Lunch at Downe

It’s quite a while since we’ve managed a day out, and with good weather forecast, we decided to repeat a walk we did back in July (see Lunch at Downe) though in the other direction.

We caught an R11 bus from Orpington High Street (having just missed one, of course) to Green St Green. After negotiating the busy A21 roundabout, we were soon away from roads:

Rocco appreciated being able to run around and chew sticks:

Soon we were in High Elms, gently climbing through the autumn leaves:

We needed to cross High Elms Road at Sparrow Wood Car Park:

and then followed the permissive footpath into Downe village:

And then to the Queens Head for lunch, washed down with Timothy Taylors Landlord Dark – an excellent beer we both enjoyed.

After lunch, we had a bit of road walking, then escaped across the fields by Farthing Street:

Then back into the woods:

and across Farnborough Fields to Farnborough Village, where (again) we just missed a 358 bus back to Orpington. Not long to wait for another one though!

Visit the Brewery

One of our local breweries had an open day today, so it was a good excuse to jump on a train and sample their wares.

We got the train to High Brooms, just north of Tunbridge Wells. By then, Rocco was desperate for a walk, so we found a nearby park for him to let off steam.

Not long after, we found the brewery in an industrial estate, and sampled the various beers on offer.

Before we got too drunk, we walked back to the station and caught a train to Tunbridge Wells.

There’s a lovely park right by the station, which gave Rocco a chance to let off steam.

(He was there somewhere…)

Then back on the train to Orpington.

A nice day out!

Our House in 1910

We’ve recently found a photo of our house from 1910, which can’t be long after it, and the other 3 houses in the group, were built:

Click on the photo for a larger image.

How things have changed – it would be impossible to take an equivalent photo today as the area is more built up!

High Elms in the frost

A cold start to the day (-5C) so it’s dress up warm to walk Rocco. The fields by High Elms looked lovely this morning, and quite surreal with the moon behind:

Rocco doesn’t mind the cold, and was soon destroying a stick:

And then into the sunshine:

A lovely walk once I’d warmed up!

 

 

Keston Ponds

It’s been a nice morning, and we had some free time, so we decided to have a gentle walk around Keston Ponds and the surrounding area. Within minutes of arriving, Rocco had a stick and was in the water:

He did enjoy a swim and splash in the (fairly clean) main pond:

Padmall Woods were looking really good – gone is the monoculture of Chestnut in favour of more mixed planting:

A lovely walk!

A Frosty Shoreham Woods

A cold morning, so two pairs of gloves and a woolly hat today!

So we’re off to Shoreham Woods.

3° below zero according to the car, so at least most of the muddy paths will be frozen. Unfortunately, my least favourite path down the hill was a combination of uneven surfaces and icy puddles – quite a struggle to stay upright!

It was nicer further on at Polhill Bank, and while I retied my shoelaces, Rocco enjoyed shredding the stick he’d carried for the last mile:

With no one else around, and the mist suppressing distant noises, it was eerily quiet:

Later, we had to get past some ponies to get to the stile. But these ones are no problem – they must be really used to dogs by now:

Disappearing Path

A cold and misty morning today, though with no wind. High Elms is starting to dry out a bit after the last storm, so Rocco returned much cleaner than before!

This is the path across one of the fields, and yes, it does go somewhere eventually!