chain walks have taken me before. Don't try to use the public restrooms there, by the way. They're locked. Is there anything more annoying than being on a long walk and coming across a public restroom, only to find it inaccessible?

That was the end of the A route. I found that I could catch a bus down Plumstead High Street and pretty easily walk back to the fork in the path, so I could also take the B route. On the way, I popped into a pub and bought a bag of chips and used their loo. Thank goodness for pubs.


The B route also took me across Plumstead Common, but headed in a different direction, toward Oxleas Woods. As you can see, by this time clouds had settled in and the rest of the afternoon was gray and chilly. I passed these intrepid people out with their hula hoops. I haven't seen anyone use a hula hoop in ages.


"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

(I did anyway.)


This was quite a cat-friendly area.

After walking across some very high ground with spectacular views over the Thames Valley, I finished my walk in Oxleas Meadows, at the same cafe where I had lunch a couple of weeks ago. (It was closed yesterday, though, so my bag of chips turned out to be my lunch.) From there I caught a bus back to a tube station and returned home.

While riding on the bus, I passed this group of horseback riders from (I believe) the nearby military barracks at Woolwich:


Interesting that one of the horses is riderless. Is that a symbolic thing, or did someone just not show up for horse-riding duty?

All in all, I walked about six miles, counting some extra walking I did through Charlton at the beginning. After sitting around the house through so many recent rainy days, it felt good to finally get some exercise!

42 comments:

  1. Do people normally say 'caught a tube' rather than 'caught the tube'? If so, I guess a tube is short for a tube train.

    Subways are often so grim and I like the effort made with the one you featured.

    No, that canopy certainly doesn't work. It may not be a great building, but it needs to be shown respect.

    Interesting point about the wall maintenance.

    Re the riderless horse. Threw off its rider or the horse of fallen comrade killed on a battlefront. Where is England fighting at the moment? The Macron enemy in France?
    Six miles, ten kilometres. Impressive.



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    1. "A tube" was a typo -- you could say you caught "a tube train" but you'd catch "the tube." I fixed it. :)

      Seems like England is fighting everywhere at the moment -- even itself, internally!

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  2. I’m on the fence about that Miami Beach style entrance. The big yellow sign doesn’t help, but I did just read about L&Q Living. So, it’s all OK. It looks like a very pleasant walk and, like you, I’m so relieved you were able to complete both routes. That cat is wonderful. I’d love taking one of those walks with you as guide.

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    1. Yeah, I'm certainly not criticizing the organization or its mission -- just its architectural choices!

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  3. Yeah, I'm with you - I would take both routes anytime I could, even if it means backtracking to do so. After all, you went to a considerable effort and expense to get there, you may as well get your money's worth so to speak! Love the Florida style porch - not! But there is no accounting for different tastes.

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    1. That's how I felt -- after all that effort to get down there I was going to make the most of it!

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  4. Another good walk as you continue to explore secret parts of London. By the way, it is most unlikely that you purchased "chips" in that pub. Much more likely that you bought "crisps". Chips tend to be acquired from fish and chip shops - the clue is in the name.

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    1. I bought chips and I ate them on the sidewalk.

      (But yes, you'd call them crisps.)

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  5. A riderless horse often signifies a lost or fallen comrade.

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    1. Yeah, I've heard of that, but usually in a formal procession -- not an afternoon ride around the park!

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    2. Perhaps practice for the horse before a formal procession?

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  6. I love that fat orange and white cat and it's an excellent photo. That's a good, long walk. Good on you.

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  7. I wonder if it's training for the horse, to get used to being riderless ready for when it might have to, in a formal procession.

    That was a huge walk you took. You certainly know your city. The turquoise pillar is either yoo much or not enough. There's no balance. Maybe they had a spare gallon of paint to use up.

    Thanks for taking us with you.

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    1. Yeah, good thinking -- could well be practice for the horse. Or maybe just exercise. Maybe the rider was out with a positive Covid test.

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  8. Dig The Quick Clip There And Congrats On The 10K - A 10K A Day Will Keep The Doctor Away - Stay Strong Brother Reed

    Cheers

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  9. I'm getting a Jetson's feel about that strange building addition. Who in the world that THAT was a good idea?
    But other than that, what a great walk! I do love the cat. He/she is obviously the Lord/Lady of that particular realm.

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    1. LOL -- it's like a bad-taste version of the Jetsons. That cat had no fear of me whatsoever.

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  10. I'm a bit envious of your being able to catch mass transportation to various parts of the city and explore new territory at will. That is something not afforded to living in rural America and small towns. However, as much as I like London and the mass transportation system, I wouldn't trade where I live now for living there. I like my solitude and wide open spaces.

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    1. Well, it's all a trade-off, I suppose. I DO love being able to hop a train or the tube and get pretty much anywhere.

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  11. That was quite a walk, Steve. So much to see and photograph there. I love seeing that cat. What a tough little kitty looking right at you. And, It's always touching to see a riderless horse like that.

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  12. What a great hike! You must feel so good after finishing a good long walk like that! Well done, Steve! I enjoyed all of the fun photos too!

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    1. It was fun! And there will be more, hopefully soon!

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  13. what exactly is L&Q living? Nice shot of the cat. Your travelogue/walk pictures are always interesting. I like the tiled underpass.

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    1. I didn't know until I looked it up -- it's housing for impaired and elderly people.

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  14. I enjoyed your walk. I'm waiting until it warms up so that I can begin walking again. Yesterday was minus 30 C all day.

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  15. You had quite an interesting walk. Why do folks tie their dogs up by the side of the road? If you have to tie up your dog, leave it at home. (just my opinion) You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. I'm always hesitant to leave Olga tied outside a shop. I've done it a couple of times, but only when I know I'll be very fast and I can see her from inside.

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  16. What a nice long walk. I love that cat guarding the road and the dog who looks a bit like Olga. Those hula hoops are a surprise. I haven't seen those in ages either. I'm going to say that the canopy added to those flats Doesn't work at all but I love all the mosaic on the pedestrian walk. Chips for lunch, I've done that.

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    1. I love the mosaic too. That tunnel would be so dreary without it.

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  17. I would definitely not have made eye contact while trying to slip by that cat. It looked like it meant business!

    The last time I tried to hula hoop, I'd lost the knack.

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  18. It doesn't help that the Miami-ish canopy looks crooked, but I've forgotten all about that because of that cat.
    What a perfect photo.
    What a glorious punum on the cat!

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    1. I had to look up "punum" to know what you were talking about -- LOL!

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  19. Well that was a great walk! I love the cat. I'm not sure one bag of chips would have sustained me, but I would probably have packed some trail mix to carry with me. Ha!

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    1. The thing is, when you're walking -- at least this is true for me -- I'm not hungry. It's only when I sit down and rest that the hunger kicks in.

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  20. Hi Steve,
    All very familiar! I usually see the horses on a Saturday-and mostly it is a very large group, with a horse with a rider leading a horse without one. I love seeing them. I used to work in Woolwich very nea to the part you showed with the clocktower on top of the co-op. How long is the walk altogether?

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    1. Interesting -- so the riderless horse is always there! I guess it is a ceremonial thing. The Green Chain consists of 11 sections between Thamesmead and Nunhead Cemetery, adding up to 50 miles of walking altogether.

      https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/green-chain-walk

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