Ducks Patch

Balcombe, Slaugham, Cuckfeild and more

Just so the you can keep track of the walking, I have included a Map.

Its a Google Map. so enjoy.

Today was not a pleasant day, weather wise.

Very overcast but not raining but just as cold. A high today of 7

So I needed to get out of the city and walk.

Slaugham area was the target,

So first I walked to the London bridge station and caught a southern railway trip to Balcombe £8.50 return.

First a Cumberland Sausage Roll for Breakfast.

Then Onto a Train, that shot through the City.
Oh the moving Picture is the Building I call home at the moment.

I caught the 8:45 out of London bridge and it put me into Balcombe at 9:45.
So In all a easy trip
So from Balcombe I Headed South to Cuckfield

With Beautiful Scenery

With Cottages I just to live in. They had large garden in the back with lots of small animals that I could hear as I walked passed them.

The trees were all turning. So they looked fantastic. All the browns and lots of leaves falling.

The only noise you can hear are the pheasants and distant cars. Not a lawn mower in sight or sound due to it being too wet.

And onto Cuckfeild which is no more then 10 houses on a corner, Oh and a Pub.

So off I went walking to Sloughgreen

Again No more then two-three Houses at an intersection

But the scenery was great with lots of Pheasant about.

Then up Staplefield Lane to Staplefield

Staplefield has a Memorial in it heart that remembers the Great War

Of the 80 Men in the village that left only 25 returned.
The Village has never grown since.
It is also the best kept Village in Sussex, and it proudly displays that awards at the Town Hall.
So off I went Down more small Roads this time
to Slaugham

With great views occasionally

But more narrow roads to walk

But Signs were Clues I was getting close.

With Potential future walks inviting me to go down.

But St Marys Chruch of Slaugham was my Target

With it's graveyard

Yes, I made it. This is a major target for the Trip to the UK.
I was there.
I made there just on Noon. Lunch, and I had packed smoke salmon pate and crackers, fresh mandarins and grapes, with hot tomato soup with a hint of basil.

Well that hit the spot. After that I checked out the graveyard in the hope of finding ancestors, but most of the old stones have lost the details. This church has been around since the 1700.

But not today, the grave yard is still active today, so a lot of new graves out the back.

I checked out the Village.
As most of the Census details say the lived at the Green. Slaugh has a large village green

Looking across the green to St Mary's

To the Right

To the Left

And the 8 Houses behind it
All but 1 was very Old. And they all had names. but none called the green.
So after the Church visit, I decide to head for Handcross to go to Nymans.

I walked up Coos Lane, Another dark narrow road.
And made it to Nymans gardens at about 2:00
(I had spent way to long in the graveyard.)
OH no, I had to be on the 15:22 out of Balcombe or pay an extra £15
so The view of the Grove was what I got as I bolted off for Balcome

But the roads were Wider.. yah right.

And more Sign telling me I was going the right way.

More Narrow Roads. These mind the walking Dangerous as much as scenic.

St Marys at Balcombe turned up a meant I was 5 Minute Ahead of Schedule.

Just as Well, trains here turn up on Time.

Just A very large loop of sorts to catch the 15:22 train as sunset is 16:27 and I didn't want to be walking in the countryside in the dark. At least this way I would be back before Borough market closes to get tomorrow's food treats.

All up I walked 43,560 steps that day..... NEW record.

East Street Market and Walworth

Friday was a quiet Day. Raining off and on but not too cold.

So I went for a walk south. From the CBL I walked across Blackfriars Bridge

Along Walworth Road.

Passed East street Market.

Ok, I went into East-street Market as it has stopped raining.

Fresh fruit and veg, fish, meat and clothing, even bric-brac way down the back.

I purchased goodies for the next day and enjoyed the diversion.

East street Market is very old, and the Ethertons lived on it, towards the other end.

I proceed to walk on past St Paul church and then back to the room.

I finally took a Picture of the little shop on the corner of St James Street and Grange Road.

I step into Often now as they have all sort of goodies on the shelves. But tomorrow was a big day that I planned, so I needed supplies.

Time to slow down on a walk across London.

Thursday had been a quiet day with only 3 calls Connecting in the job search. So disappointing.

But I needed to walk and stretch my legs again.

Well I walked up Strand, Passed Trafalgar Square, and through the Arch and passed Horse Guard Road into St James Park.

I like this park as it has a lot of Birds.

Like rare Snow Geese, and plenty of Egyptian Geese.

And some I still haven't found the names for.

At the end of St James Park is Buckingham Palace

With the Queen Victoria Memorial.

But the target today was an event that is not on the tour guides much.

At the Household Guards, they withdraw the Horse and Guards at 16:00 each day.

The Horse are beautiful. and well behaved.

The guards first lineup

Then the Horse guards Line up.

Oh and Police with REAL guns are watching all the Tourists.

Then they are inspected.

One guard failed inspection and the officer in charge was not happy with him.

Then I had to Bold home and the temperature was dropping fast.

And the city lights up very fast.

Pass Borough Markets where they were selling French Mushrooms cheap for risotto's

They looked so good.

But it was Tower Bridge Again. When I see her, and cross her road I know I have 20 minutes to walk to my room.

Time Out to Walk the Regents Canal

Well, Wednesday came and although the job market is tough to back, I took some time out.

So I walked to The Regent Canal in Islington just as the tunnel comes out.

Just up the road it's called Little Venice.

It was bright and sunny and I needed to speed some time walking.

Stress seems to float away when I'm walking.

Most of the Barges are old, but hey are generally well kept.

Yes, people live in them.

Accommodation is so short in London they live all year in them

I came across one being moved and working it way through a LOCK. I sat a watched the process.

IT amazing you read about it, but watching it happen, reinforces all you know.

First you move the Barge into the Lock.

Shut the Lock behind it.

Then Open the valve to let the water in.

Slowly the Barge goes up, Easy.

It a slow boring process.

Most of the Canal is Barges Parked and Coucil controls them tightly.

No toilet waste allowed in the Canal. They must be moved every 28 Days.

and they must not put anything onshore but ropes.

But the are Nice to see.

I walked the length of the Canal from the Islington Tunnel to Old Ford Locks at Victoria Park.

(Had to stop for 30 Minutes for an interview on the Phone).

Visited Victoria Park Quickly.

This is park I'd like to visit again when it is not COLD.

I found St James the Lessor.

It appears to have been rebuilt lately. But this is where Jennifers Line and Mine came through.

I walked to where Alma and Cranbrook Road use to be.

Quickly walked through Bethnal Green and made for a Warm Home

But he Night decends here fast

But Tower Bridge looks Grand whatever time of the Day.

Walking through London

Well On Monday, I didn;t do much as ai worked on Updating my Cover Letter and changing tactics.

The day Finished Late so I got to see the lights on the way to my room.

Like this of Tower Bridge.

Or the back street of Butchers Wharf.

So Tuesday came and I had sore legs wanting to go for walk.

So off I went as soon as I had completed the Applications and Phone calls.

I know where I am in the City now seeing little views of Buildings I know, and walk passed each day.

Like this little glimpse of ST Pauls.

But today I had a new Target. Canary Wharf.

Passed St George of the East

And onto Canary Wharf walking the Thames Path where I could.

It a very Large complex with it own Police Force and Security. But I got to go around the Dockland Museum and check out the sights. But if you weren't there for business. Not much kept you there.

It a business place. So I set off on the Thames path again. Target Greenwich.