May 29: Finsbury and Clerkenwell

A Bank Holiday urban walk with Richard Challoner. With a vicious wind and little energy after a night at Durrants, my original plans for a huge trek dwindled fairly rapidly, but we did manage to investigate some fine old buildings in this interesting part of London.

Our wanderings included Lubetkin’s Finsbury Health Centre, opened in 1938. Before World War II, Finsbury was a centre of light industry and one of the poorest areas in London. In an era when medicine was still provided by the private sector and charities, the left-wing Finsbury Borough Council was determined to address local problems by building a health centre and other public amenities.

The architect chosen for this bold vision was the Russian émigré Berthold Lubetkin, This was the first local authority commission for an overtly modernist architect. The outcome was one of Britain’s most daring buildings of the time.

Like much of London, Finsbury has seen relentless gentrification. The Progressive Working Class Caterer on Farringdon Road is now the Quality Chop House, but its original name can still be seen. Underneath, its menu included Eggs Benedict Royale and grilled lemon sole with Hollandaise sauce...

Today: 5 miles
2006 total: 190 miles

May 7: Mynyddislwyn and Twyn Tudor

A long-overdue return to an old haunt. The hillside church of St Tudor at Mynyddislwyn overlooks the town where my sister lives, and I hadn't been back here since the early 1990s. This has been a site of worship since the early days of Celtic Christianity. South of the church is a superb row of ancient yew trees.

Further south lies Twyn Tudor, a prehistoric mound of uncertain age and purpose. As often before, I found this a pleasant spot to retire and ponder the ways of the world.

Today: 6 miles
2006 total: 185 miles

May 6: Kilpeck and Abbey Dore

A very special trip with my sister to two of the finest churches in Britain. We were chauffered by Margaret Oliver, an old friend from the 1980s.


Today: One symbolic mile
2006 total: 179 miles

April 23: Cardiff

Another short urban walk with my sister. We both grew up in Cardiff, and the place holds many good memories.


Today: 4 miles
2006 total: 178 miles

April 22: Sirhowy Valley (north)

I set off from Pontllanfraith, crossing the Sirhowy and heading north along the old tramroad from the early days of the Industrial Revolution.

Just beyond Blackwood the landscape has changed considerably, with significant road construction in the last couple of years. As the new roads were not on my OS map, I got lost with more ease than usual.

After lengthy detours (that is, getting lost again), I managed to rejoin the trail at Manmoel, leading to the bleak but pleasant hill of Cefn Manmoel. From here there were views of the neighbouring hills. Here I had a rare meeting with another traveller - a Czech man staying in nearby Ebbw Vale.

The Sirhowy Valley Walk ends on a hill just beyond the Tredegar - Ebbw Vale road, at a spot where the great socialist Aneurin Bevin held open air meetings during his long years as the local Member of Parliament.

The greatest of Bevin's many claims to fame is the introduction of the National Health Service, inspired partly by a system already long in use in Tredegar.

I then headed west for Tredegar, a neglected town with many interesting features, and walked a few miles south to Coronation Villas before calling it a day and catching a bus back to Pontallanfraith. It had been a very enjoyable walk.

Today: 16 miles
2006 total: 174 miles

April 18: The Capital Ring (4)

A return to the Capital Ring, London's inner orbital trail. For this superb part of the Ring I had the company of my good friend Richard Challoner, who joined me for most of the walk.

For the first time on the Ring, I decided to travel anti-clockwise for a change.
After a stroll near the Royal Docks, I joined the Ring at Beckton Park and headed off westwards.

For a few miles, the Ring follows the course of Bazalgette's Northern Outfall Sewer. The sheer scale of this magnificent piece of engineering is apparent here, as the embankment is almost level with the roofs of the houses alongside.

The Ring then clings to the Lea Valley Navigation right up to the Lea Bridge. I had walked this charming stretch with Tony Drayton back in September 2005. Richard joined me at this point. We then headed westwards through charming Stoke Newington, with its two parish churches.

From here to Finsbury Park, the Ring follows a section of the New River, the Elizabethan scheme that brought drinking water to London from Hertfordshire. It now seems hard to imagine the New River as a vital utility for the Metropolis.

From Finsbury Park to Highgate, the Ring follows the track of the disused railway line, from which services ran to the Alexandra Palace. Apart from its fascinating abandoned stations and empty platforms, the line is a valuable corridor for insect and plant life.

I have now completed the whole eastern half of the Ring between Highgate and Crystal Palace, and will complete the rest in small sections after my nights at Durrants.

Today: 16 miles
2006 total: 158 miles

April 8: Ludlow

A rather special urban walk around Ludlow with my sister. Ludlow was a planned town, chosen by the Normans for its perfect defensive location overlooking the river Teme. and later served as the administrative capital of the Marches.

Apart from its superb castle and the parish church of St Lawrence, one of the largest in the country, its medieval street pattern survives almost intact. An almost perfect day in the circumstances.

Today: 5 miles
2006 total: 142 miles

April: More democracy in action...

I managed to cover a huge distance over 4 days, delivering 4300 poll cards to the good citizens of Leytonstone and Leyton, on behalf of those very charming people at Electoral Services of a certain borough council.

All the exhaustion of a long walk with none of the scenery, but at least it will fund my walks for the rest of the year.

Total: 41 miles
2006 total: 137 miles

March 14: The Capital Ring (3)

After receiving some very unpleasant news yesterday (my sister's cancer has spread and is now inoperable) I didn't feel much like going home after finishing my night at Durrants. Instead I picked a random stage from the Capital Ring.

I started off from Greenford, from where the path led to Paradise Fields. This is real progress - a former golf course turned into a small wetland reserve. The path then followed the Grand Union Canal before turning up to Horsenden Hill, one of the highest points in west London.

Sudbury and Harrow - famous for its school, one of the great bastions of English priviledge - followed in quick succession. The path then took me past Northwick Park Hospital. A gaggle of journalists had gathered outside. I assumed this was about some celebrity story and passed on swiftly. I later found out that this was where the disastrous medical tests were taking place.

I finished the walk at nearby South Kenton. It wasn't easy walking after a night of media monitoring, but it helped clear my head.

Today: 5+ miles
2006 total: 96 miles