Walk with Jane

On May 18th 2018, Richard Jefferies exited his blue-plaqued villa at Woodside, 296 Ewell Road, opposite the former St. Marks school (built on Tolworth Common during his 5-year residence). Here he wrote, 'The copse adjoining the back gardens of Woodside was visited by pheasants which sometimes strayed into the neighbours’ gardens. Early in the March mornings he woke to the ‘three clear, trumpet-like notes’ of a missel thrush ringing out from the copse. From his window in the evenings he could hear partridges calling. Stone-chats perched on the furze bushes of Tolworth Common. He strolled towards Tolworth Broadway and Greenway, followed by 30+ participants keen to locate RJ's observations from 'Nature Near London'; first published as a series of articles in the Pall Mall Gazette for the commuting public. In 1920 the very same paper celebrated his work by reprinting excerpts from his regular column - along with joining instructions for his walks - by tram and motorbus-bu...

                                               www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-little-book-about-Paths-alleys-twittens-and-droves-of-SW-London-in-prose Walking would be impossible without paths. Paths are a form of separation between us and modern life. They separate us from traffic. They flow like water to provide us with natural shortcuts and desire lines. They can allow for a continuity of gardens and be good wildlife corridors. They can provide a link to the past and the people who used old routes, providing a touchstone for emotional memory. When we follow in footsteps we are in harmony with our ancestors. Walking routes became a way of ‘un-enclosing’ paths or re-appropriating them for common use. In the modern emphasis on swift travel and new cycle routes, the pedestrian has been forgotten. Some of our hard-won paths are once again in danger from enclosure, appropriation ...

John Clare Cottage 6.9.20   This year is the 200th anniversary of poet John Clare's first publication. On the 20th July 1841, he left the asylum in Epping and walked 80 miles to Northborough. I intended to follow in his footsteps and undertake this walk; now140 miles as it traverses motorways and circumvents private land. This is the story of my walk in prose and poetry including one published in 'The Meeting'. Out of Epping Epping Forest as ‘common land’ is highly accessible and can be approached from any compass direction. An exemplar of ‘being unenclosed,’ without walls or fences; No convoluted journey to search for pedestrian gate or stile.   Enter from the Twittens of Loughton, Ivy Chimneys of Theydon Or the footpaths converging on the Copt Hall cerviduct. Chime over Bell Common, or jump over Chingford Find your own route and walk in your own gait or style.   Make time to visit every feature, greet every tree, Relax up Pole Hill - or f...