Month: March 2018

Joydens Wood, Bexley

Posted on by Rhi Bowen

Hi again!

 

Last week on the one day that really did feel like the beginning of spring (13 whole degrees!!), I went to Bexley to explore Joydens Wood, a piece of ancient woodland which has a long history stretching back to Roman times. Cared for by the Woodland Trust, there are multiple trails you can follow through the area. This is a lovely ramble; a couple of times I stopped just to listen to the sound of- well, pretty much nothing, other than the birds! The roar of London is only there in a very distant sense.

There are a few entrances to the Wood; the one I used took me down Stable Lane, just outside the village of Bexley. After you pass the stables, there is a gate on the left leading up into the woodland.

There are still traces of ancient human activity in the forest; including Faesten Dic, a boundary made up of a ditch and a raised bank, which runs through the woodland for about a kilometre. You can follow this as one of the trails, which are all really well sign-posted.

You could probably spend most of a day exploring the woodland- not only are there numerous trails to follow, there are also remnants of ancient settlements, such as The King’s Hollow, part of an old dwelling; also a well which would have been the area’s original drinking water source.

It’s very evident from the size of a lot of the trees just how old this woodland is; my favourite was the “Old Oak” towards the Summerhouse Drive entrance to the woods.

Another thing I noticed was how much wildlife there was about; the birdsong was so loud there, and there were squirrels absolutely everywhere!

Joydens Wood also forms part of a longer walk around the Bexley area which is fully outlined in the “London’s Parks & Countryside Pathfinder Guide“. This walk also involves a lovely stretch of the River Cray, which I’ll have to test out very soon!

Rhi xx

P.S. One thing I did find was that most of the trail I took was seriously muddy, so best to wear walking boots or an old pair of trainers you can stick in the wash afterwards!

 

Floating on Cloud Ridge nine.

Posted on by Jake Kenny

New for us this season is The Patagonia Cloud Ridge Jacket. It comes in a few colours but I’ve gone for the yellow, which is the perfect tone of an old cornish Fisherman’s jacket.

I’m moving on from my Patagonia Torrentshell which has been a real staple and has treated me well over the years. But, finally, it was time to move on as it has been worn to death and definitely had its day, I will be sending it back to Patagonia for their recycling program.

The Cloud Ridge is a 3 layer waterproof that is breathable and packable. It has a 100% recycled face fabric with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish, and the inside layer is also made from a recycled polyester which is comfortable on the skin even in heat and high humidity.

It also has a few other simple features such as microfleece on the back of the neck and chin for comfort, and the hood clips back and out of the way.

The main zip and the pockets are both watertight and the pockets are mesh-lined, which help to vent body heat if you keep them open.

For wet or humid conditions this is a perfect jacket for any outdoor activities, and with a down sweater underneath it was perfect for me when i was hiking in the snowy storms of Sweden too!

I have loved my Torrentshell so much and it’s the perfect companion if you’re looking for a basic jacket for out and about in the city or some basic wandering and cycling. But for me, as I am starting to do a lot more hiking and climbing I feel that the Cloud ridge has the comfort and features that will make my life all that easier when I’m out and about, regardless of I want to do.

The hood is adjustable and alpine helmet compatible and the classic P-6 logo stitched on the chest.

 All zips on the jacket are watertight.

Hook and loop cuff closures.

Check out the Patagonia Cloud Ridge Jacket on our site here.

Best wishes from the wilds of Sweden

Over and out

Jake

Hawkwood Estate, Chislehurst

Posted on by Rhi Bowen

Hey!

It’s been a long time, but I’ve finally gotten around to writing this post- a while ago, I went to visit the Hawkwood Estate in Chislehurst, having scanned Google Maps as per usual for big green spaces in Southeast London I somehow haven’t gotten round to exploring yet!

    

Chislehurst itself doesn’t feel like London- the moment you step off the train you seem to be breathing Kent’s air instead. Climb the hill to the left out of the station, and head across the cricket ground towards the village- it’s even got a pub called the Rambler’s Rest.

The part I was specifically heading for was up the road a way from the train station, past the also-lovely Chislehurst Common, which I’m fully intending on giving its own post at some point soon.

My favourite part of this walk is actually the beginning, as the buildings gradually peter out along Hawkwood Lane; once you’re past the two schools along this road, you reach what appears to be a cul-de-sac; but leading off to the left is a dirt track called Botany Bay Lane. Take this track and suddenly- BAM!- you’re completely and totally in the countryside.

        

The tree-lined track keeps pretty much straight on; there are a few other footpaths leading off it, which, again, I need to explore soon. There are some amazing views (and friendly sheep) along the track, and it’s generally pretty quiet save for a few dog-walkers (one of them even said hi, which I feel is pretty conclusive evidence that this wasn’t London!). Essentially you could ramble around the whole area for hours feeling like you’ve totally escaped from the city.

       

Hawkwood Lane then runs alongside the train tracks for a little while; after this point you can either cross the bridge into more woodland, or curl back around onto a boardwalk and find yourself in the Petts Wood conservation area; more recently I visited this in the snow with a Klean Kanteen full of coffee!

                    

Side note: there’s a bunch of pubs in the picture-postcard centre of the village; so if you happen to find yourself here in the cold weather that’s supposed to be making a comeback this weekend, there’s plenty of places to warm up!

Rhi xx