25/03/17: Whetstone to North Finchley

A simple four-miler from Whetstone to North Finchley and back in the sun. We walked along Church Path, starting in Murder Alley alongside the tube (1) and following the path all the way to Nether Street. 

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There was some interesting graffiti, including a picture of a male reproductive organ (2). We were startled by two squirrels running along a wooden fence. There was the usual dumped mattress. Also, evidence of the first barbecue of the season. 

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In North Finchley I wondered what the "1396" means in the window of the Emmanuel Patisserie (3). We went in a few charity shops and walked back to Whetstone along the main road.

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Miles walked: 3.95

Cats spotted: 0

11/03/17: Whetstone to East Barnet

We walked up to Whetstone, crossed over the high road and continued on to Oakleigh Park Station. Turning left, we took a footbridge over the railway (1/2) and were displeased by the many, many beer and lager cans left on the steps leading down. (3) 
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We zig-zagged to Jackson Road, where there was a beautiful and fairly friendly siamese cat. From East Barnet village (4), we followed Church Hill Road to Oak Hill Park (5), admiring the bungalows and unusual architectural oddities. Escaping from one of the garages was a truly huge teddy bear. (6) 
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Just before Osidge Library we turned right and walked up Russell Lane. It was getting quite warm and the hill felt steeper, noisier and less appealing than it probably was. We passed a driveway with a couple of military-looking vehicles on it and continued past the enormous Cavalier pub. (7) There was a tabby cat curled in a ball, asleep on the grass of his front garden. After being woken up, he wasn't in the mood to make friends.
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We turned onto Russell Road and then Oakleigh Road North, past All Saints' Church (8), which was advertising sculpture classes ("Come and have a go – you don't have to be Michelangelo"). I resisted the temptation to call "Kathy" for more details, and instead followed the road back to Whetstone. (9)
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Miles walked: 4.55
Cats spotted: 2

05/03/17: Whetstone to Chipping Barnet

The morning rain briefly cleared for long enough to allow a somewhat unremarkable walk along Dollis Brook and up the hill to Chipping Barnet. The depressing sight of two crows eating litter at a bus stop was made even worse by the shards of glass from a car windscreen all over the pavement. (3). My spirits were slightly cheered, however, by the friendly "Chipping Barnet Town Centre Welcome" sign. (4)
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Following a brief but productive charity-shopping detour in Chipping Barnet, we walked back down the hill, taking the leafy lane past High Barnet tube (3) and back to the boggy terrain around Dollis Brook. 

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The fields were utterly saturated and I soon had mud on my shoes, coat and trousers. But the sun was out, defying the BBC's grim weather predictions for all-day rain. 

Miles walked: 4.25
Cats spotted: 0