I started this "Walks" page in early 2021,
as a place to put things like photos, videos and maps, showing our visits.
Tap or click on pictures to play the video or expand the picture.
I've put the latest visits and walks at the top - mostly :-)
You can scroll down and pause on those that interest you, or use those quick links below to skip later walks :-)
Tap or click on a picture above, or a link below, to skip to that section of this page ...
The top and Robin's Introduction
,
Walk around Timber Hill Chobham on 11Jan23 & 12Jan22
,
Walk around Bucklebury Farm Park on 29Dec21
,
Walk into Ascot Bog from St Michaels Church on 26Dec21
,
Walk from The Chobham Forge in Burrowhill area on 14Dec21
,
Bee Gardens of Chobham Common on 28Nov21 & 1Dec21
,
Titness Park & Sunningdale Cemetry on 18Nov21
,
Ramster Gardens on 28Oct21
,
Windlesham Arboretum in Nov20 & Oct21
,
3Oct21 Walk around Albury Park
,
14Aug21 Walk near dried up Wey & Arun Canal south of Dunsfold
,
12Aug21 Walk near Pyrford & remains of Newark Priory
,
11Aug21 Walk near Binsted
,
9Aug21 Walk north of Henley on Thames
,
8Aug21 Walk south of Henley on Thames
,
6Aug21 Walk from Crookham along Basingstoke Canal and back
,
4Aug21 Walk from Greywell along Whitewater and back
,
19July21 Walk to Mandsands Beach from Hillshead
,
17July21 Walks near Frensham Little Pond to Gypsy Party
,
6Jun21 NGS Povey's Cottage & Ewhurst Park
,
19&20May21 Waverley Abbey & Moor Park Nature Reserve
,
03&04Feb21 from Jack's to Coworth Park & The Weatsheaf
,
02Feb21 Windsor Great Park Smiths Lawn
,
01Feb21 North Ascot across Ascot Race Course
,
31Jan21 Blackwater River & Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve
,
29Jan21 Longacres & Windlesham Golf
,
27Jan21 Longcross House & Tank Hill
,
26Jan21 Trumps Green & Wentworth Golf Course
,
25Jan21 Tank Facory & Wentworth Golf Course
,
23Jan21 Chobham Common High Point
,
21Jan21 & 21Jan21 Chobham Common
,
19Jan21 Monks Walk
,
18Jan21 Bray Wick & Green Way
,
15Jan21 Warburg Nature Reserve & Mud :-)
,
14Jan21 Bray Lake & Thames Hospice
,
12Jan21 Englemere Pond & Swinley Forest
,
9Jan21 Sunninghill & Swinley Forest
,
7Jan21 Chobham to Emmett's Mill
,
6Jan21 East from Flowerpot at Aston
,
5Jan21 Medmenham & River Thames
,
4Jan21 Ankerwick Yew
,
2Jan21 Bledlow Ridge
,
31Dec20 California in England
,
30Dec20 Trout Fishery
,
24Dec20 Virginia Water Lake then Adriano's :-)
,
2Dec20 Homewood Park near St Peter's Hospital
,
30Nov20 Lechlade and RAF Fairford
,
29Nov20 Hawley Lake
,
28Nov20 EASAMS places
,
27Nov20 The Grange and Avington Park
,
26Nov20 Cookham
,
24Nov20 Common near Wisley
,
23Nov20 Marlow
,
21Nov20 Bray Wick
,
19Nov20 Sindlesham Mill & Arborfield
,
15Nov20 Barkham Church & Luckley Rd
,
14Nov20 Bramshill Forest
,
29Oct20 Barossa Area
,
26Oct20 Dorney Lake, Dorney Court, and the Jubilee River
,
19Oct20 & 6Dec21 Horseshoe Lake
,
18Oct20 Goldsworth Park & Black Park
.
from 2022:
Tap or Click on pictures to enlarge. We have visited
Timber Hill when open for the NGS Charity *
several times before.
See also
www.timberhillgarden.com
.
It was a perfect sunny day, despite being January ! We enjoyed speaking to owners:
Nick & Lavinia Sealy ( see link above ), son Edward,
Paul the gardener, but particularly Allison,
also a visitor. We had several areas of common interest. e.g. Information Technology ( I.T. ); Teaching; Photography. Allison had even spent a little while working for
BAE and EASAMS
! :-)
from Wednesday 11th January 2023:
Lovely visit one year later. Spoke to Paul & Nick again - but not Allison :-)
* See note on links to NGS Gardens further below.
We did not need SatNav for the 15 or 20 minutes trip. But, if we had, the entrance gate is at Lat/Lon 51.35570 -0.55630 :-)
Tap or Click to see details of our route, then walk :-)
Photos below from 14th June 2021:
Tap or Click on pictures to enlarge.
After hours of searching emails, backup files, and paper diaries, Robin found some of the pictures shot on
14th June 2021 - on a lovely sunny day. His excuse was that things were very "busy" including organising
their 50th Anniversary for 26th June, plus work on the house, and more. For now, here are some pictures, starting with the track
of our walk around Timber Hill, followed by a walk into McLaren Park, and where Robin's friend Flavio has had Italian engineers
working for decades. For those interested, Flavio appears on Robin's
New Car Page :-)
Tap or Click on pictures to enlarge them. Michelle is crazy about animals, so, after a long drive around,
we ended up at Bucklebury Farm Park, that we had not visited for a while.
Tap or Click on the pictures to enlarge them. This 2.9 mile walk on Boxing Day was into an interesting area we had not visited for a while. We glimpsed two deer :-)
Tap or Click on the pictures to enlarge them, or play the video. It could have been over 20 years since we walked this lovely area.
Good to see some things still there: like the standing stones and that big blue play bus. The animals were both interesting and friendly.
That second-hand car caught their eye :-)
Tap or Click on the pictures to enlarge them, or play the videos.
The first walk, near Gracious Pond, was inspired by us seeing this second "Bee Garden" on Chobham Common, on an Ordnance Survey map
- and then that pattern of rectangles on satellite images !
It was a fascinating walk, as it got dark,
along paths we'd not trodden before. June said that the "Bee Gardens" probably dated back to medieval times, after the Romans,
but before 1066. The area might have been used by the local Roman Catholic monestry, for growing food, and maybe making honey.
See near end for our later walk past the Bee Garden near Albury Bottom.
Those unlucky enough to play the videos will find they cover several overlapping subjects - like GPS tracking, CCTV, and importance of knowing if a walk
will be interrupted by rain - or even snow ! :-)
Tap or Click on the pictures to enlarge. This was a lovely and interesting walk, around the edge of Titness Park,
and visiting where June and Jack Ponsford used to live, near Blacknest Gate, The Belvedere Arms, and the water pumpting station.
We visited Sunningdale Cemetry, and the grave of Diana Dors. Below is from my
Roof
page.
Tap or Click on the pictures to enlarge. This was a lovely and interesting walk, ending in coffee and cake at the friendly tea house.
Back in 2003 and before, Robin and friends such as Trevor, flew Snoopy's camera 'plane,
to take aerial photos of the archeological site, and then video. An extract of the old 2003 video is in that here.
Click on pictures to expand or play the video.
June poses in front of the River Tillingbourne, the sheep, the house, and Robin with Gonorrhoea - sorry he meant Gunnera or Giant Rhubarb ! :-)
We pause for a rest, by the lake, at the eastern end of our walk. Then it was back to where we started, for coffee, cake, and banter under the marquee :-)
Tap or click on pictures for more detail. When we chose to start our walk from Binstead Church, we didn't know
we'd discover the graves of
Field Marshal Bernard "Monty" Montgomery
and his son. When we got back, chatting to friendly strangers, we discovered that he'd lived little more than a mile north,
at Isington Ford: that last picture below.
Tap or click on pictures to expand them. From June: "In the news it said that, for the first time in 150 years,
they are letting women wear trousers at Henley Royal Regatta". Robin's response: that's OK, so long as they
don't wear the trousers in the house" :-)
Tap or click on pictures to play the video or expand the picture.
Tap or click on pictures to play the video or expand the picture. This walk was less than 1.5 miles, but included interesting spots.
Tap or Click on the pictures to expand, or play the video.
Tap or Click on the pictures to expand, or play the video.
Tap or Click on the pictures to play the video or expand the pictures. June, Robin, and Michelle, took different walks,
around and near Frensham Little Pond, then met up to join that lovely Gypsy Party. It was great to see the young
families enjoy themselves, including playing in the sand, paddling, and skilled horse riding :-)
Tap or Click on pictures to visit the
National Garden Scheme (NGS) Charity site
, play the 1 minute video or expand pictures.
Tap or Click on pictures to play the 2 minute video or expand the pictures.
You may read about
Waveley Abbey
on Wiki.
Tap or Click on maps to expand. Less than 40 minutes by car - without road works, traffic, and Robin choosing not to use SatNav, and getting lost :-)
Tap or Click on these pictures to expand. Most appear in that 2 minute video above - but for only 3 seconds :-)
This triggered memories of stories Jack had told Robin about important events, important local people,
and enjoyable time spent with Jack over many years.
More changes here soon ? :-)
Tap or Click on the map, or pictures, to see more detail,
or play the video.
Useful PUBLIC information about Great Meadow Pond can be found on the page
Cumberland Lodge
:-)
Robin must take a look through old aerial photos, then videos, taken as far back as the 1980s.
See his
Hobby
and
Drone
pages :-)
Tap or Click on pictures to enlarge, or play the video. Robin could not
resist including a short clip of the aerial video, shot in 2004, when the new Grandstand was being built.
He found that old VHS tape and the full video is now below :-)
It was a lovely walk, and let's hope they don't change bits of history,
like those old rusty iron railings :-)
Tap or Click on pictures to expand, or play a video.
For those into experimenting with GPS tracks, the data is in
w310121.gpx
:-)
Tap or Click on pictures to expand, or play a video.
Robin's excuse ? Where Nick starts, is the Windlesham Golf Club.
Robin remember that Monday of filming well: supplying food and drink to equipment suppliers
and police, while Nick and his crew did their business. You will see Nick being arrested
by Thames Valley Police, as he comes out of the Jade Chinese Restaurant in Sunninghill,
having just got Carol Vordeman the takeway she'd asked for. Never trust a woman ! :-)
These pictures appear in the video on the top right, but you may prefer to see them in detail. Tap or Click on them to enlarge.
Tap or Click on pictures to expand, or play the video.
This walk brought back old memories to Robin, of flying model aircraft from here, including those that took
aerial photos, then video, including of Longcross House, and the Tank Factory.
Longcross House Estate is owned by
Sheikh Maktoum
, the Prince of Dubai, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and more.
Robin is reminded of
Thuraya
and working with guys in UAE, USA, and Iraaq, twenty years ago.
Tap on the map below to see
Ministry of Defence Barrowhills
Wherever you walk, there is history to be found, much of it of interest - to some of us at least :-)
It turned out that the snow helped their navigation: peoples tracks, walking, and
rolling giant snowballs to make snowmen.
They made a shortcut through the woods, using a fallen tree to cross a stream, to that side of Longcross Rail Station,
visited the day before.
Who would have believed that, on their way back to Trumps Green, past that wild private party,
they would have gotten a glimpse of Donald, let alone exchanged smiles ? :-)
Before they went,
Robin was surprised that Wentworth featured on his old
Golf
page, set up in 1998,
after guys in several countries worked with Robin in applying GPS to Golf.
e.g. tracking golfers buggies or bags from the clubhouse, and providing
automated expert advice based on position, weather, etc.
Tap or Click on pictures to enlarge and see detail, or play the 5 minute video.
It was dark by the time we got back, and Robin relied on June for navigation with her smartphone GPS and ViewRanger App.
The highpoint for Robin was that huge snowman that had lost it's head :-)
We visited Chobham Common High Point by taking the footpaths from the south. Robin tried a doze, and June a wig wam :-)
It is mostly the walk that June and Robin took on 22nd January 2021, from where June's dad,
Jack Ponsford
,
played golf, at Ridgemount Artisans Golf Club, Sunningdale.
The walk took us through Sunningdale golf course, Chobham Common,
including two lakes,
via the Monument to Queen Victoria,
and back to the car.
At the end there is a sequence of pictures, showing our walk the day earlier,
from the Monument. south towards Chobham, as far as Round Pond, then back via Brick Hill.
i.e. that walk below this :-)
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge. Our GPS track looks like a Christmas tree ! :-)
For those using google translate, the sign reads: "WARNING TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT.
SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN".
Robin has a sneaking suspicion that the owner shares Robin's wicked sense of humour, and he has it on good authority,
that the natives here are very friendly - even to uninvited visitors from Sunninghill :-)
Here is a photo on Robin's
Chobham
page,
taken in the 1980s. That's Robin controlling Snoopy's camera 'plane. Now Robin asks "Where did all the gorse go ?" :-)
Most of the paths were muddy or waterlogged - but what we expected.
Good to see work being done on the Common; We liked that warning sign: "DANGER TROLLS !" :-)
Robin tries walking on water but gives up; we go through the woods, alongside the B383 Sunningdale to Chobham road, and reach Round Pond; Time for a swim ? :-)
We cross the road, go up Chestnut Lane, then through the woods, with that grand Chobham Place behind us, to the picnic spot.
Then it's back over the footbridge, across the M3 motorway, from Valley End into the little hamlet of Prick Hill - sorry again: Brick Hill :-)
June check out a tree house, then rusty stuff she thought had been a bowser.
Then back to our car near the monument. There is less gorse there now than in the 1980s :-)
Tuesday 19th January 2021: Robin & June took a stroll along Monks Walk, between Chertsey and St Mary's church in Thorpe village.
They had taken this walk, past Thorpe Park recreation centre, on Sunday 22nd November 2020, but Robin seemed to have lost the pictures !
But this walk was better researched, and they did it from the Chertsey end, checking out that old metal bridge that needs repair. More importantly,
they visited the ruins of Chertsey Abbey.
Click on the pictures to enlarge, or play the video - just pictures with Robin's voice comentary.
There are some lovely places to visit, if you know where to look, and don't mind a little mud :-)
Robin must confess that the decision was influenced in not being able
to find pictures from the earlier visit on Saturday 21st November 2020. On that occasion they had walked from the car park outside
Homebase. See the two tracks below. Last year's is on the left.
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge.
Our problems started when Robin thought that the muddy
track would come out on a road, and after maybe 1.5 miles very slow progress, they gave up,
left the car stranded, and followed the footpath up the hill, to The Five Horseshoes pub.
They rang daughter Samantha, to come and collect them, but she was unfamiliar with her Satnav
and got a bit lost. Mobile 'phone comms were a bit unreliable which did not help.
So June and Robin walked to the main road, and most of the way downhill
to Watlington.
They did eventually get home late, after 2230, and decided to go back the next day,
with June's car, a spade, and wellingtons. They struck lucky, talking to the right guys,
and were able to take a much less muddy private road back to the main road, and then home, via a car wash :-)
From June's ViewRanger App: our visit to the church then walk through Warburg Nature Reserve; we dump Robin's car and walk up to The Five Horseshoes Pub and road :-)
Thursday 14th January 2021: Robin took a muddy walk around Bray Lake after doing some shopping
in the local Post Office and stores. He was delighted that the lovely new Thames Hospice did
not prevent people taking the walk around the lake. The video made
with June on 16th October last year is further below. Click on pictures to enlarge or play.
Below is where Robin parked the car, then walked west along the Windsor Road, past the Hospice, and to the corner of Bray Lake, then counter-clockwise.
That old video from 2014 shows you what goes on at Bray Lake in 3 minutes and is worth a play. That made in 2020 is too long, and the last 6 minutes is other stuff back home,
like BBC TV covid19 news :-|
Robin should have checked for local geocaches, before they left.
He saw they came VERY close to that ice house: "Mr Jenningson's 'Fridge" :-)
Wednesday 13th January: scroll down past the bee hives to see our
second attempt, but from the Bracknell side.
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge.
Here are some relevant photos I found from 2nd April 2007: Objects from WWII ? Those bee hives we remember ! :-)
Wednesday 13th January 2021: This time our walk was from the Bracknell side. Click on pictures to enlarge.
Robin recalls testing radio controlled model boats here with Gary :-)
More WWII ammo stores, but we could not find that ice house: just discarded bottles and cans of drink. BUT an interesting cast iron pot
and a tree of rememberence.
Click on pictures to expand.
Robin wondered why some of the sculptures looked so glum - bored perhaps ?
We both wondered what the weed, looking like long grass, was in the water.
June thought it was long pine needles :-)
When Jack returned from the POW camp, Stalag 8b in Poland, in 1944,
he was given a flat in Crossways - that tudor style building below.
General Eisenhour's bunker was under what became the Marist Convent and school.
During WW2 Sunninghill was full of Canadians and Americans - and Poles ! :-)
Click on the General for Robin's
NATO Memories
.
On Wednesday 6th January 2021 we just HAD to take this walk on the other side of the River Thames, starting from
where the ferry used to cross, past The Flower Pot pub at Aston.
The new owner, Swiss financier Urs Schwarzenbach,
has made improvements. e.g. that Stone-Henge-like construction below.
When Robin saw the new church, Culham Chapel, from a distance, he
mistook it for a Greek building, like those in
Sicily
.
How appropriate that Urs purchased the estate from Sir Martyn Arbib, in 2006, by
making an 'offer that he could not refuse' :-)
On Tuesday 5th January 2021, we took a walk from the village of Medmenham*, into the church yard, then across the fields full of tasty turnips
and friendly sheep, then back along the north bank of the River Thames. This was a lovely village and a nice walk, but Robin prefers that
along the other bank, from the Flower Pot pub. The footpath runs through the garden of that lovely house. These pictures are mostly
the maps from Robin's SpotT2 satcamms tracker and June's Smartphone ViewRanger App.
* I remember that the bus from Reading to High Wycombe stopped at Medmenham, during my daily commute to the Technical College.
It was moped from Luckley Road to Wokingham Rail Station, then train to Reading, to catch the bus to High Wycombe ! Sometimes I'd hitch a lift home,
to save money. Then one day I struck lucky, and then got free transport by a guy in Wokingham whose boy also went to High Wycombe Tech' !
Now where are my old diaries and engineering log books ? :-)
On Monday 4th January 2021, we took a walk around the National Trust area near the River Thames, overlooked by the RAF Memorial.
It included the ancient Ankerwicke Yew, and ruins of St Mary's Priory, that had once been a nunnery. This area is on the opposite
side of the Thames from the Magna Carta and John F Kennedy memorials.
Saturday 2nd January 2021: we visited Bledlow Ridge, home of the late Lord Peter Carrington.
The first time Robin shook Peter's hand was when being presented with a book, at High Wycombe Technical College in 1965.
The last time was when his home was open for the National Garden Scheme (NGS). See my
Grumpy
page. What a guy !
Thursday 31st December 2020: Click on pictures below to enlarge. Our 3 mile walk around California Country Park,
and past where Robin lived as a young child. This patch was all written up on his
California Geocache
page. Things have changed: you used to be able to walk into the common land. Arbourfield Army Camp has gone - and the bungalow :-)
Here are some old photos my sister sent me, of California in England during the 1950s - just as I remembered it - with ferris wheel, a zoo and a gorilla too :-)
Wednesday 30th December 2020: Click on pictures below to enlarge. e.g. our 4 mile walk near
Felix Farm Trout Fishery
and Monday's trip to Uffington Castle
for snow :-)
Below is from our
2020 Newsletter
...
"Thursday 24th December ( Christmas Eve ): Nice 5 mile walk around Virgina Water Lake by June, Samantha, Michelle, and Robin.
Lovely visit to deliver presents to the Bansals, including for young Romeo :-)
Then wine in La Sorrentina ( Adriano's ) waiting for our take-away..." :-)
Monday 30th November 2020: Robin and June take a visit to Lechlade, where Robin fished as a boy with Gus.
Sunday 29th November 2020: Robin and June take a walk around Hawley Lake, allegedley Ghurka territory :-)
Saturday 28th November 2020: Robin and June visit some places of importance to Robin's old workmates from
EASAMS
in Frimley, and walk a patch of green Robin did not even know was near where he worked from 1981 to 1994.
But he does remember those pubs and clubs :-)
We then drove on for a nice walk around the estate of
Avington Park
,
including the lake, and the River Itchen.
Thursday 26th November 2020: walk across fields of tasty turnips near Cookham, with views to east, of Clivedon, above the River Thames.
Click on pictures to expand.
Tuesday 24th November 2020: walk across common land, opposite RHS Garden Wisley. It was so hot, Robin took a swim :-)
Monday 23rd November 2020: Lovely walk near Marlow, around the lake of Spade Oak Nature Reserve. That heron near us "wasn't bovvered" :-)
Thursday 19th November 2020: walk near Sindlesham Mill, where Robin used to fish as a boy.
We then walked near Arborfield. The day before, Wednesday, we walked near Sandford Mill where Robin also used to fish as a boy,
with pals like Bob and Gus.
Sunday 15th November 2020: walks near Barkham Church, near Arborfield Army Camp, then near Luckley Rd Wokingham, and early fishing spots - with jam jars ! :-)
June will remember dinners
at The New Mill, years ago, and one other occasion where our car got stuck in the ford ! :-)
We drove and parked on the south bank of the River Blackwater, opposite what had been the New Mill Restaurant.
If you look at that more detailed GPS track of our walk, along the river, you will see we turned back - lots of mud ! :-)
Click on picture to enlarge. They will have to do, until I found the pictures and/or video we took, including in Bramshill Forest.
Robin confesses
that he wanted to see if the area had changed,
in the 30 years or more, since they filmed
The Barossa Operation, while working for
EASAMS
.
It hasn't much - perhaps more cows and mud :-)
Click or tap on pictures to expand or play video.
Robin made sure they also checked out the Jubilee River, filmed from the air by Snoopy, years ago. Clips are included,
as they are of Falconer Gary Morris, using Robin's GPS Software to find falcons, and broadcast on Meridian TV.
See
AsOnTV
page and
Finding Falcons by Satellite
broadcast in May 1996 :-)
Click or tap on pictures to expand or play the video.
The pictures are almost all frames taken from the video,
and Robin was surprised to be reminded that they visited
some other places, like Taplow Court, Windsor, and Eton, also filmed by Snoopy :-)
It must have been about 2005 that Snoopy took aerial video from a sea 'plane, on the Jubilee River, and got a bit wet !
Snoopy also filmed from Taplow Court, below June.
Taplow Court, north of the A4, then back to Dorney Court near to the Jubilee River and Dorney Lake.
Dorney Lake is where June and Samantha did their 5K run in 2020. Also the 2012 Olympics. Also a Snoopy robot boat test site,
when Bray Lake was clogged by weed :-)
Our walks included visiting the old church by the river, then walking back along the Thames to the Eton Boating Clubhouse for a coffee :-)
We ended by a walk across the fields across the river from Windsor, and on to Eton Bridge.
Robin could not resist adding this old Duck-Cam video :-)
Our walk started at the Horseshoe Lake Activity Centre, where Robin's Team-Joker
Snoopy
Robot Boat friends, Roger, Peter, Dick, and Roy, had tested their robot boats,
particularly
Woodstock
.
Tap or Click on pictures such as the map to see the detail, and on the 6 minute video below, which starts with a minute of still pictures.
Some are stills, from videos on the
Woodstock
page, such as the aerial
Drone
video.
Monday 6th December 2021: Just a quick walk in fading light, but maybe we'll come earlier in the day next time. Tap or Click on pictures to play or expand :-)
Goldsworth Park is where Eric used to sail, including his model camera boat.
See
Eric's Model Boat
page.
Tap or Click on pictures to expand or play.
After a nice walk around Goldsworth Park lake, with memories of testing
Eric's Snoopy Sloop 12 with a MicroMite computer, we drove north of Slough,
and walked around the lake at Black Park. We also had a nice lunch outside the cafe :-)
Both locations were full of people, including small children - all keeping safe covid19 distance, of course !
Great to see people being so friendly, and applying common sense ;-)
Not all visits are seen, and some browsers hide location, but you MAY find
Revolvermaps livestats for "Walks" page
of interest.
The video on the right shows several guys visiting at the same time, after I posted the link on the
Microtransat
forum to my
Covid19
page :-)
© 1991-2021 Robin Lovelock.
There have been
Walk around Timber Hill near Chobham open for the NGS Charity on Wednesday 12th January 2022 and Wednesday 11th January 2023 ....
Video of GPS Track in 3D added in January 2023:
Play the 1.5 minute video on the right, to see the GPS Track of our walk in 3D, including glimses of Fairoaks airfield opposite Timber Hill.
The data is from our walk in January 2022, seen in the map above, but it was a year later that we remembered we had not added this video
- of interest to a few of Robin's friends. Yes, you will see Tody our cat too :-)
Note about NGS Garden links from Robin in January 2023 :
I noticed that links to particular gardens, such as Timber Hill, had stopped working,
due to changes to the NGS web site. I reported this to their website manager, Catherine Swann,
and hopefully they can make simple changes so that both the old links, and their new links, work.
Not everyone wants to download their App, and fixing this problem is not exactly rocket science :-)
Here is the new link for Timber Hill
Timber Hill on https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/19504/timber-hill/
;
Here is the old link:
Timber Hill on https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/19504/
Many Thanks in advance Guys ;-)
Walk around Bucklebury Farm Park on 29th December 2021 ....
Walk into Ascot Bog from St Michaels Church on 26th December 2021 ....
Walk from The Chobham Forge in Burrowhill area on 14th December 2021 ....
Bee Gardens of Chobham Common on 28th November and 1st December 2021 ....
Titness Park on 18th November 2021 ....
Tap or Click on these pictures to play the video or expand them. They are pictures from Thursday 18th November 2021.
The day ended in an interesting walk around the edge of Tittenhurst Park, after parking outside the Sunningdale Bowls Club.
June said that Diana Dors was buried in the Sunningdale Cemetary, and that was another reason to visit her grave,
and that of her husband Alan. June's late dad
Jack Ponsford
had told Robin interesting tales, including about Diana & Alan. But there were many other places they visited, in the fading light,
but a full moon. Play the pictures, but remember, this is simply raw material for something better ;-)
Ramster Gardens on 28th October 2021 ....
Windlesham Arboretum: walks on 1st & 3rd November 2020, and 5th October 2021 ....
Sunday 1st November 2020: walk near
Windlesham Arboretum
.
We joined the
Spowers Charitable Trust
and returned on Tuesday 3rd November 2020 to look around.
On Tuesday 5th October 2021, we returned and walked the northern edge: an ancient hill fort ?
The horseshoe pond is very different from 2003: play video above :-)
3rd October 2021 Walk around Albury Park, open for NGS Charity ...
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge. It's several years since we last visited this lovely place. We were greeted by the rain stopping
and a rainbow over the church ! :-)
14th August 2021 Walk near dried up Wey & Arun Canal south of Dunsfold ...
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge. "Where's the water ?" Most was along the forest paths. We thought we glimpsed a deer, seeking water - but maybe it was a camel :-)
12th August 2021 Walk near Pyrford & remains of Newark Priory ...
Tap or click on pictures to enlarge.
We began with a false start - thinking of Wisley Church - until we realised that our walk would
be across a boring golf course. So we started at a much better place: the car park near Newark Road Bridge.
Our circular walk revealed interesting things and lovely views of Newark Priory ruins.
11th August 2021 Walk near Binstead ...
9th August 2021 Walk north of Henley on Thames ...
8th August 2021 Walk south of Henley on Thames ...
6th August 2021 Walk from the Exchequer Pub at Crookham along Basingstoke Canal and back ...
4th August 2021 Walk from Fox & Goose at Greywell to source of River Whitewater and back ...
19th July 2021 Walk to Mansands Beach from Hillshead and back ...
17th July 2021 June, Robin, and Michelle join the Gypsy Party at Frensham Little Pond ...
6th June 2021 NGS Charity Povey's Cottage then Ewhurst Park walk ...
19th & 20th May 2021 Waveley Abbey and Moor Park Nature Reserve ...
3rd & 4th February 2021 from Jack Ponsford's place around Coworth Park then along the lake to The Weatsheaf ...
The theme of these two walks were to bring back memories of where June lived
from 1952, and of her father
Jack Ponsford
.
Relevant topics you may wish to research are
Tittenhurst Park
,
Titness Park
,
Coworth Park
,
UAE
,
Dubai
,
and not least,
Brunei
! :-)
Tap or Click on pictures for more detail.
Tap or click on images below to see complete image, or maybe, in time, a link to relevant public information.
Depending on who you are, some of these images will evoke interest, in a vast range of subjects, and maybe
you have information to share with some others - not always public, of course. Robin's journalist friends may have useful information ;-)
That last image is of "Bluebells", the Italian Restaurant, that for years had been the "Seven Stars" pub.
I recall Jack telling me that the famous local Diana Dors, used to leave her children there, when she
and her husband were away filming. One night, one of their less friendly London gangster "friends",
blasted the front door with a shotgun. June saw Diana Dors several times, while working at Packs
in Sunningdale. Here is a quote from part of the few words of tribute to Jack, in my
2017 Christmas Newsletter ...
..."
But it was his local Sunninghill stories that were amazing, including helping his mate shift furniture
from the
Ferguson's
place opposite us in Sunninghill, to Dummer. Then laying the carpets there. All the while
interacting with the young family including
Fergie
who married Prince Andrew.
Other stories included those of
Diana Dors
and husband
Alan Lake
, but I won't say more here. Sleep well Jack".
Tap or Click on Diana.
Tuesday 2nd February 2021 Windsor Great Park, from Saville Garden towards Great Meadow Pond ...
June and Robin cannot remember ever visiting Great Meadow Pond, or the surrounding area,
despite June having lived near Blacknest Gate, as a child from about 1952. Her dad,
Jack Ponsford
had worked at the Pumping Station, demolished in recent times. It was near the Belvedere Arms pub.
Robin took a closer interest in the area, not long before they were married in 1971.
The two minute video below shows their unsuccessful attempt :-)
Monday 1st February 2020 from North Ascot across Ascot Race Course ...
June and Robin needed to visit North Ascot, where June's dad
Jack Ponsford
last lived, and they decided to take a walk around Ascot Heath and the Racecourse, which
included part of the historic
Three Castles Path
.
Sunday 31st January 2021: Blackwater River and Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve ...
June and Robin took another walk along the Blackwater River, but this time near Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve.
You can skip down to our earlier walk, in October 2020, with the picture of Horseshoe Lake.
Friday 29th January 2021: Longacres Garden Centre and Windlesham Golf Course ...
June and Robin combined a trip to buy garden materials from Longacres Garden Centre,
with a two mile walk from there, around Windlesham Golf Course, and back. The two minute video
shows the walk, and what Robin did with those materials: bark chippings and white stones.
Robin could not resist
adding that old 1996 TV broadcast from his
AsOnTV
page. It shows Nick Knowles, of DIY SOS fame, using Robin's voice operated SatNav
in a Lexas Soarer, and being intercepted by police using the same software
to track him.
Wednesday 27th January 2021: Longcross House and Tank Hill ...
June and Robin took a muddy 3 mile walk from Longcross Car Park, on Chobham Common, through the estate of
Longcross House
,
to the church, then back past Lily Pond Farm, onto the Common, and back to the car park via Tank Hill
- the model aircraft flying site.
Tuesday 26th January 2021: from Trumps Green to Wentworth Golf Course ...
June and Robin took a 5 mile walk from Trumps Green over Wentworth Golf Course, to explore parts they had not seen,
and do this while the snow was still there.
Monday 25th January 2021: around Chobham Tank Factory and Wentworth Golf Course ...
June and Robin's walk around Wentworth Golf Course was on Monday 25th January 2021.
It was not planned, but it ended up being two walks. The first was from near
Longcross Railway Station
around what was once the
Chobham Tank Factory
,
and is now Longcross Film Studios.
Saturday 23rd January 2021: from near the Brickmakers Pub to Chobham Common High Point ...
Friday 22nd January 2021: Sunningdale Golf Course to the Monument on Chobham Common and back ...
Tap or Click on pictures to expand or play the video.
Thursday 21st January 2021: The Monument on Chobham Common, to Round Pond, and back via Brick Hill ...
Thursday 21st January 2021: we decided to take local paths,
between Sunningdale and
Chobham
, most of which we had not trodden in decades, and many not at all.
This warning sign got our attention, on the way back from Round Pond,
through the little hamlet of Prick Hill - Sorry, I think that should be Brick Hill :-)
Tuesday 19th January 2021: Monks Walk, between Chertsey and St Mary's church in Thorpe village ...
Monday 18th January 2021: The Green Way, near The Cut, between Bray Wick and Maidenhead ...
Monday 18th January 2021: Robin & June decided to combine buying garden stuff from Homebase at Maidenhead with another walk
along the Green Way, near The Cut, from Bray Wick.
Friday 15th January 2021: Warburg Nature Reserve, Russells Water, Maidensgrove and a Muddy Track :-) ...
Friday 15th January 2021: Robin and June had an "interesting day" which started simply enough:
a visit to the Warburg Nature Reserve, south of Russells Water and Maidensgrove. Before our short walk
we checked out the ancient ruined church. June's Grand Mother was born in Russels Water.
Thursday 14th January 2021: Robin takes a muddy walk around Bray Lake past the Thames Hospice ...
Tuesday 12th January 2021: Englemere Pond then Swinley Woods ...
Tuesday 12th January 2021: We took a 4.26 mile walk around nearby Englemere Pond, and then
through Swinley Woods, hoping to find the icehouse and remains of a cottage garden,
with bee hive, that we remember from 20 or more years ago.
Below: remains of those bricked ammo stores from WWII days; June checks out a new home; unlike June, Robin took a short-cut, over a broken fence,
back to the car :-)
Monday 11th January 2021: from Armitage Court Sunninghill, South Ascot, Swinley Forest ...
Monday 11th January 2021: We took a 5.43 mile walk from our doorstep at 22 Armitage Court, through the
AMRA
Amenity Area, through the woods into South Ascot, through Allens Field - with wooden sculptures, and
into part of Swinley Forest, then back home.
Saturday 9th January 2021: from St Michael's Church Sunninghill, past Tittenhurst Park and back ...
On Saturday 9th January 2021 we took a walk from St Michael's Church,
at the other end of our village of
Sunninghill
on paths not far from where June and more famous guys had lived, or spent time.
e.g. Tittenhurst Park where Beatles John Lennon then Ringo Star lived,
when June lived in the cottage near the pumping station, where her dad,
Jack Ponsford
worked.
Thursday 7th January 2021: from Chobham, along the Bourne stream, to Emmets Mill, and back ...
On Thursday 7th January 2021 we took a walk along muddy footpaths from
Chobham
village centre, along the Bourne stream, to Emmets Mill, and back.
That straight line is where June's smartphone battery went flat, so Robin
used his compass :-)
Wednesday 6th January 2021: past The Flower Pot pub at Aston south of the River Thames ...
Here below is a photo Robin took during the floods of 2014. June is standing on the same spot on the jetty once used for the ferry.
That nice house that we'd seen the day before, from the north side of the River Thames, was
Culham Court
.
We than made our way across Remenham Hill, The Flower Pot, Ferry Lane, and our car. We paused at this small-holding.
Robin misses those piggy wigs near the Flower Pot :-)
Tuesday 5th January 2021: from west from Medmenham village, north of the Thames, and back ...
Monday 4th January 2021: National Trust area near the Thames and the Ankerwicke Yew ...
Saturday 2nd January 2021: Bledlow Ridge, home of the late Lord Peter Carrington ...
Thursday 31st December 2020: California Country Park and Nine-Mile-Ride near Arborfield ...
Wednesday 30th December 2020: Felix Farm Trout Fishery & Monday's trip to Uffington Castle
for snow :-) ...
Thursday 24th December ( Christmas Eve ): Nice 5 mile walk around Virgina Water Lake then TakeAway :-) ...
Wednesday 2nd December 2020: walk around Homewood Park near St Peter's Hospital ...
Wednesday 2nd December 2020: Click on the map to expand or the video to play it.
It's of our walk around the nearby Homewood Park
- a lovely place with amazing history.
June saw the lakes on the map and suggested it. Robin remembered from maybe 15 or 20 years ago,
flying Snoopy's camera carrying 'plane with old friend Trevor. We saw the Samsung UK HQ building,
and spoke to others who knew the nursing place -
Botleys Mansion
.
But only after we got back, did we find the fantastic history,
that "rang bells" with Robin on many fronts - not least his many years working with the military, and interest in
www.nhscare.info
.
For more background see Robin's home page on
www.gpss.co.uk
.
But that's the serious stuff:
See Robin sometimes can't resist getting up to mischief :-)
Monday 30th November 2020: Lechlade, where Robin fished as a boy with Gus, the RAF Fairford ...
Sunday 29th November 2020: walk around Hawley Lake, allegedley Ghurka territory :-) ...
Saturday 28th November 2020: Frimley and places of importantance to Robin's ex-EASAMS workmates ...
Friday 27th November 2020: The Grange, filmed by Snoopy, and Avington Park...
Friday 27th November 2020: Robin and June revisit
The Grange
, filmed by Snoopy in 2004,
helped by Robin and Trevor Saunders, his friend and
EASAMS
workmate
.
The owner of The Grange,
Lord Ashburton (John Baring)
passed away on 6th October 2020, and was succeeded by his son Mark.
Check out that 2004 video.
Here below are two photos of The Grange, that we took in 2014, in panorama mode. Tap or Click on them to enlarge. You can see some of that formal back garden :-)
Thursday 26th November 2020: near Cookham, with views of Clivedon, above the River Thames....
Tuesday 24th November 2020: walk across common land, opposite RHS Garden Wisley ....
Monday 23rd November 2020: Lovely walk near Marlow, around the lake of Spade Oak Nature Reserve. ....
Thursday 19th November 2020: walk near Sindlesham Mill, then Arborfield ....
Wednesday 18th November 2020: walk near Sandford Mill, where Robin fished as a boy ....
Monday 16th November 2020: walk near Ludgrove School and Luckley Rd where Robin and friends once lived. The following
is from an email sent to school-day neighbours in Luckley Road, and fishing pals:
QUOTE
The maps are evidence of our mission today, completed before the rain came in - we don't get much here, compared to Wales - also less sheep :-)
One from the (public) Spot2 Tracker shows where we parked the car first, at the Craft Centre, then I 'phoned Gus, asking where he had fished in recent years,
and then I spoke to the guy fishing ( he said biggest carp 25 LB ) who pointed to the cars ahead - in the Crooked Billet car park.
So we then drove around, past the pub, to near the ford - but June would not let me drive through it !
Spoke to the lovely lady who has lived there years and is into horses - as are my French friends :-)
Then we parked back at the Craft Centre and took our walk, as shown on June's smart phone.
Although, allegedly, one of us, not wishing to get his feet muddy, took a short cut through the school ;-)
UNQUOTE. Click on pictures to enlarge :-)
Sunday 15th November 2020: Barkham Church, near Arborfield Army Camp, then near Luckley Rd Wokingham ....
Saturday 14th November 2020: walk in Bramshill Forest ....
14th November was my dad's birthday, and there are many happy memories of us taking picnics
in the field opposite where the New Mill restaurant was, when I was a small child.
I also recall dad giving me my first driving lesson in that field,
and nearly bumping into the telegraph pole ! Dad's page is on
Len Lovelock
.
29th October 2020: Barossa Military Training area -
now also called the Barossa Nature Reserve ....
29th October 2020: walks in Barossa Military Training area -
now also called the Barossa Nature Reserve.
26th October 2020: Jubilee River where Snoopy took aerial video, Dorney Lake, Dorney Court, and Taplow Court ....
Monday 26th October 2020: June and Robin visited Dorney Lake, where June and Samantha had done a 5K run earlier in the year.
19th October 2020 & 6th December 2021: Walk around Horseshoe Lake and near Blackwater River ....
Several of our family and friends live not far from this lovely area, which includes
Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve and walks along the Blackwater River.
18th October 2020: Walks around lakes at Goldsworth Park and Black Park ....
Two lakes Robin wanted to revisit, brought back memories from the early
Snoopy
robot boat days,
and his late friend Eric Wardle.
Eric gave Robin what became Snoopy Sloop 4,
then, years later,
Eric's Snoopy Sloop 12
.
Who has visited this page ?
From Robin: It's very convenient for me, that there are so few visitors to this page: just those given the link.
See map and words near end of my
Home
page ;-)
The visit counters may give a rough indication on who else is visiting, or has visited, this page.
I don't hide or disguise my visits, but they may appear as "Ascot", or miles away, like "Woking, England" (on my Study PC),
or "Southend-on-Sea" ( on the Lounge PC).
Positions may not be accurate, but times are.
These may change at any time, without control by me.
e.g. after a power cut, or my re-booting a router.
So, you may see if I'm "working" in the Study, or "playing" in Lounge :-)
visits to this page counted by
www.digits.net.
.