06/05/18: Big Fun Walk for North London Hospice (East Finchley to Westminster)

It was our third year running for this charity event.

We remembered the registration wristbands this time and made a good start at East Finchley tube, armed with the usual nylon drawstring bag, biscuits, bottle of water and route map.

We collected sandwiches and an apple in Cherry Tree Wood, then began the long trek through Highgate Wood, Highgate itself (past the Alms House and Highgate School) and then into Hampstead Heath.



At Parliament Hill we were talking about people who have never seen Star Wars, when a passing woman – also doing the Big Fun Walk – chipped in to proudly announce that she’d never seen Star Wars.

It was really hot already. My daughter, in a moment of bad temper, threw a section of her cheese sandwich at my son. It missed and landed on the path. I told her off and said she shouldn’t leave litter on the floor. She picked it up and carried on eating it.

We continued in the direction of Belsize Park and Primrose Hill, following the other green bags and wristbands.


One advantage of having done this twice before was knowing the route. In fact, the route was slightly changed – and much improved – by a scenic detour along the canal before entering Regent’s Park. This was in order to avoid another event, but it had the benefit of making the walk a proper 10 miles rather than the 9.6 miles of previous years.

I chatted to a nice lady who was doing this for the first time and we walked together for a bit. She also had a walking app, but hers was actually “talking” to her – emitting from her belt were sporadic announcements about her speed and distance.


There was an embarrassing moment at the park inner circle when I was asked where the toilets were and sent another walker in what turned out to be the wrong direction. I had to avoid her for the rest of the morning.

I always dislike the Baker Street part of the route. It’s too noisy and crowded. We saw a few people going the wrong way at the George Street junction (too far ahead for us to alert them), and there wasn’t a North London Hospice marshal to advise. Things improve when you finally hit Hyde Park.

We managed to go slightly off-piste ourselves at Buckingham Palace – perhaps confused by the thousands of tourists and selfie sticks – somehow coming out on the other side of St. James’s Park Lake.


A man held a pigeon in his hands for a photo opportunity – appropriately enough, this was on Birdcage Walk.

We finished with a time of 3 hours 21 minutes. This was sadly much slower than last year, but it had been far hotter and the distance slightly greater.

At Storey's Gate, Westminster, we went through the balloon arch that marks the finish line and were awarded our medals. Of 1,350 registered walkers (up on last year), we were in the first 15.


There were biscuits, bottles of water and hot drinks. Plus, the NLH team were unloading the uneaten sandwiches from Cherry Tree Wood.

I met up with the app lady again and we compared distances. She had also got a bit lost, but had it logged as 17 kilometres.

A jazz band played and we sat on the grass. As always, a lovely way to spend the morning.




Miles walked: 10.17
Cats spotted: 0

05/03/18: East Finchley to Whetstone

My birthday. Took the day off work and went via bus to the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley to see Lady Bird. It’s a touching, emotional film about growing up, about a mother-daughter relationship, about friendship, about identity, and about where you come from and where you’re going. There are many funny moments and some deeply poignant ones. Particularly good is Laurie Metcalf as the main character’s mother.

Deciding to walk home, I left East Finchley along the main road, past the library, past Alan’s Record Shop and over the flyover that crosses the noisy North Circular, then up the ridiculously titled Leisure Way.

I walked past the Hollywood Bowl and the Vue Cinema, and there was a strong smell of marijuana lingering in the air – like Camden Town on a summer evening. I walked up into North Finchley, trying not to be put off by the constant roar of traffic.

There was litter everywhere: beer cans, bits of cars, bits of pizza, broken biros, broken umbrellas, cigarette butts, cigarette packets, coffee cups, coffee cup lids, Coke cans, crisp packets, drinking straws, exploded fruit juice cartons, food packaging, fried-chicken boxes, lost gloves, McDonald’s wrappers, plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic bottle lids, soggy cardboard, sweet wrappers and two bottles of glue.

What a horrible mess we have made of this country. I’d like to think there's still time to fix this problem – all you need is a forward-thinking government. Is that too much to ask?

In North Finchley, I couldn't resist going in a few charity shops. In North London Hospice I bought a £1 DVD (Bill Forsyth's 1983 masterpiece Local Hero, which I have been looking for for a long time), and in Cancer Research I bought a couple of CDs.

From North Finchley to Whetstone I was walking in medium-to-heavy rain, but it was quite refreshing because I had got hot wearing too many clothes following the "snowpocalypse" of last week.

Miles walked: 3.59
Cats spotted: 0

30/04/17: Big Fun Walk for North London Hospice (East Finchley to Westminster)

We forgot our proof-of-registration wristbands so had to ask for more at the start point at East Finchley tube. I was handed a glossy map with instructions and a nylon drawstring bag to put it in, and then we were off!

We walked through Cherry Tree Wood, where the refreshments stall was set up. Stocked up on water, biscuits and egg sandwich – nourishment for the long trip ahead. My supplies were soon eaten.

Highgate Woods was radiant with bluebells. (1) We followed the map to Hampstead Heath, which fed into Parliament Hill, where we met Dylan – a 20-month-old cocker spaniel. His nice owner said she had to give him a stick to stop him barking at children.
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Up past the Royal Free Hospital (some people took a shortcut here, but I insisted on keeping to the route), we passed Belsize Park tube and then followed the route to Primrose Hill, which offered a great view of London (2) that we then descended into.
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Some confusion over the route here had the benefit of enabling a toilet stop before we resumed the journey, past the edge of London Zoo, into Regent's Park and around the edge of the lake to the inner circle (an interestingly mapped detour – presumably to make up the mileage), before emerging out onto Baker Street. This next stretch begins the worst part of the walk: crowded, noisy and little to look at beyond the tourist shops (The Beatles, Sherlock Holmes, trinkets) and the tourists themselves. It was a relief to make it off George Street and Great Cumberland Place to Marble Arch. Stepping into Hyde Park, we walked past the ranters of Speaker's Corner and stickers advising "Girls are awesome" (3) and "This is a dro smoking area". (4)
3–4:


Exiting via the large stone arch, past Apsley House, we carefully navigated the tricky subway exit where we took a wrong turn last year. Walking past the New Zealand memorial, we entered Green Park, staying alongside Constitution Hill and then moving slowly past the front of Buckingham Palace – wading through the overwhelming throng of tourists with selfie sticks – and finally entering St. James' Park. We crossed the lake by the crowded bridge, where two exotic ducks could be seen mating.

Birdcage Walk took us to Storey's Gate – point 25 on the map – and the last of the yellow-tabarded marshals (very friendly and encouraging), to the official end of the walk in front of Central Hall, Westminster. Each person was handed a medal by a friendly steward. (5, 6) 
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6:

We had finished after the first six out of 800–1,200 people (the number of participants changes, depending on who you ask). Had a freebie hot chocolate and two tasty biscuits. Took my shoes off. Bought a green "Big Fun Walk 2017" T-shirt. Sat on the grass next to a row of five dog bowls recklessly filled up with bottled Harrogate spring water. (7) Saw the Zumba girls line up for a group photo. (8) 
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 8: 

Used the toilet in the Methodist Central Hall. Walked to Westminster tube past a long queue of tourists wanting to be photographed by the phone box in front of Big Ben. Felt fitter than I had done for months. Wore the medal for the rest of the day.

 
Miles walked: 9.65
Cats spotted: 1