in London - UK Hospitality

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Live in EXCURSIONS
London AROUND BRITAIN
Steam Dreams
Wild Life Parks
Houses & Gardens
Thames Flood Future
Arts & Crafts
EXCURSIONS ISSUE 33 £3.50
March / April 2011
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Portrait Books
A Photographic Excursion Around Britain
hree ultimate coffee table books about Britain. Each one containing over 160
pages and over 300 stunning photographs on art paper by world renowned photographer Steve Vidler and words by expert travel writers. Bound in a hard cover,
size 12 x 10.5 inches. A superb gift for anyone captivated by the beauty and heritage of
Britain.
Volumes have been written about Britain and its people and what defines the nation
and its quintessential character and yet, until now no photographic books have covered
all the
essential destinations in what is, for its size, the most visited tourist destination on the
planet. Steve Vidler’s skill with the camera, coupled with a work ethic that gets him
unerringly to the right place at the right time, every time, has resulted in the three definitive books of photographs on iconic Britain.
T
Portrait of England - £20.00
Portrait of London £20.00
Portrait of Great Britain £25.00
SUBSCRIBE TO EXCURSIONS MAGAZINE
And recieve a FREE copy of any one of
Steve Vidlers ‘PORTRAIT’ books,
magnificent 12 x 10.5 inch coffee table books
each with approx 300 superb photographs.
(£30.00 UK offer only)
Subscribe me to the next 6 issues of Excursions Magazine and send me a copy of:
PORTRAIT OF..................................................with my first magazine.
I enclose a cheque for £30.00 payable to ‘Magnet PublishingLtd’
You can also telephone to pay by card 020-7424-0027
Name..........................................................................................................................
Address.......................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
Tel:....................................................email.................................................................
Send cheques or telephone to pay by card. 020-7424-0027
Available from Magnet Publishing Ltd, 28 Grafton Terrace, London NW5 4JJ
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EXCURSIONS
w w w. E x c u r s i o n s U K . c o m
ISSN 2041- 4706
Editorial contributions are welcome and
whilst every care is taken of material
submitted we cannot accept
responsibility for its loss or damage, nor
do we accept responsibility for the
opinions expressed by contributors.
Issue No. 33 Cover image The Cathedrals Express - Steam Dreams
IN THIS ISSUE
7
CITY CRUISES
Discover the pleasure of dining and dancing as you cruise
down the River Thames.
Publishing Editor
Production Editor
8
A STROLL ON THE SOUTHSIDE
Peter Stevenson takes you on a walk along the South Bank of
the Thames from Tower Bridge to Lambeth Bridge.
Features Editor
Associate Editor
12
Chief Photographer
Contributors
14
16
Advertising
IT & Webmaster
18
20
FLOODS FROM THE FUTURE
Colin Gordon delves into the statistics and forecast for the
future of the Thames and the need to build a new barrier
down river.
BRIGHTON - AN AWAY DAY
Acrise Faulkner visits Brighton and re-discovers the
pleasures of this vibrant seaside town just an hour from
London.
THE ISLE OF WIGHT
A Spring Gala on the 40th anniversary of the IOW Steam
Railway
PENRYHN CASTLE
Paul Brett takes a trip to Bangor in North Wales and explores
the ramparts and rooms of this historic castle.
TRANSPORTED BACK IN TIME,
STEAM DREAMS. Wine and dine on the
Cathedral Express from Victoria Station or explore the
Quantock hills and Exmoor with the West Somerset Railway.
Editorial and Advertising
Address all correspondence
editorial and advertising material
to The Publisher.
Magnet Publishing Ltd.
28 Grafton Terrace,
London NW5 4JJ
Tel: 020-7424-0027
E-mail [email protected]
Trade distribution by
Native Publisher Services
Unit 9 Lidget Hill, Pudsey
Leeds LS28 7LG
Excursions
27
33
34
WILDLIFE ROUND-UP
Marwells exotic animals - Hawks and Horses - RSPB nature
reserves - Wildlife and Wetland areas.
LIVING CRAFTS
A major event in May at Hertfordshire House
WHERE TO STAY
And wine and dine
3
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Excursions Around Britain
Welcome and
enjoy your visit.
Now that the winter blues has
gone and summer is just around
the corner it surely is time to be
thinking about a holiday or short
break. Forget about the recession
and the cost of booking a foreign
holiday, just take the opportunity
to discover that after all, Britain is
best for excursions.
Whether you live in the capital or
are thinking of visiting it you can
find out that we have more to
offer in culture and things to do
than anywhere else on the planet.
What’s more, the scenery of the
south coast and peaks of Wales
and the North of England and
Scotland are all within easy reach
for an excursion or short break.
In the following pages you can
find a taster of
some of the places to visit and
things to do. If you are visiting the
country for the first time,
welcome, enjoy it and tell your
friends about
Janine Drayson
Tel 01929 426290
www.jdillustration.co.uk
Julia Mills Gallery & Workshop
Tel 01326 569340
www.juliamillsgallery.co.uk
Living Crafts
Hatfield House, Herts, Tel
02392863871
www.livingcrafts.co.uk
ANGLING
Rockbourne Trout Fishery
Near Fordingbridge, Hampshire
SP6 1QG, Tel 01725 518 603
www.rockbournetroutfishery.co.uk
GOLF
Burhill Golf Club
Burwood Road, Walton On Thames,
Surrey, KT12 4BX
www.burhillgolf-club.co.uk
WALKING
Walk Scotland
CNDo Scotland Ltd, 33 St E.P.,
Stirling FK7 7RP, Tel 01786 445 703
www.cndoscotland.com
ARTS & CRAFTS
Craft Arena
Studios 48 & 55, Barleylands Craft
Village, Barleylands Road, Billericay,
Essex CM11 2UD
01268 523780
www.craftarena.co.uk
Crossing Borders
www.crossing-borders.org.uk
Days Hotel Hounslow – Heathrow
East
8-10 Lampton Road, Hounslow
TW3 1JL,
Tel 0208 5381 230
City Cruises
Tel 02077 400 400
www.citycruises.com
Thames Riverboat Cruises
Tel 020 7930 2062
www.wpsa.co.uk
GROUP BOOKING AGENTS
Airedale Tours
Tel 0808 161 1660
www.airedaletours.co.uk
Days Hotel Waterloo
54 Kennington Road, London SW19
3QW, Tel 0207 922 1441
[email protected]
Dunkerley’s Restaurant & Hotel
19 Beach Street, Deal, Kent CT14
7AH, Tel 01304 375016
www.dunkerleys.co.uk
Travelsphere
Tel 08457585007
HOTELS & ACCOMODATION
Alverton Manor
Tregolis Road, Truro, Cornwall, Tel
01872 276633
www.alvertonmanor.co.uk
The Enchanted Manor
St Catherine’s Point,
Sandrock Road, Niton, Isle Of Wight
PO38 2NG,
Tel 01983 730215
www.enchantedmanor.co.uk
Mallinson’s Workshop
Higher Holditch Farm, Holditch,
West Dorset TA20 4NL, Tel 01460
221 102
www.mallinson.co.uk
Nautilus Design
Tel 01525 874055
www.nautilusdesign.co.uk
The Georgian Hotel
87 Gloucester Place (near Baker
Street), London W1u 6JF, Tel 01480
212898
www.georgianhotel-london.co.uk
Red Gate Gallery
209a Coldharbour Lane,
London SW9 8RU
Tel 020 7326 0993
www.redgategallery.co.uk
The Goodenough Guest House
4 Goodenough Road, Wimbledon,
London SW19 3QW
020 8715 7945
www.larsol.demon.co.uk
Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre
194 Osmaston Road, Derby, DE23
8JZ, Tel 01332 712 833/885
www.royalcrownderby.co.uk
Somerset Art Works
Yeovil, Tel 01458 253800
www.somersetartworks.org.uk
West Dean College
Tel 01243 811301
www.westdean.org.uk
Away4awhile
Tel 0845 644 5144
Blakes Boats
Tel 0845 268 7600
www.blakes.co.uk
Brunel’s SS Great Britain
Tel 0117 926 0680
www.ssgreatbritain.org
Bywater Hotelboat Cruises
Tel 07775850098
www.bywaterhotelboats.co.uk
4
CANAL BOATS
Applebys Coaches
www.applebyscoaches.co.uk
BOATING
FiFi by Fiona Howard
Tel 01273731646
www.fifibyfionahoward.com
The Dartmoor Lodge
Peartree Cross, Ashburton,
Dartmoor, Devon, Tel 01364 652
232
www.dartmoorlodge.co.uk
COACH TOUR OPERATORS
www.excursionsUK.com
ACTIVITIES
Snaygill Boats Ltd
Skipton Road, Bradley, Skipton,
North Yorkshire BD20 9HA, Tel
01756 795150
www.snaygillboats.co.uk
Grapevine Hotel
115/117 Warwick Way, Victoria,
London SW1V 4HT
020 7834 0134
www.grapevinehotel.com
Balmer Lawn Hotel
Lyndhurst Road, Brockenhurst,
Hampshire SO42 7ZB, Tel 01590
623116
www.balmerlawnhotel.com
Bourne Hall Hotel
14 Priory Road, West Cliff,
Bournemouth BH2 5DN, Tel 01202
299715
www.bournehall.co.uk
Crystal Hotel
42 Tavistock Place, London WC1H
9RE, Tel 020 7837 3077
Dalmacia Hotel
71 Shepherd’s Bush Road,
Hammersmith, London W6 7LS, Tel
Tel: 0207 603 2887
www.dalmacia-hotel.co.uk
The Georgian Hotel is a traditional
hotel in the heart of London. It
provides a home from home
atmosphere in quality rooms within a
traditional Georgian seing.
Located just
minutes from
Baker Street, and
within walking
distance of
Oxford Street, Regents Park, Hyde Park,
and the exclusive doctors' quarter of Harley
Street, it provides a picturesque base for
sightseeing, business trips, and family stays.
87 Gloucester Place, (near Baker Street)
London, W1U 6JF
Phone : 01480 212898 Fax : 01480 212880
[email protected]
Excursions
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Hotel Ibis
47 Lillie Road, Earl’s Court SW6
1UD, Tel 02076100880
www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-5623ibis-london-earls-court/index.shtml
Hotel Metropole
Station Road, Padstow, Cornwall
PL28 8DB, Tel 0800 005 3903
www.the-metropole.co.uk
Lasswade Country House
Llanwrtd Wells, Powys, Tel 01591
610515
www.lasswadehotel.co.uk
Leeds Castle
Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL
Tel 01622 765400
www.leeds-castle.com
Bourne Hall Hotel
14 Priory Road, West Cliff,
Bournemouth, BH2 5DN
Tel: 01202 299715 Fax: 01202 552669
[email protected] www.bournehall.co.uk
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Rosemundy House Hotel
Rosemundy, St Agnes, Cornwall,
Tel 01872 552101
Space Apart Hotel
Hyde Park, London,
Tel 020 7908 1340
www.spaceaparthotel.com
Ramster Garden and Tea House
Ramster, Chiddingfold, Surrey GU8
4SN, Tel 01428 654167
www.ramsterweddings.co.uk
UMI Hotel
64 Kings Road, Brighton, East
Sussex BN1 1NA, Tel 0800 0778041
www.umihotels.co.uk
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR,
Tel 0131 552 7171
www.rbge.org.uk
UMI Hotel
16 Leinster Square, Bayswater,
London W2 4PR, Tel 02072219131
www.umihotels.co.uk
MUSEUMS & HERITAGE
Undiscovered Lincolnshire
Tel 01507 600743
www.visitthewolds.uwclub.net
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh, Northumberland, NE69
7DF, Tel 01668 214 515
www.bamburghcastle.com
Vandon House
1 Vandon Street SW1H OAH, Tel
0207 799 6780
www.vandonhouse.com
Award winning wines,
ciders and apple juice
Open throughout
the year
Free admission
& tastings
www.biddendenvineyards.com
Tel: 01580 291726
The Lismoyne Hotel
The Fleet, Hampshire
Tel 01252 628 555
Woodlands Hotel & Restaurant
379-381 Hagley, Birmingham B17
8DL, Tel 0121 420 2341
www.thewoodlandshotel.co.uk
Manor House Hotel
Fowley Cross, Nr Okehampton,
Devon, EX20 4NA, Tel 01837 53053
www.manorhousehotel.co.uk
Yarn Market Hotel
High Street, Dunster, Somerset
TA24 6SF, Tel 01643 821 425
www.yarnmarkethotel.co.uk
Mapledurham House
Mapledurham, Reading RG4 7TR,
Tel 0118 9723350
www.mapledurham.co.uk
HOUSES & GARDENS
Mermaid Inn
Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex
TN31 7EY
Biddenden Vineyards
Tel 01590 291726
www.biddendenvineyars.com
Park Inn
Hyde Park, Tel 020 7479 2505
www.hydepark.parkinn.co.uk
Brogdale Farm
Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent
ME13 8XZ, Tel 01795 536250
www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
Ramada Docklands
ExCeL, 2 Festoon Way, London E16
1RH
www.ramadadocklands.co.uk
Excursions
Logan Botanic Garden
Port Logan, Dumfries & Galloway
DG9 9ND, Tel 01776 860 231
Surtees Hotel
94 Warwick Way, Victoria,
London SWIV ISB
0207 834 7163/7394
www.surtees-hotel.co.uk
The Legacy Rose & Crown
Harnham, Salisbury, Tel 0844 411
9046
www.legacy-hotels.co.uk
The Lincoln House Hotel
33 Gloucester Place,
London W1U 8HY, Tel 0207 486
7630
www.lincoln-house-hotel.co.uk
Fairhaven Gardens
South Walsham, Norwich, Norfolk
NR13 6DZ, Tel 01603
270449/270683
www.fairhavengarden.co.uk
Benmore Botanic Garden
Nr Dunnon, Argyll PA23 8QU, Tel
01369 706261
Dawyck Botanic Garden
Stobo, Scottish Borders Eh45 9JU,
Tel 01721 760 254
Abbotsford
Tel 01896 752 043
www.scottsabbotsford.co.uk
Bank Of England Museum
Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R
8AH, Tel 020 7601 5545
www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum
Imperial War Museum
London, Lambeth Road,
London SE1 6HZ,
Tel 020 7416 5000
www.iwm.org.uk
Jane Austen’s House Museum
Chawton, Alton,Hampshire GU34
1SD, Tel 014083262
www.jane-austens-housemuseum.org.uk
John Muir’s Birthplace
126 High Street, Dunbar, East
Lothian EH42 1JJ, Tel 01368865899
www.jmbt.org.uk
Findon Manor
Sussex
Tel 01903 872733
www.findonmanor.com
Greig’s
26 Burton Place, Mayfair, London
W1, Tel 020 7629 5613
Jamon Jamon
38 Parkway, London NW1 7AH
Tel 0207 284 0606
The Lansdowne Strand
The Strand, Calne, Wiltshire, Tel
01249 812 488
www.arkells.com
Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant
& Crofts Wine Cellar
123 High Street, Old Portsmouth,
Hampshire PO1 2HW, Tel 023 9281
1303
www.lemonsole.co.uk
Paradiso
36 Englands Lane, Primrose Hill,
London NW3 4UE, Tel 020 7586
9001/3357
www.paradisonw3.co.uk
STEAM HERITAGE
Bluebell Railway Preservation
Society
Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex,
TN22 3QL, Tel 01825 720800
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
Bodmin & Wenford Railway
Bodmin General Station, Bodmin,
Cornwall PL3 1AQ, Tel 0845 125
9678
www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway
Bo’ness Station, Union Street,
Bo’ness EH51 9AQ, Tel 01506
825855
www.srps.org.uk
RESTAURANTS
Aroma Spice
98 Fleet Road, Hampstead, London
NW3 2QX, Tel 020 7485 6908
Bacchus Greek Tavern
37 Heath St, Hampstead NW3 6TR,
Tel 0207 7435 1855
The Brickhouse
152c Brick Lane, London E1 6RU,
Tel 020 7247 0005
www.thebrickhouse.co.uk
Camerino Restaurant
16 Percy Street, London W1T 1DT,
Tel 020 7637 9900
China Garden
5-6 New College Parade, Finchley
Road, Swiss Cottage,
London NW3 5EP
Tel 020 7722 6611
www.chinagardenuk.com
Dumpling
279C Finchley Road,
London NW3 6LT
Tel 020 7433 3211
Dean Forest Railway
Norchard Railway Station, Forest
Road, Lydney GL15 4ET, Tel 01594
845840
www.dfr.co.uk
Great Dorset Steam Fair
Dairy House Farm, Child Okeford,
Blandford, Dorset, DT11 8HT, Tel
01258 860361
www.gdsf.co.uk
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The Heritage Railway Association
10 Hurdeswell, Long Hanborough,
Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 8DH
www.heritagerailways.co.uk
Guildford
14 Tunsgate, Guildford, Surrey GU1
3QT, Tel 01483 444333
www.visitguilford.com
Surrey
Farnham Town Council, Farnham
Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham,
Surrey GU9 7QR
Kingairloch Highland Holidays
Kingairloch Estate, Ardgour by Fort
William, Tel 01967 411 242
www.kingairloch-holidays.co.uk
Isle Of Wight Steam Railway
Havenstreet Station, Havenstreet, Nr
Ryde, Isle Of Wight P033 4DS, Tel
01983 882204
www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk
Hayling Island
Havant Borough Visitor Information
Centre, Seafront,
Hayling Island, P011 0AG
Tel 023 9246 7111
www.visithavant.co.uk
TRAVEL GOODS
Marwell Wildlife
Colden Common,
Winchester, SO21 1JH,
Tel 01962 777965
www.marwell.org.uk
The Royal Deeside Railway
Preservation Society
Milton Of Crathes, Banchory,
Aberdeenshire, AB31 5QH
www.deeside-railway.co.uk
WILD LIFE PARKS
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo
Battersea Park, London, Tel 023
80292408
www.batterseapark.co.uk
Steaming Through Snowdonia
Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland
Railways, Harbour Station,
Porthmadog,
Gwynedd LL49 9NF,
Tel 01766516024
www.festrail.co.uk
Birds Of A Feather
RSPB Reserve, Langstone Harbour,
Tel 01273 775333
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lan
gstoneharbour
THEME PARKS
TOURIST INFORMATION
Gosport
www.discovergosport.co.uk
6
The New Forest Wildlife Park
Longdown, New Forest, Hampshire,
Tel 023 8029 2408
www.newforestwildlifepark.co.uk
Check out the links to the above on
www.ExcursionsUK.com
The Chestnut Centre Otter, Owl &
Wildlife Park
Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire,
Tel 01298 814099
www.chestnutcentre.co.uk
West Somerset Railway
The Railway Station, Minehead,
Somerset TA24 5BG
Tel 01643 7049966
www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
The Heights Of Abraham
Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, Tel 01629
582365
www.heightsofabraham.com
Clearview Binoculars
The Old Coach House,
Newmillerdam, Wakefield WF2 6QG,
Tel 01924 229787
www.clearviewbinoculars.co.uk
Peak District & Derbyshire
Tel 0844 888 5112
www.visitpeakdistrict.com
Portsmouth - The Waterfront City
Tel 023 9288 3545
www.visitportsmouth.co.uk
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens
Burford, Oxon OX18 4JP,
Tel 01993 823006
www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk
The Hawk Conservancy
Sarson Lane, Weyhill, Andover,
Hampshire. SP11 8DY, Tel 01264
773850
www.hawk-conservancy.org
Excursions
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D I S C O V E R R OYA L C O N N E C T I O N S A L O N G
THE THAMES WITH CITY CRUISES
With the wedding of Prince William and
Kate Middleton taking place in spring
2011 there is no better time for groups
to visit London and discover the royal
connections along the River Thames
with City Cruises.
Groups can jump onboard City Cruises’
sightseeing boats at the four major destination
piers on the River Thames (Westminster,
London Eye, Tower and Greenwich).
Westminster Pier is just a short walk from
Westminster Abbey, where the couple will be
getting married on the 29th April 2011 and
which has been the site of Royal Coronations
and funerals since Norman times.
As the boats cruise downstream from
Westminster and pass under Blackfriars Bridge,
St Paul’s Cathedral, the setting for Charles and
Diana’s marriage ceremony comes into view.
The Tower of London, on the doorstep of Tower
Pier has nearly 1000 years of royal
connections. Not only was it the scene of the
beheading of Anne Boleyn but it is also
currently home to the Crown Jewels.
Finally Greenwich Pier brings you to the
birthplace of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Mary I.
Greenwich is also home to the National
Maritime Museum, which incorporates the
Excursions
Queen's House, commissioned by Queen Anne
of Denmark, the wife of James I and the Royal
Observatory.
Passengers cruise in comfort onboard modern
boats with panoramic windows and open deck
areas, which offer full access to the mobility
impaired. Light refreshments are available
onboard and for groups of 40 or more
we can organise a dedicated lunch
cruise. A two-course lunch on the
Restaurant Ship Hispaniola and a oneway cruise ticket is an alternative
proposition for smaller groups.
Fantastic group packages are also
available, which combine a sightseeing
cruise with either a visit to the Sea Life
London Aquarium, the Tower of
London, Madame Tussauds, the
Churchill Museum and the Cabinet
War Rooms or a trip on the London
Eye.
Bringing groups by coach to the piers
is easy, with a dedicated coach park at
Tower Hill, two coach bays near
Westminster Pier and seven coach
bays near London Eye Pier, for drop
off and pick up. There is also a coach
bay at Embankment Gardens for drop
off and pick up, which is ideal for the
Restaurant Ship Hispaniola.
Sightseeing groups of 20 people or more
receive special rates and a free place for the
group leader.
For further information please call:
+44 (0)20 77 400 400 or visit
www.citycruises.com
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A Stroll on the
South Side
with Peter Stevenson
n the twenty-five years or so that I’ve
lived in London, the stretch of land
alongside the south bank of the River
Thames, has evolved and changed to such
an extent that it’s now barely recognisable
from all which was there before. Part of
deliberate policy to open up the expanses of
land by the river and to create an interesting
and varied vista for tourists and locals alike,
it is now one of my favourite capital walks.
Equally, it can be accomplished by bicycle
for most of the way, although you’ll need to
exercise a little care and consideration on
two wheels, simply due to the numbers of
walkers you’ll encounter on route.
I
Tower Bridge
Like much of London, this is a diverse,
vibrant, multicultural and historic area, basking
in the glow of inner-city, river-front regeneration.
Tucked away and within easy reach are
residential neighbourly areas, cool bars and
fantastic restaurants, and some of the world’s
best art in all its broadest of forms.
As you may be starting to realise, the great
thing about this stretch is that it’s not simply a
walk and with so many attractions on route, it’s
highly likely that you’re going to be stopping off
to explore some hidden haunt or famous sight.
It’s certainly a panoramic and spectacular
section of the River Thames, which
encompasses the Tower of London, the Tate
Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, St Paul’s
Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. This
section of the Thames Path links all of these
iconic constructions as part of a free and easy
walk that is simply dripping with history and
surging with the excitement of contemporary
London life.
8
Tower Bridge
Shad Thames
Historically, London grew up around the
Thames with this part of the river at its very
heart. Possibly the best starting point is on
the north side of the river by the Tower of
London and with a short hop across the
splendid Tower Bridge. In fact for a tourist it’s
a must!
Immediately after, there is a potential
diversion to the east and a challenging photo
opportunity. Dip left under the arch of the bridge
and into the intriguingly named Shad Thames
and you will find yourself in a narrow street
flanked with Victorian warehouses on both
sides, above which small elevated walkways
Excursions
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criss-cross and
connect. The last
of the warehouses
closed in 1972
and following
substantial but
sympathetic
restoration and
conversion during
the 1980s and
1990s, they now
function as
restaurants,
offices and
apartments.
City Hall
10:45 AM
Page 2
HMS Belfast, a Royal Navy battleship that
served in the Second World War and which is
now open to the public. Continuing along a
short distance, it’s probably better to head away
from the river at this point and through Hay’s
Galleria, a shopping arcade, dominated by a
vast vaguely-boat-shaped statue and into
Tooley Street. You can't miss it!
Warehouses of the Shad
Thames
On Tooley Street, turn right and you will pass
the London Dungeon on the other side of the
road, which draws in the tourists. Stay on
Tooley Street, bearing right just after London
Bridge Hospital and you will walk through an
arch under London Bridge. Immediately on your
right after the bridge is Glaziers Hall but of
more historic interest is the rising splendour of
Southwark Cathedral. It is open during the day
and well worth visiting, to take in its stunning
architecture and stained glass windows.
Outside in the grounds are an array of benches
and a possible resting point for a refreshment
break.
Borough Market
The GLS’s HQ, designed by Norman Foster
Back to the Thames Path and heading due
west the walker soon passes Norman Foster’s
modern glass sphere, opened in 2002 and built
at a cost of £65 million. It’s the new
headquarters of the Greater London Authority
(GLA) - the administrative body for greater
London. Docked to one side on the river is
HMS Belfast
If there’s one
recommendation I can
make, it’s that this
walk should be
considered on a
Thursday or Friday, or
even better, a
Saturday. This is
simply because a short detour behind the
cathedral will reveal a fantastic food emporium Borough Market. In the early hours of the
morning it functions in a wholesale capacity but
once the stalls are set up for public trade, it is
an assault upon the senses. While it can be
expensive (apart from the fresh fruit and veg
stalls) it’s well worth dipping into the purse or
wallet for an extravagant treat or two, once
you’ve sampled a few of the tasty free morsels
which abound. If you’re in London in December,
the market usually operates each day of the
week leading up to Christmas and at Yuletide
you’re also likely to find all manner of carol
singers, brass bands and Morris dancers. Their
performances add seasonal atmosphere and
resonate beneath the glass and wrought iron
girders of the cavernous open sheds and the
narrow Victorian side streets.
Next up could be a minor backwards step
and into the Old Operating Theatre Museum one of the most unusual displays in London
and a relic from the days before antiseptic
surgery. It is somewhat bizarrely situated in the
garret of St Thomas’s Church in St Thomas
Street, which runs parallel to the western end of
Tooley Street. There is no free access but
admission charges are reasonable but for
logistical reasons, it is only recommended for
the able-bodied - access is via a narrow spiral
staircase!
Otherwise, it’s a case of working your way
back towards the river from the market, where
you will be greeted by the sight of the Golden
Hinde, a scale replica of Sir Francis Drake’s
Elizabethan galleon, berthed in St Mary Overie
Dock, and open to the public. The crew are
attired in period dress and there are five decks
of exhibits and artefacts. There is also a Pirate
Academy, which offers weekend workshops
throughout the year for youngsters who want to
brush up their pirate skills.
Continuing immediately west along Clink
Street and with the river just out of sight, are
the remains of Winchester Palace, the former
home of the Bishops of Winchester, followed by
the Clink Prison Museum. The original prison
dates back to 1144 and is one of England’s
oldest such institutions
- a notoriously
unpleasant prison that
gave rise to the
colloquial expression
"in the clink".
HMS Belfast is unique as the last remaining big-gunned warship to have seen action in the Second World War still moored in
European waters. Launched in 1938 she served with distinction in the Second World War and was amongst the very first
British ships to go into action into the Korean War in 1950. Her service in the War, during which she spent no less than 404
days on active patrol, was as long and arduous as that with the Home Fleet during the Second World War.
In May 1971, after 32 years service, HMS Belfast was 'Reduced to Disposal', in preparation for her sale and destruction by the
ship's breakers. With the encouragement of the Imperial War Museum, an independent trust was formed, led by one of HMS
Belfast's former captains, Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles. The trust succeeded in bringing her to London where she
opened to visitors on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971.
HMS Belfast has been part of the Imperial War Museum since 1978 and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since
Nelson's Victory. A tour of this huge and complex warship will take you from the Quarterdeck up to the top of her bridge and
all the way down through her nine decks to her massive Boiler and Engine Rooms, well below the ship's waterline.
Excursions
At the end of Clink
Street, the walker
passes under the
Cannon Street Rail
Bridge and past
Vinopolis, an
exhibition of wines
from around the world.
A right turn brings the
river once more into
view, along with The
Anchor pub on
Bankside, which can
be a pleasant place to
stop for a drink, albeit
an often busy
diversion, particularly
during the summer.
A little further along
and Shakespeare’s
open topped Globe
Theatre nestles close
to the river - a
reconstruction which
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was opened in 1997 and where live
performances are staged. Nearby are the
remains of Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre effectively buried beneath an office block,
public viewing is infrequent. Immediately next to
the Globe Theatre is the old house of the
celebrated architect, Sir Christopher Wren but
unfortunately there is no public access. The
view from the house looks across the Thames,
past the modern Millennium Footbridge and
towards Wren’s finest creation - St Paul’s
Cathedral.
The Millenium Bridge
The footbridge was officially opened in 2000
and was affectionately christened “the wibblywobbly” bridge, due to its propensity to vibrate
alarmingly, particularly when overloaded. Fear
not - three days later the engineers returned
red faced with embarrassment and although all
is now well, the bridge remained closed for
nearly two years whilst modifications were
made. The bridge crosses the Thames directly
in front of the Tate Modern, which is located
within the site of the former Bankside Power
Station. It’s a possible stopping off point - the
bulk of the displays are free, although special
exhibitions may require pre-booking or a ticket.
Alternatively, St Paul’s itself is a short jaunt
across the river and always worth a visit or a
closer look.
Back beside the Thames and the riverside
trail starts to widen and Blackfriars Rail Bridge
soon looms. Just beyond the bridge are the
solid, ornate topped, red columns of an earlier
construction, which was demolished because it
was considered too weak to support modern
trains.
The Millenium Bridge
10:45 AM
Page 3
The OXO Tower
A little further
along the river
and just past
the modern
façade of Sea
Container’s
House, is the
splendid Oxo
Tower.
Originally a
power station
tower, it
underwent
something of
an art deco
transformation
in the late
1920s. Look up
and you will see its stained glass windows,
which artistically bear the letters of "OXO".
These were installed by the manufacturers of
Oxo stock cubes in response to being told that
they could not feature an illuminated
advertisement on their tower. In the 1990s it
was refurbished to provide exclusive residential
properties and a gallery and is splendidly lit up
at night. Towards the top is the tour de force an expensive restaurant boasting great views
over the city
In the shadow of the tower is Gabriel’s Wharf
- a most agreeable riverside area. Set back a
touch and with a handful of restaurants, a bar,
small shops and bicycle hire facility, somehow it
continues to resist redevelopment and the
excesses of commercialisation. The open
square of the wharf itself and the gardens
alongside, is usually the venue for local
summer events (generally advertised as the
Coin Street Festival) with free live music and
entertainment.
The Thames is a tidal river with strong
currents and at this point of the walk, you might
be surprised to see large tracts of foreshore at
low tide. There are various access points and in
summer it is not so unusual to see a few
children playing on the sand or muddy reaches
near to the Festival Pier, while adults rummage
at the water’s edge. The river is still giving up
hidden parts of London’s history but venture
down yourself and the most likely find will be a
piece of broken 18th century clay pipe. A
couple of miles further west and beyond the
limits of this walk, it is possible to venture and
explore for a considerable distance on the
foreshore at low tide, although considerable
care needs to be taken and suitable clothing
and footwear adopted.
Moving on … next up is IBM on the South
Bank and immediately after the National Film
Theatre (NFT), which is a wonderful cinema
complex with retrospective or thematic film
seasons. In the summer, the area to one side of
the theatre is often used for free entertainment plays, poetry readings, etc. Waterloo Bridge
crosses overhead, under which and in front of
the NFT café, second hand booksellers set up
expansive rows of tables, quantities of which
seem to increase at the weekend.
Immediately west of the bridge, you might
come across the skateboarding antics of young
performers, who crash and crack under the
graffiti splattered passages of the South Bank
Centre. However, their future at this location
has been the subject of much speculation in
recent years and their days could be
numbered. This complex includes the Queen
Elizabeth Hall, which hosts a wide variety of
contemporary and classical concerts and dance
performances. Although the whole affair is
rather uninspiring from the outside, it is an
interesting entertainment centre that also
includes the smaller Purcell Room and the
Hayward Gallery. The Hayward hosts
exhibitions of the visual arts, including
photography, painting and sculpture.
The next building on the South Bank is the
Royal Festival Hall, a venue for (predominantly
classical) music events. Again, in the summer,
free performances often take place on the
balcony overlooking the Thames or in the foyer
inside at other times of the year.
Just after the Royal Festival Hall is the
Hungerford Rail Bridge, which is flanked by
newer constructs with lift access - the Golden
Jubilee Bridges - generally known to locals by
the name of the older bridge that they replaced
- the Hungerford footbridges. Continuing the
walk west alongside the river you’ll pass Jubilee
Gardens (a small park, usually filled with
picnickers and sunbathers during warmer
days), which lies in front of the Shell Centre,
the headquarters of the giant oil company.
Although this building isn’t open to the public,
the exterior might be familiar, as it has featured
as a backdrop in many films. The echo and
boom which bounces off its substantial façade
during the occasional summer firework displays
- usually fired off from this point of the river just has to be heard to be believed.
The London Eye
At the western end of the gardens is the
London Eye, a huge Ferris wheel which was
erected as a temporary attraction just before
the millennium but it has proved so popular that
it would seem to be here to stay. From the top it
offers unparalleled views over the city of
London. County Hall, the former home of the
Greater London Council but now largely a hotel
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Page 4
The London Eye
Relax along
the river
cruise along the river Thames is a
relaxing way to see some of
London’s famous landmarks: the
Houses of Parliament; Tower of London,
Shakespeare’s Globe, the South Bank etc.,
There are a number of services offering boat
rides on the river, from a simple ferry service
that will take you from one pier to another, to a
round trip cruise with commentary that points
out all the important landmarks.
Westminster Pier, which is close to Big Ben,
is popuar with tourists and here you will find a
number of companies offering river cruises.
Many companies offer ‘rover’ tickets, which
allow you to hop on and off the boat at different
piers throughout the day.
Many companies also offer a dinner cruise,
afternoon tea cruise, or even a night disco
cruise, depending on your tastes. It’s up to you.
A
complex runs off to its side and is also home to
an evolving array of commercial attractions,
most notably The London Aquarium.
Westminster Bridge
If you’ve been distracted by various attractions
on route, the chances are that you’re starting to
flag at this point but if you’re in it purely for the
walk then you’re on the last leg and directly
opposite The Palace of Westminster. Walk on a
little further and you’ll see the character of the
riverbank change considerably.
Far fewer tourists venture into
this section but there are
plenty of raised benches on
offer and it’s a nice enough
place to sit, rest or relax, while
looking out over the river.
The view of Westminster Palace and Westminster Bridge
from across the river
Just after County Hall is Westminster Bridge
and the walk continues alongside the river,
having first taken the tunnel underneath the
bridge. Before doing so it’s worth popping up the
steps where you will be confronted by a huge
lion, the statue being one of the few remaining
examples of Coade stone, a ceramic substance
developed by the Victorian female scientist,
Eleanor Coade. The statue once adorned the
entrance to the nearby Lion Brewery, which was
demolished following bomb damage during the
blitz of World War II. After a short stint guarding
Waterloo Station, the lion was relocated to its
present spot in 1966. A smaller compatriot lion
from the brewery now stands proudly outside
Twickenham Rugby Club, which is located on
the southwest edges of London.
Having reached this point but before
continuing alongside the river, it’s possible that a
further attraction in the form of the Florence
Nightingale Museum might draw you towards the
west side of the bridge. The museum will be
found in the grounds of St Thomas’s Hospital and
although it has been closed for a while for
redevelopment, it is expected to reopen in May
2010 in order to mark the centenary of her death.
Excursions
The final crossing point
looms into view - Lambeth
Bridge and close by on the
edge of a small park is
Lambeth Palace. It has been
home to the Archbishop of
Canterbury since the 11th
century, although the current
building wasn’t actually
constructed until 1495.
Alongside the Palace in the
church of St Mary-at-Lambeth,
is the Museum of Garden
One of the many piers for joining
sightseeing boat trips.
History.
This effectively completes the South Bank walk
and although it is possible to continue for a while
there is little to see and the views are less
aesthetically pleasing. At this point it is more
pleasant from the North Bank but again there’s
not a lot on offer unless you fancy the Tate Britain
and its artwork as a final destination and
attraction.
Distance - 3.5 miles/6 km
Start - Tower Bridge
Finish - Lambeth Bridge
Terrain and surface - Easy, flat and with a
consistent level walking surface.
Signage - The Thames Path is clearly signed
and way-marked along its total length using
the distinctive National Trust green and white
acorn symbol alongside its name. On route
are numerous information boards relating to
the attractions you’ll meet along the way.
The walk is part of the longer Thames Path
National Trail, which links Hampton Court in the
south-west to Greenwich in the east - a potential
walk of well over 40 miles.
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Page 1
FLOODS FROM THE FUTURE:
WILL A SECOND THAMES
BARRIER SAVE LONDON?
T
he capital city has become virtually
uninhabitable. It resembles Venice, but
without the gondolas. Parliament
Square has been transformed into paddy
fields which reach right up to the walls of
the Palace of Westminster. Buckingham
Palace is surrounded by “ a sea of shanty
housing”, the Gherkin is providing
accommodation for “thousands of ecorefugees” and there is ice-skating along the
Thames. Hollywood-style science fiction.?
An extremely unlikely doomsday scenario?
Not according to an exhibition currently
running at the Museum of London (until 6th
March 2011) featuring an “arresting display”
in the form of 14 postcards which aim to
“bring home the full impact of global
warming, food scarcity, rising sea levels”
and how all the inhabitants “will need to
innovate and adapt to survive”. The photo
images, designed by illustrators Robert
Graves and Didier Madoc-Jones, show a
London that has been “overwhelmed by the
impact of 6-metres flooding” – in effect, the
level required to breach the existing Thames
Barrier. There is no specified date – but the
message is clear enough: Ignore it at your
peril; It could happen far sooner than you
would like to believe.
As the “Independent” newspaper reported at
the time, the former Labour Government had
already begun to consider proposals for a new
£20 billion flood defence system, possibly
entailing the construction of a second barrier at
Sheerness in Kent – east of the current one
located at Woolwich. In the opinion of the then
Environment Minister, Phil Woolas (recently
ousted by the courts as MP for Oldham East) a
decision needed to be made soon, as the
likelihood of London flooding had doubled over
the preceding 25 years. In an interview with the
“Sunday Telegraph”, he pointed out that the
Thames Barrier ( the world’s second largest
12
after the Oostersscheldkering in the
Netherlands and officially inaugurated by the
Queen on 8th May 1984) had been built on the
assumption there was a “one-in-2000-year
chance that the capital would flood. This figure
would instead be halved to just 1,000 years by
2030. Statistics published on the UK
Environment Agency’s (EA) website indicate
that the country’s sea levels are now about
10cm higher than in 1900 and that in the
South-East of England, a combination of the
continuous upsurge globally and the local
sinking of the land is resulting in “ sea level
rises of 5.4 mm a year”. They attribute this
development to (among other factors) “longterm variations in ocean volume” caused by the
melting of ice-sheets and glaciers, which in turn
heighten the prospect of torrential storms
breaking through sea defences and threatening
the estimated 17 million people in the UK who
live within 10 kilometres of the sea, as well as
much of the manufacturing industry based at or
near the coast.
According to author Peter Acroyd in his book
on the Thames, in 4000 BC the land beside the
river was 46 feet (14 m) higher than it is now.
He has likewise calculated that the South-East
of England “is sinking slowly into the water” - at
the rate of approximately 12 inches (305 mm )
per century - and that the tides moving up the
lower reaches of the Thames are increasing at
a rate of 2 feet (0.6m) per century. “That is why
the Thames Barrier will not provide protection
enough”. The magazine “Water Power” has
also expressed concern that, despite all the
measures which have been implemented to
safeguard London’s low-lying areas upstream
(among them the 11km long Jubilee River,
created and designed to act as “a flood relief
channel for the Thames around Maidenhead,
Windsor and Eton”) ,many properties are still at
risk. More than 15,000 homes and businesses,
they state, now stand “within the 1 in 100
floodplain (equating to a 1% annual chance of
occurrence) between Datchet in Berkshire and
Teddington in Middlesex and add the prescient
reminder that “The Lower Thames has already
experienced two significant floods this century:
in 2000 and 2003 and narrowly avoided
flooding again in 2007”. In practice, it is not a
question of whether it will happen again, but
when and on what scale.
Any cosy or lingering illusions that London is
somehow immune from what is happening
elsewhere around the world – that the
Graves/Madoc-Jones exhibition can be
dismissed as mere publicity-seeking scaremongering and there is no risk of the UK capital
being engulfed by tidal waves – will have been
abruptly dispelled by the scenes from
Queensland this January. Channel Four TV
News transmitted pictures of skyscrapers in
Brisbane – Australia’s third largest city –
surrounded by cascading water which had
swept away whatever lay in its path: cars,
lorries, boats, traffic lights, riverside cafeterias.
An area the size of France, Germany and
Luxembourg combined was affected.
Thousands of people had to abandon their
homes. These, however, were not third world
refugees fleeing from yet another natural
disaster but citizens of a modern, developed
industrial nation. Almost simultaneously, there
were inundations and landslides in south-east
Brazil and Sri Lanka. The floods which were a
constant occurrence last year – Madeira
(February); South-Eastern France (June);
North-East Brazil (June); Southern and Central
China (July); Pakistan (August); Niger (August)
– look set to continue well into 2011 and
beyond. A UNFCCC (United Nations
Convention On Climate Change) survey
published prior to the Climate Conference in
Cancun, Mexico (December 2010) highlighted
“the numerous long-term changes in the
climate” which had been observed – including
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10:52 AM
extreme weather such as droughts, heavy
precipitation, heat waves and the intensity of
tropical cyclones. It cited, as examples of the
increasingly powerful storms occurring
worldwide, the floods in the Rhine (1996/7);
China (1998); Eastern Europe (1998/2002);
Mozambique (2000); Bangladesh (2004). The
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel On Climate
Change) Report (2007) declared that “the
warming of the climate system is unequivocal”
and expressed the fear that (due mainly to the
contraction of the Greenland ice sheet) a “sealevel rise of just 200mm could create 740,000
homeless people in Nigeria, the Maldives
(which could be made uninhabitable by
2100),Tuvalu and other low-lying countries”,
They furthermore noted that “extra-tropical
storm tracks are projected to move poleward,
with consequent alterations in wind,
precipitation and temperature patterns”.
These assessments apply to the UK just as
much as anywhere else. It has become evident
over the past few years that the weather in and
around the British Isles has been changing.
Winters in particular have become more severe
and unpredictable – the countrywide chaos
caused by the heavy snowfalls prior to
Christmas 2010 being one such instance.
There has also been a succession of very wet
summers. June 2007 was described at the time
as “one of the wettest on record in Britain”, with
the rainfall of 5.5 in. being double the normal
average. This led to serious flooding in
Northern Ireland, East Yorkshire, The Midlands,
Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire,
Berkshire and South Wales. The
Environment Agency characterised the situation
in July of that year as “critical” and Phil Woolas
afterwards declared that the Government
would have faced “ the biggest peacetime
evacuation in history” if the emergency
defences around the Welham electricity substation in Gloucestershire had failed. In 2008,
Sir Michael Pitt , in his Review on “Learning
The Lessons From the 2007 Floods”,
advocated (among many other proposals) the
establishment of a Cabinet Committee
dedicated to tackling the threat from flooding,
thereby bringing it in line with other major
hazards such as pandemic flu and terrorism
and that local authorities should play a major
role in the management of flood risk. There
were heavy downfalls yet again that year,
especially during what the Meteorological Office
named as “Awful August”, when rain “soaked
heavy swathes of already water-logged Britain”,
continuing into September across Wales and
Central & Southwest England.
Dr Hayley Fowler (Newcastle University)
forecast that the storms would increase in
intensity over the next 70 years , with Northern
Ireland and the Western regions being the
worst hit. Consistent with this prediction,
November 2009 was classified as “the wettest
month in the UK since records began in 1914”.
The most adversely affected areas on this
occasion were Cumbria, Dorset, parts of Wales
(Colwyn Valley, Pembrokeshire,
Camarthenshire) plus much of the Irish
Republic (Clare, Cork, Galway, Westmeath).
Sir Michael Pitt,in his 2008 Report , had
called for both “proper resourcing of flood
resilience measures, with above-inflation
increases every spending review” and “preplanned, rather than ad hoc, financial
arrangements in place for responding to the
financial burden of exceptional emergencies”.
The probability of these recommendations
being implemented, however ,has diminished
somewhat since the Conservative/Lib Dem
Coalition Government – which is committed to
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Page 2
sweeping public expenditure cuts – took office
in May 2010. This has alarmed organizations
such as the Association of British Insurers
(ABI). Their view is that “A long-term flood
prevention strategy, backed by the right level of
investment is crucial if homes, services and
businesses are to be properly protected”. In
return, the ABI has pledged to make flood
insurance as widely available as possible until
2013. AA Insurance has similarly warned (as
quoted on the ‘FairInvestment’ website) that a
reduction of public spending on flood defences
- such as ensuring storm drains are kept clear
and are improved to remove surface water –
could make many households uninsurable The
AAI Director, Simon Douglas , in a letter to the
new Environment Secretary of State, Caroline
Spelman, drew her attention to the fact that if
investment in flood defences was not
maintained, insurers would become
increasingly fussy about who they covered and
this would correspondingly push up the cost of
premiums. Lord Smith, the Environment Agency
Chairman, told the “Observer” newspaper in
November 2010 that flood defence spending
would be “cut in cash terms by about 27% and
that this will happen immediately”. He conceded
that “With less money we have to face greater
environmental challenges…We have to deal
with what we get and make the best of it.” This
provoked an angry riposte in the same
publication from Mary Dhonau, Chief Executive
of the National Flood Forum (a charity
representing over 200 flood prevention groups
around the country), who asserted that:
“Because of government cuts, there could be
more people dying from floods.”. Caroline
Spelman since then has fended off criticism
from the Opposition with the claim that her
department’s projected reductions are far less
than those planned by the Labour Party while it
was still in power.
Despite this furore, the speculation regarding
a prospective new crossing over (or a tunnel
under) the River Thames has continued
unabated.. The £500 million scheme for a
Thames Gateway Bridge linking Beckton in the
London Borough of Newham with Thamesmead
in the London Borough of Greenwich was
cancelled in 2008 by Mayor Boris Johnson.
Although a scaled-down version was briefly
considered in 2009, the next significant
development emerged in July 2010 when (as
revealed in the ‘Independent’), Transport For
London (TfL) unveiled plans for a £25 million
one- kilometre-long/ 50-metre high cable car
system spanning the Thames between
Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks,
with the aim of it being ready in time for the
2012 Olympics. A planning application was
submitted to the London Borough of Newham
in October 2010. If permission is granted,
construction will begin as soon as the source of
the (totally private) funds has been identified
and committed. It is envisaged that the cable
car will traverse every 30 seconds, convey
2,500 passengers (who will be able to use their
Oyster cards) per hour in either direction, be
equipped to accommodate bicycles and
significantly reduce travel time between the 02
Arena and the Excel exhibition centre (both of
which are Olympic locations). Boris Johnson
has eulogized the cable car project as offering
“a serene and joyful journey across the river”,
whereas London Transport Commissioner,
Peter Hendy, has portrayed it in more
restrained terms as potentially providing “a
relatively quick and cost-effective way of
improving connections across the river for
pedestrians and cyclists”.
This does not mean , however, that the
concept of a new bridge over the Thames has
been abandoned. On the contrary, as disclosed
by BBC News in October 2010, Kent County
Council (KCC) intend to go ahead with it,
preferably sited to the east of Gravesend,
linking up with Chadwell in Essex and carrying
traffic direct to the M11 rather than the M25.
Research conducted by the KCC’s consultants
have indicated that the new £1bn bridge (which
would be built by a private company) could
generate 6,000 jobs in north Kent and south
Essex. Drivers would pay to use it, but “half the
costs would come from tolls at the Dartford
Crossing”, which (as stipulated in the
Coalition’s Spending Review last October) will
rise for cars from £1.50 to £2 this year and then
to £2.50 in 2012. KCC hope to have a clear
idea soon as to exactly when the work will start.
Meanwhile, two Thames tunnel projects have
so far made rather less headway. The multibillion plan announced in 2008 by the
engineering consortium Metrotidal Ltd to
connect the Medway and Canvey Island by
cutting through the North Kent mudflats and
marshes has encountered stiff resistance from
the RSPB (The Royal Society For the
Protection Of Birds),who have lambasted the
scheme for appearing to “ride roughshod over
one of the most charismatic landscapes and
important wildlife sites in the Thames
Gateway”. A rather different sort of tunnel – a
new “super sewer’ planned by Thames Water
to “significantly reduce” the amount of sewage
overflowing into the river – has been stirring up
controversy at the London Assembly. The LA’s
Health and Public Services Committee is
unhappy that “no-one knows how long Thames
Water customers are likely to face an estimated
£65 charge on their bill to cover the cost of the
scheme”. There is another factor which is
causing their Chairman, James Cleverley, even
more consternation: Every year, he has noted,
“39 million tonnes of untreated sewage is
discharged into the River Thames from
London’s sewers – enough to fill the Albert Hall
450 times.” He believes that the Thames Water
tunnel offers the best answer to a worsening
problem. Londoners will no doubt hope that he
and his colleagues get this one right.
COLIN GORDON
www.colindgordon.co.uk
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Page 1
BRIGHTON – AN AWAY DAY WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
When I was a child my godfather used to
take me out somewhere every other weekend. The highlight was always a trip to
Brighton. Our routine would start with cockles and whelks in a shop just off the road
down from the station and end with a bus
Rottingdean
out to Rottingdean to clamber over the
rocks. In between we would fit in lunch, the
pier, sometimes the Pavillion but always the
Aquarium with the glass animal man. Later I
lived in Brighton for two years. It is the only
place I’ve lived in apart from London and I
loved it. Friends tell me it was because
Brighton is just London by the sea but it is
so much more than that.
Of course, things have changed over the years.
You can’t go in style any more in the wonderful
Brighton Belle but it is still the very best place
for a day out from London.
For a start Brighton is very accessible. There
are up to 4 departures an hour from Victoria
and it can take just under an hour to get you to
the coast. There are also trains from several
other stations across London on the First
Capital Connect route.
Once you arrive, the Victorian railway station is
really central and you’ll be in the town centre in
minutes and from there it’s only a step to the
seafront.
There is always something to do for everyone
in Brighton and for those who know it well,
there seems to be always something new to
discover.
Brighton means many different things to different people. It is still a traditional seaside resort
but it’s full of history as well as being a cosmopolitan arts centre, a gay capital, an excellent
base for a weekend’s clubbing and a great
shopping area.
If it’s history you are interested in, then you
can’t miss The Royal Pavillion built by John
Nash in 1815-23 for George 1V.When I was a
child I loved it but was always a little frightened
by the huge kitchens which made me think of
some kind of torture chamber. Now I just enjoy
the extravagance and oriental eccentricity of it
all.
On your way down to the beach, you could visit
The Lanes. The North Laine area has stores
selling retro furniture and loads of bead and
clothes shops to suit all tastes except the strictly conventional. The Lanes themselves have a
more cosmopolitan feel with lots of antique and
jewellery shops. You could spend hours wandering in the maze of little shops or people
watching in one of the numerous bars and
cafes. If, however, it’s high street shopping you
The Lanes
want, then
Brighton has
that, too, in
Churchill
Square and if
you continue
along Western
Road you come into Hove for more upmarket
shops and delis, including a champagne boutique.
If you can tear yourself away from the shops,
then make for the beach. Of course, it’s not a
sandy beach but you soon get used to pebbles.
Brighton Royal Pavillion
14
Excursions
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Photo by David Iliff ... http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Brighton beach /Photo by Amy Huang
Whether you decide to relax on the beach or
just stroll along the promenade, the seafront
offers a real chance to wind down. However, if
you need action, there’s a variety of water
sports and outdoor activities on offer as well.
Whatever you do, you shouldn’t
miss a visit to the pier. In fact
there are 2 piers in Brighton,
the West Pier and the Palace
Pier but I can’t ever remember a time when the West Pier
was open. The Palace Pier is
an entirely different matter
though. It’s in the prime of its
life, brightly lit, garish and offering all the fun of the fair, fish and
chips and sticks of rock - and all this
in the wonderful, sometimes bracing sea air.
After a visit to the pier, you could go to Sea
Life, the world’s oldest aquarium with an underwater walk-through tunnel. From the aquarium
station you can take the historic Volk’s Electric
Railway and ride along the seafront to the
swish Marina for more shopping, a bite to eat
or just to look at and perhaps covet the yachts.
However, if you decide to walk west instead,
you can look for bargains among the craft stalls
at the open-air market. There’s a great play
The Palace Pier
Excursions
Volk’s Electric Railway , photo byColin F. Parsons
area for the kids, too, complete with a paddling
pool. For adults there’s beach volleyball and
petanque .All the family could enjoy a round of
crazy golf together before passing the colourful beach huts to end the walk at Hove Lagoon
or in St Ann’s Well Gardens with its bowling
green, tennis courts, sensory garden, and little café.
After all this activity, it’s easy to find
somewhere for lunch or snacks.
Brighton is full of restaurants, cafes,
pubs and bars to suit all tastes and
pockets, including an Italian restaurant, Al Fresco, right on the beach and
a floating Chinese restaurant at the
Marina, the Brighton Pagoda. For an
old-fashioned treat you could try
English’s of Brighton in East Street, a wellestablished seafood restaurant in a former fisherman’s cottage and dating back 400 years. If
you just want a quick lunch, then every child I
know would love Scoop and Crumb in East
Street, with modern art on the walls, a mouthwatering choice of ice creams and good sandwiches too.
After lunch, there is a huge variety of museums
and galleries worth a visit like the Fishing
Museum with its nearby whelk and smoked fish
Fishing Museum
shop, the Toy and Model Museum, home to
10,000 toys and said to be the closest you
could come to Santa’s grotto, The Brighton
Museum and Art Gallery in the Royal Pavillion
Gardens and Earthship made out of tyres and
tonnes of cans and bottles and looking for all
the world like the Teletubbies’ s home. There
are many other galleries and exhibitions but
perhaps you would need to plan an Art Lover’s
weekend to see them all.
If you feel more adventurous, you could take a
bus. I used to love Rottingdean and Black Rock
where I would spend hours on the rocks and
dipping in the pools but there are so many
other interesting places to visit within easy
reach.
However, you could just spend the rest of the
afternoon continuing your exploration
of this fascinating resort which has something
to see round every corner. You might even be
there for one of the many festivals. During May,
for instance, there are the Brighton Festival 224 May, a major fixture on the arts calendar,
The Great Escape 14-16 May, where you might
well see 4 quality bands a night, Artists’ Open
Houses 2-24 May, and finally the Brighton
Festival Fringe with hundreds of performances
at 200 venues from cafes to hospitals.
A day seems hardly enough. In fact, I am sure
that you will be planning to go back soon and
see more or you may decide to make a weekend of it. You’ll certainly be spoilt for choice for
a restaurant for dinner and then you can sample the amazing night-life. There’s The Theatre
Royal, of course, but also The Little Theatre, a
lively amateur company, The Basement for
experimental theatre and the Nightingale
Theatre as well as Coach Works, a converted
bus garage and many, many more venues.
However, if it’s more vibrant night-life you want
then Brighton really is a fun, party town with
hundreds of bars and clubs all over the city.
Finally, if you do decide to stay over you’ ll be
able to take your pick of places to stay from
over the top to homely and from grand to
eccentric,.
As I’ve often said before, Brighton really does
have it all.
Acrise Faulkner
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‘Calbourne’ and No. 8 ‘Freshwater’ which dates
from 1876. The Steam Railway will also have
one of its Austerities, No. 192 ‘Waggoner’, in
steam together with 1918-built industrial
locomotive No. 38 ‘Ajax’.
Two Visiting Locos Confir med for Isle of Wight
Steam Railway 40th Anniversar y Spring Gala
The 1874-built Beattie Well Tank No. 30587
appears courtesy of the Bodmin & Wenford
Railway in Cornwall and the National Railway
Museum. Its visit will also mean that the IW
Steam Railway’s flagship locomotive No. 24
‘Calbourne’ will be joined for the first time since
1966 with another former LSWR locomotive.
No. 30587 was designed by Joseph Hamilton
Beattie, who held the post of Chief Mechanical
Engineer for the LSWR from 1850 until 1871,
while ‘Calbourne’ was built in 1891 at the Nine
Elms locomotive works of the LSWR to a
design by the then Chief Mechanical Engineer,
William Adams.
Meanwhile 1898-built No. 473 ‘Birch Grove’
appears courtesy of The Bluebell Railway in
East Sussex, and her visit will unite it with
another former LBSCR loco, No. 8
‘Freshwater’. Both locomotives were built at the
former Brighton locomotive works and both
were designed by the famous Brighton
engineer William Stroudley.
“We’re really pleased to be bringing these
locomotives to Havenstreet for our Spring
Gala”, said IW Steam Railway General
Manager, Peter Vail. “And to have two such
unique locomotives, both of which date from
the Victorian era and both of which have a
pedigree matching our own engines, makes it
even more special. We’re planning a packed
weekend of passenger and goods trains
featuring both of our guest engines and as
many of our own locomotives as we can
muster.”
No 473 ‘Birch Grove’, in the livery of the LBSCR, emerges under Deacon’s Lane Bridge with her
train on the IW Steam Railway during a previous visit in August 2003 – Photo IWSR/John Faulkner
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway has
announced that locomotives from the
Bluebell Railway in Sussex and The Bodmin
& Wenford Railway in Cornwall will be
crossing the Solent in late May to appear at
the IW Steam Railway’s 40th Anniversary
Spring Gala.
Ex-London & South Western Railway (LSWR)
Beattie Well Tank Locomotive No. 30587 will be
travelling up from Bodmin in Cornwall and
making her first-ever appearance on the Island.
Travelling over from mid-Sussex to make her
third appearance at the Havenstreet-based
steam line will be ex-London Brighton & South
Coast Railway (LBSCR) E4 Class locomotive
No. 473 ‘Birch Grove’.
The visiting locomotives will be in steam at the
first of the IW Steam Railway’s 2011 Gala
Weekends - one of many events being staged
during this year to mark the 40th Anniversary of
the IW Steam Railway. This ‘40th Anniversary
Spring Gala’ will be held over the Spring Bank
Holiday weekend from Saturday 28th May to
Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May, and will
feature all of the IW Steam Railway’s available
locomotives in steam together with the visiting
locos, possibly making the Gala the largest
gathering of locomotives in steam on the Island
since 1966.
16
Both visiting locomotives were built when
Queen Victoria reigned and will be working
alongside the IW Steam Railway’s own
Victorian locos, the 1891-built No. 24
Other key events in the IW Steam Railway’s
40th Anniversary year include ‘The First train’
on 12th April to mark the date 40 years ago
when trains operated for the first time, and a
weekend featuring 40 hours of ‘non-stop’ trains
at the end of June. Other highlights of the 40th
Anniversary year will include ‘A Celebration of
No 473 Birch Grove, resplendent in her Southern Railway livery, heads a train away from Kingscote
Station on The Bluebell Railway, on 11th April 2010 - Photo courtesy of The Bluebell Railway
Excursions
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The Isle of Wight Steam Railway operates a
preserved 5-mile section of the former Ryde to
Newport Railway.
The Railway Station,
Havenstreet Station,
Nr Ryde,
Isle of Wight, PO33 4DS
For further information on the IW
Steam Railway please go to
ww.iwsteamrailway.co.uk
No. 30587 with a goods train at West Heath Road on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, on
16th October 2009 – Photo courtesy of The Bodmin & Wenford Railway
Island Steam’ in September which, it is hoped,
will see the return to steam of 1878-vintage
locomotive No. 11 ‘Newport’, a series of walks
along some of the Island’s former railway lines,
specially commissioned film shows, and an
auction of railwayana. It is also intended to host
a 40th Anniversary Year lecture with a
renowned guest speaker from the world of
railways and/or preservation.
Excursions
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is
located at Havenstreet Station (PO33
4DS) – 3 miles from Ryde and 3 miles
from Newport.
Schedule of Events
A full copy of the Railway’s 40th
Anniversary Events and Special Events
schedule is available.
No. 30587 and two carriages, seen at Boscarne Junction
on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway – Photo Rachael
Wilson
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Penrhyn
Castle
Bangor, North Wales
ust a stones throw off the A55 near
Bangor, North Wales, is a must visit
place of interest, whose upkeep is in
the capable hands of the National Trust. I
wonder just how many visitors to the area
pass this gem by, without knowing it's
existence? For the many who do visit, it is
one of the true gems that Wales has to offer.
Penrhyn Castle was re-constructed based on
a Norman Castle by design, during the
1780's. It's original shape in 1438 was of a
medieval fortified Manor House. The building
you see today however, was transformed
beyond all recognition by Thomas Hooper,
who was engaged by the Dawkins - Pennant
family to create this imposing castle,
because in effect, that is exactly what he did.
J
Sure, for the purists, it's not actually a castle
in the traditional sense of the word, but more
a stately home that was created in it's
current form by a very rich family, whose
money was made from Jamaican sugar
plantations and local slate. There had to be a
large element of slavery involved, as this
was the norm at the time for people of this
ilk, to make their fortune. Currently, there is
an exhibition on view at the Castle,
illustrating the roots of the slave trade in
Jamaica in juxtaposition to the Pennant
family's fortunes. It is argued that the cost of
creating and constructing this magnificent
'replica' cost the Pennant's around the 150K
mark, approximately 50 million by today's
standards. There must have been vast
An early steam engine
Penrhyn Castle entrance arch
18
profits from slavery in those days, and you
could see why many family fortunes
declined when slavery was abolished, and
why landowners like Richard Pennant, the
first Lord Pehrhyn and also a member of
parliament, was opposed to slavery's
demise.
The grounds are indeed vast, with some
spectacular views of the Menai Strait and far off
mountains in the background from certain
vantage points. There are all manner of carefully
planned sights to take in and enjoy, including a
beautiful Victorian walled garden containing an
overabundance of flower and plant varieties,
plus some carefully laid water features. Dogs
are welcome on leads in the grounds, but are
excluded in the Castle itself, walled gardens and
An early ice maker
Excursions
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The walled gardens of Penhryn Castle
kids adventure play area. It's certainly a great
day out for the family. The exhibitions in the
stable block include an historical collection of
Railway Engines and other industrial items
associated with the railway of bygone days.
There are steam engines, carriages and even
an old weed killer wagon used to clear the
unwanted growths from the railway tracks. A
smaller item, but no less interesting, is the
Model Railway Museum. The place even has a
Dolls Museum, for those interested in that
genre.
When we visited, in late September, Charlotte
Rousell (of Rousell's Auctioneers, Criccieth) was
displaying her new venture into the world of
Wall Panelling. She was offering to the public,
her new range of designs with varied effects,
such as wood grain or plain panels. In their
basic form, these panels can be customised to
suit individual requirements. Whist not being
carved using the traditional wood based form,
they are indeed most realistic and durable to
meet modern day needs. You can have a single
panel or a whole wall full, or even a fireplace
surround. Charlotte was also offering hand
made pine door latches in the traditional style,
and some individual items like the haunting
Green Man wall plaque. Check out Charlotte's
website on www.historicalwallpanels.co.uk
The Castle itself is a most impressive place,
both inside and out. It is very well maintained by
the National Trust and is 'museum like' inside,
with many Trust staff on hand at every turn,
room and chamber. There are ornate and
elaborate carvings throughout, and some of the
ceiling architecture is beautiful, and there is an
array of impressive state rooms. There is even a
one ton slate bed, made especially for the visit
of Queen Victoria to somnambulate in during
her visit to the castle in 1879. Let's hope the
regal monarch managed to get a good nights
rest on such a cold and unforgiving slab, and
did not wake thinking she was at the morticians
! Most of the furniture on display is made in a
mock Norman style, yet is none the less
impressive for it's modernity in construction, or
in craftsmanship. One really interesting feature
amongst all the rich finery was the Ice House.
This was an early attempt at making slabs of ice
for the preservation of food stocks, although it
was undrinkable in it's initial conception. You
can see the servants quarters, kitchens, and
various behind the scenes activities that took
place during the daily running of such a large
estate. Penrhyn castle also boasts one of the
finest collections of paintings in Wales.Featured
are interesting and historical portraits of various
heads of state and politicians, including a fine
portrait of Elizabeth 1. Undoubtedly one of the
most, if not the most popular English monarchs
to rule this tiny island. Her legend had
permeated down through the centuries as an
icon of freedom, about which many stories,
documentaries and films have been made. She
is England and even today, England is, in many
ways, her. The British have always had
matriarchal Queens, dating far back into history,
with Cartamunda and of course, Boudicca, who
was re-popularised and re-named Boadicea by
the Victorians, and was much admired by
Queen Victoria herself . Boudicca was the
definitive freedom fighting Celtic Queen, and
therefore, we assume that her spoken language
was indeed Welsh, although she may have
learned some Latin under Roman rule.
I must make mention of the tea room facilities
A Green Man head wall plaque
on offer, as they present a most welcome place
to rest up and enjoy the fare they have on offer.
Like many stately homes, they ran up large
debts over the years and cost a tidy sum to
maintain. Usually, such places finally end up
under the ownership of the National Trust. Such
was the case with Penrhyn Castle. In 1951. The
castle, and some 40,000 acres, were accepted
by Her Majesty's Treasury in lieu of death duties
owed. So it's not just us mere mortals who fall
foul of the taxman, it's also the landed gentry
too.
The Trust has also made it a very user
friendly place by hosting many varied events. It
has Alice in Wonderland and Knights and
Princesses Fun Days. Plus a whole range of
exhibitions throughout the year including: the
North Wales Society of Fine Arts, Penrhyn
Talent, a mixed media show featuring paintings,
photographs and crafts by the staff and
volunteers who work at the castle. You can even
Abseil down the Ice Tower, advertised as 'the
event of a lifetime'. Not for the feint-hearted!
Entry prices vary, depending on what you
wish to see. For example a Castle ticket: adult
£10 (£9), child £5 (£4.50), family £25 (£22.50).
Grounds and and stable block exhibitions only:
adult £6.60 (£6), child £3.50 (£3) - (Standard
Admission prices in brackets). For more
information and opening times,
contact 01248 371337 (Infoline) 01248 53084
Fax: 01248 371281
Email: [email protected]
Text by Paul Brett
Photos by Michele Breeze
Kettering Furnages No 3 steam engine
Excursions
Carved wooden wall panels
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Transported
back in time
by Acrise Faulkner
can remember when I was very small
being lifted up onto the huge footplate of
a steam train at King’s Cross to see
where the driver worked before chugging off
on the long haul to Scotland. They were
long those journeys to the Highlands, but
they were also something I looked forward
to all year. I was supposed to sleep away
some of the 12 hours it took in those days,
but I never could, even though the
movement was far more conducive to
dozing off than the smooth swishing sound
of today’s trains. The whole atmosphere
was far too exciting even the smell and the
sooty smuts which always seemed to
I
20
appear on faces and clothes, especially if
you stuck your face out of the carriage
window and experienced the thrill of the
wind and smoke rushing past you - but ,of
course, that was strictly forbidden !
A couple of weeks ago I was transported
back to my childhood when my husband and I
took a trip with Steam Dreams, the Cathedrals
Express Company. Throughout the year they
run a series of trips all over the country. The
trips, mostly just for a day, are more to do with
the steam experience than with the destinations
but you usually do get some time to explore
before the return trip. We were on the fathers’
Day special, which was an evening excursion
around Surrey and Hampshire
with a 4 course dinner.
We were hauled by the first
main line steam locomotive built
for 50 years. The A1 60163
Class Tornado The renowned
Peppercorn class A1 steam
locomotives were scrapped in
1966 but this brand new class
A1.60163 Tornado was brought
to life by a dedicated team of
volunteers. The Peppercorn
class A1s were the last of the
great express passenger
locomotives. Throughout the
1950s the majestic A1s pulled
luxury Pullman trains from
London to Yorkshire and the
North East. They were the last
word in speed, style and
glamour. Our locomotive was officially named
Tornado by TRH The Prince of Wales and The
Duchess of Cornwall at York station in February
2009. Tornado subsequently starred in an
episode of Top Gear in 2009, racing a Jaguar
XK120 and a Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle
from London to Edinburgh with Jeremy
Clarkson on the footplate.
Excursions
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There was a real sense of anticipation as we
waited in the crowd to board and the beautiful,
green engine did not disappoint. All down the
line there were groups of people waiting to
photograph our progress and there seemed to
be spectators at many a bedroom window, all
waving and some cheering.
We soon settled into our comfortable seats- I
had forgotten how spacious and comfy seats
used to be. It actually took a little time to get
used to the movement as we are all so used
now to the smooth gliding of our modern trains.
However, we were soon feeling that old
excitement and anticipation as we chugged
through the countryside on a balmy summer
evening. It took me straight back to being
treated to trips on the Brighton Belle when I
was a child. Soon everyone was glued to their
little maps, plotting our course as we made our
stately way to the Hampshire coast and back.
During the journey we were served
champagne and appetizers to get us into the
spirit and then a delicious, unhurried 4 course
meal starting with a pea, Brie, basil and tomato
tartlet with baby leaves served with a basket of
mixed breads. The main course was a Sunday
favourite – roast pork with spiced apple sauce
and the best crackling I’ve had for a long time.
Aptly we had summer pudding with clotted
cream for pudding and then a selection of
English cheeses with grapes, celery and
biscuits. The whole meal was excellent and
washed down with a smooth house red. So by
the time we got to coffee and mints we were
feeling very mellow and relaxed as the
countryside panned out before us.
We were sorry to leave our train at Waterloo
when the time came to return to the present
and get the tube home. I am sure we will go on
another trip quite soon. Many of the people we
met were regulars and I can see why.
Steam Dreams have a full programme
available all year including for Christmas trips
Excursions
Page 2
which include Christmas markets
and carol services in some of our
loveliest cathedrals. You can
splash out on the champagne
breakfast and dinner, book a
picnic box or take your own picnic
and buy drinks form the buffet.
Either way, it’s a lovely family day
out and especially if you have a
steam train enthusiast or a
Thomas the Tank Engine devotee
in the family.
For details go to
www.steamdreams.co.uk
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All aboard for the
West Somerset Railway
T
he West Somerset Railway continues
to see an increasing number of coach
and group bookings to ride over its 20
miles of standard gauge line running
between Bishops Lydeard (4 miles from
Taunton – M5 Jnc. 25) and Minehead. In the
80 minute journey passengers are conveyed
through the Quantock Hills, an area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty) and along the
Exmoor Coast.
22
There are ten stations along the WSR.
Crowcombe Heathfield and Stogumber are
popular starting points for walkers whilst
Watchet is in the middle of the old harbour town
which dates back to Saxon times at least. .
Washford houses a railway museum and also
serves Cleeve Abbey (English Heritage) and a
working cider farm. Dunster serves a medieval
village complete with Castle (National Trust)
and Minehead is in the centre of the town,
across the road from the beach.
Group discounts are available for groups
of 16 or more adults or senior citizens with
extra discount for groups travelling on
Mondays and Fridays. Chartering of whole
trains is also possible.
Details can be obtained by ringing
01643 704996 or seen at
www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk.
Excursions
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MAPLEDURHAM HOUSE
Mapledurham House and watermill, tucked
away on the borders of Oxfordshire and
Berkshire, is a wonderful venue for an afternoons visit. Many of our visitors arrive by boat
from nearby Caversham – a very pleasant trip
along a most stunning stretch of the River
Thames. On arrival, visitors can visit the last
working watermill on the Thames, where flour is
still ground today and also the magnificent
Mapledurham House, still the home of the
descendants of
the Blount family
and which has
been in the family for over 500
years. The
house is
Elizabethan and
has interesting
literary connections with
Alexander Pope,
a frequent visitor
to Mapledurham.
The estate
boasts several
Excursions
quaint cottages, many of which are listed buildings. Some of the cottages and houses are let
to staff whilst the remainder are leased to tenants who, inevitably, want to escape the rat
race and live in the beautiful, oasis of beauty
and serenity that is Mapledurham.
Mapledurham has been the setting for film and
television productions, the most famous being
“The Eagle has Landed” back in 1976. More
recently, we have welcomed Midsomer Murders
(once in 2004 and again in 2010) and Miss
Marple in 2010.
At the heart of the estate, we have a superb
milking parlour, home to our fine herd of
Holstein Frisian cows, where the milking is carried out three times a day on our rotary parlour.
Mapledurham Estate is also home to
Caversham Heath Golf Club, a championship
all year round course. Lunch can be enjoyed in
the bar area with stunning views over the golf
course. There is a daily specials board as well
as the standard lunch or light bites menu.
We host many events at Mapledurham and
have several planned for 2011. These include a
craft fair, game and country fair, open-air performances of The Taming of the Shrew and
Snow White, battle re-enactment, falconry day,
and a children’s workshop production of Wind
in the Willows. Last year, we hosted our first
ever RAF Prom Picnic Concert and we are
delighted to welcome back the bands of RAF
Halton and RAF Wyton for another evening of
wonderful music. We are also pleased to make
a donation from every ticket sold at this event
to the worthy charity Help for Heroes.
Our Christmas carol service with Santa moved
venue last year to the warmer Caversham
Heath Golf Club. Our younger guests enjoyed
visiting Santa in his grotto whilst mums and
dads listened to carols by the Chalgrove Band.
The evening was a success so we plan to
repeat this again for next Christmas.
The grounds are also used for various private
events, such as wedding receptions, family fun
days, corporate entertainment, summer balls
etc.
Full details of all events from:
www.mapledurham.co.uk
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Excursions
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HAYLING ISLAND & EMSWORTH
Beach Life, Harbours and walks
he Havant Borough has a great deal to
offer from local history to the home of
huge events such as the Emsworth
Food Festival. Hayling Island is a popular
area of the borough, which has excellent
beaches, and strong history of watersports.
Back in 1958, Peter Chilvers introduced
windsurfing to the Island and those ties
with the popular water sport are still as
strong as ever today. There is a designated
area for windsurfing on what must be one
of the most visitor friendly shorelines in the
country.
Hayling Island is the only place in the UK
able to boast two European Blue Flag Awards.
The attention that has been given to disabled
access - boardwalks over the shingle give
wheelchair users access to the beach and
some of the beach huts have been adapted as
well. The Island also has several popular open
spaces including the area behind the beach for
picnics and barbecues, a beach volleyball
court, adventure playground, nine-hole golf
course and a Seaside Railway line to get
around on. Not only is the area popular with
watersports but also homes the SSSI (Site of
Special Scientific Interest), Local Nature
Reserve and Hayling Billy Line. These
attractive sites are great for walkers, wildlife
enthusiasts and Cyclists.
There are two more attractive waterside
locations worth visiting in and around the
Borough; Emsworth and Langstone Harbour.
T
The charming village of Emsworth
Excursions
Emsworth is a small quaint fishing village,
which has boutique shops, local businesses
and excellent restaurants. The village also has
a Mill Pond, which also attracts visitors.
Langstone is also a very picturesque village
situated on the shoe as well as the beautiful
countryside. Langstone has the fortunate views
of Chichester Harbour.
As is the case with many other places along
the South Coast, Havant acts as a link
between the sea and the rolling countryside
which can be found just a few miles inland.
This is shown by the number of walks which
start on the shoreline and stretch for many
miles into the countryside. One example of
this is the Staunton Way, which starts at
Langstone and runs all the way to the Queen
Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield. There
are several other wonderful walking routes
surround the Borough and going through the
Borough including Staunton Way, Hangers
Way, Test Way, Solent Way and not forgetting
the magnificent South Downs.
years ago all the best hotels and restaurants in
London were supplied daily with Emsworth
oysters by train). This historic, picturesque, old
fishing village set on beautiful Chichester
Harbour between Portsmouth and Chichester
probably has more quality restaurants and
public houses, not to mention independent
food retailers, per square mile than any other
comparable village in England.
Emsworth was also renowned for its
breweries and the trading of coal although all
that remains to remind us of this are the
Sussex Brewery and the Coal Exchange pubs,
two of Emsworth’s very hospitable bars with
their own special approach to pub food. The
historic home of P.G. Wodehouse, Emsworth is
now more famous for it stunning architecture,
quay, sailing clubs, mill ponds and …food!
Emsworth boasts five excellent and diverse
restaurants and ten pubs, most of whom serve
good wholesome home-cooked fare and four
cafés.
Food for thought - think
Emsworth
The village has that wonderful community
atmosphere that sadly seems to be a feature
of days gone by in most other towns and
villages. There is a wide variety of shops
ranging from a delicatessen, two traditional
butchers (one specialising in sausages, the
other incorporating a fishmonger), two
greengrocers and two bakers.
It is thus the perfect setting for what has
now become the region’s leading food
festival. Taking place over three days every
third weekend in September each year, this is
an event that no food lover could fail to enjoy.
Whether it’s fresh oysters on the fishing quay,
lunch or dinner in one of the village’s
restaurants or purely strolling through the
Festival’s eighty or so food-related stalls, this
is The food festival that you really should not
miss. As in previous years, Emsworth
restaurants and public houses will be
providing a variety of special menus and
events and there will be almost continuous
street entertainment. It will also be building on
its incredibly popular cookery demonstrations
and tutored wine tasting. The Food Festival,
as well as being a destination for lovers of
food, is also very much a community project
and we are delighted that we have managed
to involve so many different elements of our
community. Some of the activities here are
only taking place on one day, others
throughout the event but, if you can, take the
time to visit them and see just how active our
local community is.
Emsworth in Hampshire is a beautiful village
lying at the top of a channel in Chichester
Harbour, nestled between the South Downs
and the sea close to Portsmouth and
Chichester. The village has a strong fishing,
sailing and boat building heritage but is most
famous for producing oysters (up until 100
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Excursions
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train to get you around if
your legs are weary, your
day will be filled with wonder
and the delights of nature.
Group admission prices
apply to parties of just 12 or
more and 1 adult is admitted
free for every 12 paying
guests. Coach parking, entry
and lunch is also free for
coach drivers. Also this year
we are developing the formal gardens outside our
14th century Marwell Hall in the centre of the
park. Learn about the history of trees in the
park with a FREE ‘Travel in Time with a Tree’
trail, available to pick up in the park. Journey
This year at Marwell Wildlife (the conservation
charity running a 140-acre zoological park near
Winchester in Hampshire), there are 8 new
species of reptile in ‘Cold Blooded Corner’ –
some which can’t be seen in public anywhere
else in the UK such as the lined flat-tail gecko
from Madagascar. Savannah Tracks is a fantastic new home for cheetahs giving spectacular
views over their area, now almost twice the
size, and including a raised wooden walkway
and covered outpost. A visit to Marwell is a
chance to get close to the wonders of the natural world – and play a big part in helping to
save them. They warmly welcome group visits
and provide all the facilities you need for a
wonderful day out at any time of year. With
over 225 species of fascinating animals – many
of which are endangered – and a free road
around Marwell and learn about the fascinating
history to these natural giants. From the smallleaved lime - home to an abundance of mistletoe - to the slow-growing yew tree, which is
over 700 years old! Explore Marwell’s oak,
horse chestnut, box and cedar (with a girth of 5
and a half metres!) and finish the trail at
Marwell’s new Formal Garden where visitors
can take inspiration from the dovecote, knot,
parterre and potager gardens. For more info
and to download a booking form, please go to
www.marwell.org.uk/groups or you can call Sue
for more details on 01962777965. Marwell
opens every day (except Christmas and Boxing
Day) at 10am. Peak days – until 6pm, Standard
days until 5pm and Off peak days until 4pm.
Last entry is 90 mins before closing time. Allow
four to five hours for your visit if you want to
take it all in, or combine a visit to the area with
a look or tour around historic Winchester.
Marwell Wildlife,
Thompsons Lane
Colden Common
Winchester Hants SO21 1JH
www.marwell.org.uk
Excursions
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Hawks
& Horses
by Gale Gould
s a conservation charity education is
a huge part of our remit and making
the learning experience fun but
meaningful brings many challenges. At the
Hawk Conservancy Trust we believe that
one is never too old to learn and we provide
a range of activities, from Welcome Talks to
experience days, suitable for all ages, that
give an insight into the interdependent
relationship between of man and raptor, and
the work of the Trust in conserving bird of
prey species.
The history of falconry predates the pyramids
and has shaped many of our present customs
and language. The words ‘mantelpiece’, ‘old
codger’, and ‘boozer’ and even common
expressions such as ‘a fair exchange is no
robbery’ and ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in
the bush’ come from falconry.
In celebration of the historical and cultural
impact of falconry upon human society the
Trust have introduced a medieval vignette into
the ‘Valley of the Eagles’ flying demonstration.
‘Hawks & Horses’ is a peek into history like no
other and two rather special members of ‘staff’
have been employed to illustrate the lesson.
Murphy is an Irish Draught horse standing at
17.2 hands high, whilst Samson, a part-Shire
horse, stands at a massive 18.2 hands high.
Both horses take part in a daily historical reenactment, over the summertime, which sees a
mounted falconry display and staff dressed in
A
28
medieval costume.
Chief Executive Officer, Ashley Smith, said
‘we are always trying to find ways to educate
our visitors in as entertaining a way as
possible. This new display, which is set to
music, demonstrates the partnerships which
existed between man, horse and falcon. We
also include other characters such the maiden
with her merlin and the ‘cadgeman’, from which
the name caddy and old ‘codger’ comes from.
‘Hawks & Horses’ is a highly choreographed
display and we have been rehearsing and
training for months. Now we are ready for our
visitors to see the finished display and I
certainly hope that they approve!’
The display requires a high level of equitation
and falconry skills as the birds and horses are
moving at speed. There is also a huge element
of trust and synchronisation between the
participants as they recreate a scene that would
have been common in times gone by. The task
of training the hawks and horses fell to
Assistant Curator, Jimmy Robinson.
Jimmy, who had to choose between a career
in horse-riding or falconry as a lad, explains,
‘it’s great to finally be able to combine my two
favourite occupations – horse-riding and
falconry! Our birds of prey responded really
well to the training and Samson and Murphy
were really quick on the up-take too. Once
upon a time falconry from horseback would
have been a fairly common sight in the
countryside. But now the Hawk Conservancy
Trust is one of the only places in the country
where you will see it.’
The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a registered
charity and award winning visitor attraction that
has for many years worked in the fields of
conservation, education, rehabilitation and the
research of birds of prey. The Trust is set in 22
acres of woodland and wild flower meadow,
where there are over 150 birds of prey on view
from the tiny Pygmy Owl to the impressive
European Griffin Vulture. Located near
Andover, Hampshire, the Trust is less than half
a mile from the A303 – the main arterial route
from London and the South West – and has
more than 55,000 visitors per year.
The Trust has been a specialist bird of prey
centre for over 25 years and the staff are
recognised as being among the best falconers
in the world. Every visitor can hold a bird of
prey to get close to and have an appreciation of
these fascinating creatures. The Hawk
Conservancy Trust is open all year round
(closing only Christmas Day and Boxing Day),
with a recommended visit time of at least five or
six hours. There is ample parking, and a Trust
shop and coffee shop on site.
Hawk Conservancy Trust
Visitor Centre, Sarson Lane, Weyhill,
Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8DY
Tel: 01264 773850 Fax: 01264 773772
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.hawkconservancy.org
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Get back to Nature
with the RSPB
e all have our own take on a great
day out. You might like a quiet
retreat, somewhere to get away
from the outside world and not see many
other human beings all day. You might just
like somewhere to meet a friend, have an
unfeasibly large piece of cake and wash it
down with endless cups of tea. Or you
might want to take a coach group out for a
lovely countryside walk and a delicious
lunch.
Whatever you want from a day out, RSPB
nature reserves have something for you. And
best of all, with over 200 reserves around the
UK, there’s bound to be one close by. A good
number of our reserves have space for coaches
to park and around 30 of these have visitors
centres, accessible footpaths and toilets.
RSPB reserves include every conceivable
type of landscape the UK has to offer.
Heathland, woodland, wetland, marshland and
reedbeds are interspersed with open water,
pathways and picturesque places to set up
camp with a picnic and take in your
surroundings. Coastal reserves, including
Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire, offer walks where
you can get so close to the wildlife you can
actually smell it. Minsmere, in Suffolk, with its
shingle beech, wetlands, hides and visitors
centre offers a great diversity of experiences,
great walks and fantastic scenery. And visitor
centres at many reserves mean you can sit
snugly afterwards and enjoy even more
stunning views before you leave.
You can roam around RSPB nature reserves
at your leisure or most sites offer guided walks
if you want your day out organised for you. If
you like to get up with the larks, early morning
bird walks will introduce you to some of the
species you’ll be sharing your day with. Guided
walks around reserves of all landscapes will
help you get familiar with the site and figure out
which parts you want to go back to and explore
further.
As well as endless walking opportunities,
from brisk strolls to a few miles’ trek, RSPB
nature reserves offer unrivalled experiences
W
Excursions
with wildlife. From the orchestral dawn chorus
to hares boxing, red deer cooling their feet in a
stream to zillions of seabirds on the cliffs, each
reserve offers something different. Knowing that
all sorts of creatures are going about their
business as you enjoy your day out can’t fail to
give you a lift.
It won’t take you long once you’ve arrived at
an RSPB reserve to realise that they’re not just
great places for birds, mammals, bugs and
other wildlife – they’re fantastic places for
people too. Far from being places where
people are kept out with fences, at arms length
from all the interesting and beautiful stuff,
RSPB nature reserves are welcoming, inclusive
places.
As you wander around, bear in mind that
nature reserves don’t look after themselves,
despite how wild and natural they appear. The
RSPB carefully tends and manages each and
every site, as if it didn’t they would soon
deteriorate and lose much of their value for
wildlife. And if that happened, folk like you and
me wouldn’t have this endless supply of
spectacular walks at every turn.
This one example doesn’t even touch on the
breadth of work being done to create your
perfect walk, but habitats for wildlife, which you
can enjoy too, are being created all over the
UK, so come and visit us soon.
For more information please visit
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves or if you would like to
organise a group visit then go to
www.rspb.org.uk/grouptravel or for a leaflet all
about bringing groups to RSPB nature reserves
ring the Group Travel hotline on 01767 793078.
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Walk on the wild side
Looking for a fascinating day out with a difference? Why not get closer to wildlife with a visit to one of
our nine WWT wetland visitor centres across the UK
include a collection of rare birds, an interactive
discovery centre, a ‘bird airport’ observatory, a
restaurant, six wildlife hides, an adventure
playground and more. In 2009, Sir Peter Scott’s
centenary was marked with the opening of a
bat house inspired by an award-winning artist,
adding an extra ‘wow’ factor to the centre’s
ever-popular summer bat walks.
London Wetlands Centre,
Barnes, SW13 9WT
020 8409 4400;
[email protected]/
london
Photograph: Heather Tait
trip to a WWT centre has something
for everyone. Walks for every ability
level, the chance to view rare birds
and an array of other wildlife and plants,
canoe safaris, art exhibitions, play areas for
kids and restaurants situated in the most
tranquil of settings are just a few of the
attractions our network of wetland
conservation reserves offer.
It’s this diverse selection of activities – from
bird hides for the keenest bird-watcher to view
kingfishers from to mountain bike trails for the
more active outdoor enthusiast – that make a
WWT centre the perfect place for an organised
group visit.
We cater for groups of every description and
size with groups of 12 or more people receiving
a range of benefits and discounts. Packages
offered may vary slightly from one centre to
another, but all provide discounted admission to
groups of 12 or more who book ahead, free
coach parking and refreshments for the driver
and the option to pre-book guided tours, walks
and refreshments to make the day even more
special. Visit http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-
A
Photograph: Heather Tait
30
us/group-visits.
WWT Slimbridge is where Sir Peter Scott
started WWT in 1946, leading to it often being
described as the birthplace of modern
conservation. Today, an award-winning visitor
centre, filled with ‘see-and-do’ displays, leads
into the reserve: 325 hectares of world-class
wetlands set against a spectacular Severn
Estuary backdrop. The reserve is a sanctuary
for a huge array of year-round and visiting
water-birds and a rich variety of other wetlands
life, including otters. Well-placed paths and
vantage points, Land Rover rides and canoe
safaris guarantee the thrill of close encounters.
Special seasonal events add to the enjoyment,
with downy duckling days a spring/summer
favourite and floodlit swan feeds a highlight of
winter.
Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT
01453 891900;
[email protected]
www.wwt.org.uk/slimbridge
WWT Martin Mere is where wilderness and
family-friendliness combine. In winter, many
thousands of wild ducks, geese and swans are
drawn to the internationally-rated wetlands,
offering spectacular displays of feather and
flight. But there is plenty to see and do at
Martin Mere all year round, with more than 100
types of rare and endangered water-birds, a
family of beavers and enchanting otters in
residence, an imaginative playground for young
adventurers and an inspirational eco-garden.
Seasonal attractions include an award-winning
duckling nursery, celebrations of local history
and wildlife gardening, and a rolling programme
of events, walks and talks.
Martin Mere, Lancashire, L40 0TA
(t) 01704 895181;
[email protected] ;
www.wwt.org.uk/martinmere
WWT London is the best urban wildlife site in
Europe. Located next to the Thames, it is close
to the heart of the capital, but, as The Times
reported recently: “When you enter, you leave
London behind”. Bustle gives way to tranquil
scenes of greenery-flanked pools inhabited by
rare and beautiful wildlife including bitterns,
kingfishers and water voles. Other attractions
WWT Arundel is a 65-acre reserve in an
idyllic setting, nestled at the base of the South
Downs National Park. Gliding through the reed
beds in silent electric boats is the best
opportunity in Britain to glimpse a rare water
vole or see vividly-coloured kingfishers. Another
prized resident is the nene, the goose saved
from extinction by WWT founder Sir Peter Scott
and still one of the world’s rarest water-birds.
Springtime fills the valley with wildflowers and
warbler songs; summer brings exciting ponddipping discoveries; as winter starts, Bewick’s
swans return and water rails emerge. Yearround attractions include a pond skaters
adventure, a tree creeper play area and daily
hand-feeding of the many birds. Visit our
website for a full listing of our exciting, seasonal
events.
Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9PB
01903 883355;
[email protected];
www. wwt.org.uk/arundel
WWT Welney is the place to catch one of the
most magical sights in Britain’s nature calendar:
gatherings of up to 9,000 swans and ducks,
exiled from the Arctic by cold and overwintering amid the centre’s 1,000 acre expanse
of fenland. Welney isn’t only a winter place,
though, for wildfowl or people! Its eco-friendly
visitor centre is always packed with interest;
other attractions include vast flocks of summer
waders, wildflowers, butterflies, dragonflies, the
Fenland’s World exhibition, and avocets –the
elegant, long-legged, water-bird, once declared
extinct in the UK but now fast-reviving. A lively
programme of seasonal walks, talks, displays
and activities runs all year-round, and the walks
along the Ouse Washes are, simply,
unmissable.
Welney, Norfolk, PE14 9TN
(t) 01353 860711;
[email protected] ;
wwt.org.uk/welney
WWT Washington offers unforgettable noseto-beak bird encounters in a lovely and varied
landscape of wetlands, woodlands, and
meadows, inhabited by ducks, geese waders,
flamingos, cranes, herons, frogs, dragonflies,
butterflies, bats and even goats. Lapwing and
rare avocet are among the species which can
be seen from the many wild bird hides while
colourful bullfinches are regulars at the
Hawthorn Wood feeding station. Family
favourites include downy duckling days and
animal magic, the splashzone, regular
workshops and daily bird feeds, walks and
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talks. A fleet of free-to-use wheelchairs and
mobility scooters ensures access for all.
Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 8LE
0191 416 5454;
www. wwt.org.uk/washington
WWT Caerlaverock is WWT’s most northerly
outpost – a spectacular 1,400 acre wild reserve
on the north Solway coast. Get away from it all
and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of
nature. A place where the wild world still has the
power to touch, thrill and inspire. The Solway is
renowned as the winter home of the Svalbard
barnacle geese, numbering up to 30,000 birds.
Caerlaverock also welcomes thousands of other
wintering birds including whooper swans from
Iceland. In summer explore the wildflower
meadows and watch ospreys hunting over the
Solway or via a live CCTV camera from the nest.
Barn owls, badgers, natterjack toads and tadpole
shrimps are also a delight.
Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, DG1 4RS
01387 770200;
[email protected];
www.wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock
Photograph: Heather Tait
WWT Castle Espie now features Irelands most
significant habitat improvement of its kind and is
also hailed as an example of best practice for
sustainable design and for illustrating what is
needed to make sure visitors are guaranteed a
memorable day out. The visitor centre is an
attraction in its own right with its range of new
eco-friendly features. Beyond it lies a magical mix
of restored lagoons, woodland walks, grassland,
salt marshes and reed beds, already populated
with Ireland’s largest collection of native and
exotic water-birds and dotted with habitats for
other wildlife including otters, bats and
dragonflies. An added bonus is a lively
Excursions
programme of walks, talks, activity days and art
exhibitions.
Castle Espie, County Down, BT23 6EA
028 9187 4146
[email protected];
wwt.org.uk/castleespie
The National Wetland Centre Wales is a 450
acre mosaic of lakes, pools and
lagoons created on the scenic Burry Inlet to
mark the Millennium. It is home to many
hundreds of wild and captive species as diverse
as dragonflies and little egrets. Borrow a bicycle
to get to the hidden corners of the site following
family-friendly trails or, in warmer months, take a
jungle explorer-style tour by canoe. Many of the
resident species are tame enough to feed by
hand. Walks, talks and themed activities take
place all year round and no visit is complete
without a stop at water vole city, the Millennium
discovery centre or the cafe, with its commanding
views of the estuary.
National Wetland Centre Wales,
Carmarthenshire, SA14 9SH
01554 741087;
www. wwt.org.uk/llanelli
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Excursions
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Moore at Living
Crafts in May 2011
major event in the crafts calendar,
Living Crafts will be held at Hatfield
House, Hertfordshire from Thursday
5 – Sunday 8 May. Attracting thousands of
visitors each
day, the show promotes the very best of
professional British craftsmanship.
Living Crafts is the premier craft event in
Europe with an enviable reputation for the
wide range and high quality of design in both
contemporary and traditional crafts. The
unique skills of our British designer-makers
are celebrated, from innovative new designs
and techniques to heritage skills in rural
traditional crafts
This year, to celebrate its 400th
anniversary, Hatfield House will be hosting a
major exhibition by Henry Moore ‘Moore at
Hatfield’. Fourteen dramatic sculptures will be
enjoyed
in formal and woodland settings, the first
solo exhibition of Moore’s work in the grounds
of a historic house. Sculptors exhibiting at
Living Crafts will display their beautiful
sculptures featuring bronze, wood, clay,
contemporary, stainless steel and wire in a
Sculpture Park. Visitors will be able to watch
sculpting demonstrations and have a go
themselves.
The show is held on the Elizabeth Oak
showground where visitors enjoy meeting the
craftsmen, buying, discussing their work and
placing unique commissions or personalising
a special piece at the show.
As a show with a great creative
atmosphere there are jazz and brass bands,
traditional dancing and children’s storytelling
adding to visitors’ enjoyment. Lectures,
demonstrations and workshops are a key
feature together with a huge variety of outdoor
large scale demonstrations which are very
popular attractions.
To experience Living Crafts in action please
watch the podcast at www.livingcrafts.co.uk.
A
Excursions
LINCOLN HOUSE HOTEL
33 Gloucester Place,
London W1U 8HY
www.lincoln-house-hotel.co.uk
or call 0207 486 7630
“The cosy Lincoln House Hotel in Gloucester
Place W1” is a delightfully hospitable bed and
breakfast hotel of Georgian Townhouse
character, built at the end of 18th Century at
the time of King George III. We are situated in
a prime location close to central London's
diverse scenes and activities, near Marble Arch
and Oxford Street Station. We offer a relaxed
and welcoming atmosphere with modern
comforts.
Please note that our tariff is competitive and
includes a Full English Breakfast, tax and
service. For the last two years running we have
been awarded the first prize for our outstanding
floral displays. Our hotel is ideal for business,
shopping and leisure trips.
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Where to stay in London
Beautiful Bournemouth Anyone for Tennis?
Great ‘Days’ in London
Bourne Hall Hotel
Days Hotel Waterloo
The independent Bourne Hall Hotel is a
family-run centrally located hotel close to the
town centre and just a few minutes stroll from
the safe sandy beaches, shows and shops and
the Bournemouth International Centre.
Happy and affordable, this family-run hotel
with 2 Star AA accreditation is easy to find right
in the heart of Bournemouth’s lively West Cliff.
Bars, restaurants, cliff-top walks and family
entertainment are all around.
It’s also a great starting point to explore the
Dorset countryside, Jurassic Coast World
Heritage Site and historic New Forest.
Situated on the West Cliff, less than quarter
of a mile from the Bournemouth International
Centre and a couple of minutes stroll from
beaches, town centre, gardens and all
entertainments, the Bourne Hall Hotel is ideal
for conference delegates, theatre trips, a spot
of retail therapy or a leisure break - anytime of
year.
Free parking, great food freshly prepared by
our resident chef and complimentary use of
nearby luxury leisure club and other privileged
leisure arrangements. For your next leisure
break, group booking, conference visit or
private function, 50-bedroom Bourne Hall is
perfectly placed to please, with 24 hour
opening too.
And that’s not all. Bourne Hall guests can
use the luxury facilities of nearby leisure club.
including iIndoor and outdoor heated pools,
jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and fitness suite
with free weights and CV equipment.
Plus, if you would like to party the night
away, the Bourne is perfectly placed for parties,
discos and dances for up to 150 people. A
choice of rooms means smaller events are also
welcome.
Room and equipment hire, late bar,
entertainment and room dressing can all be
arranged together with a choice of sit down or
buffet menus.
Contact
Bourne Hall Hotel, 14 Priory Road, West Cliff,
Bournemouth, BH2 5DN
Tel: 01202 299715
Fax: 01202 552669
Email: [email protected]
www.bournehall.co.uk
34
Goodenough Guesthouse
If you are coming to London and are looking
for accommodation, why not try the Goodenough
Guesthouse, a Victorian terraced house that has
been receiving guests from all around the world
for many years, and has been on the Internet
since 1994. visit their informative website where
the all essential information is available in a
number of languages: English, French, German,
Russian, Japanese and Italian.
The accommodation offered is very clean
and comfortable, and the rooms are bright and
spacious. Guests tell us we are very hospitable,
and the atmosphere is relaxed, friendly and
informal. All the rooms have a TV, and English
(sausages, bacon, eggs and tomato) or
Continental breakfast is included. Tea and
coffee are also available at all times. There is
also off-street parking provided.
Whether you are sightseeing in London,
coming for the world-famous Tennis
Championships, or here on business, you will
find the accommodation is ideal. Just 6 or 7
minutes from the main Wimbledon station, from
where you can take the fast National Rail
service to London Waterloo (15 minutes), or the
District Line Underground. Wimbledon is a
prosperous and very safe suburb in South West
London, with a large shopping centre and a
vibrant nightlife.
The current prices are: Single: £35 or £45
per night; Single Occupancy in Double room:
from £45 to £60 per night; Twin or Double: from
£55 to £70 per night; En-Suite Twin or Double:
from £70 to £90 per night. Please note: these
prices are for Wimbledon accommodation, but
there is also slightly cheaper accommodation
available in Raynes Park and Mitcham.
For all enquiries, please email Kate
([email protected]). If you have any
allergies (e.g., cats, dogs, smoke etc.) or any
specific requirements (e.g., private en-suite
bathroom, early arrival, English breakfast etc.),
please be sure to mention these in your email.
If you require accommodation at short notice,
or if you do not receive a reply within 24 hours,
please telephone on 020 8715 7945. For all
enquiries, please email
[email protected]. If you have any
allergies (e.g., cats, dogs, smoke etc.) or any
specific requirements (e.g., private en-suite
bathroom, early arrival, English breakfast etc.),
please be sure to mention these in your email.
Contact
The Goodenough Guest House,
4 Goodenough Road, Wimbledon,
London, SW19 3QW
020 8715 7945
www.larsol.demon.co.uk
The hotel is ideally situated for London's West
End theatres, cinemas, art galleries, museums,
and shopping. We are located opposite the
Imperial War museum, just 10 minutes walk from
Waterloo Station and the London Eye. You can
reach our Hotel by Bus, Rail and Underground.
The hotel is within easy reach of Waterloo Station
(10min walk.) Lambeth North underground station
is 2 minutes walk away and a number of buses
(59-Kind's Cross, 159-Oxford Circus, 148-Victoria)
stop right by the hotel.
Accommodation
All our 162 contemporary furnished rooms
feature ensuite bathrooms with power showers
and we also have a limited amount of
wheelchair accessible rooms with roll in
showers.Bring the Kids along and stay in our
family rooms that can accommodate up to 2
adults and 2 children. Our standard rooms
feature either one double or two single beds.
Each room comes with ensuite shower
facilities, tea & coffee making facilities, direct
dial telephone, 26" flat screen LCD TV with 23
Freeview and foreign language channels. Bring
the Kids along and stay in our family rooms that
can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2
children. As these rooms are limited, please
contact the hotel directly to make your booking.
Restaurant
Our restaurant caters to all tastes and is open
for: Breakfast: 6:30am to 10:00am Monday to
Friday. 7:00am to 11:00am Saturday, Sunday
and Bank Holidays. Continental Breakfast:
£6.95 English Breakfast: £8.95. Dinner: 5:30pm
to 10:00pm Monday through Saturday and
5:30pm to 9:30pm on Sunday.
The Bar
Our bar is open 24 hours a day for our guests
and their legitimate guests. It features a great
selection of local and foreign drinks at very
reasonable prices. Happy Hour: between
6:00pm and 8:00pm daily. Any beer or a small
glass of wine is just £2.50.
Our Bar and Lounge area is open 24 hours a
day where you can enjoy a refreshing drink and
watch the match of the day on our 50" big
screen TV., and if the weather allows, you can
enjoy a pint outside in our beer garden.
Accessibility
Our hotel is fully compliant under the disability
discrimination act. We have a number of
wheelchair accessible rooms that feature
specialy adapted bathrooms with handrails and
roll in showers.
Contact
Days Hotel Waterloo, 54 Kennington Road,
London, SE1 7BJ. Tel: +44 (0) 207 922 1331
Fax: +44 (0) 207 922 1441
[email protected]
www.hotelwaterloo.com
Excursions
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1:37 PM
Page 1
WINE
&
DINE
with Acrise Faulkner
A Taste for
Romance
eep in the heart of Covent
Garden is arguably the
most romantic restaurant
in central London, Clos
Maggiore’s in King Street. It is
an oasis of calm in this bustling
area serving good food in a
lovely setting. From the minute
you step through the door you
feel spoiled and cosseted. The
rooms are warm and intimate
especially the conservatory at
the back with its fully retractable
roof which is lovely for the
summer months. In the autumn
and winter months the
atmosphere is transformed by
candlelight and the crackling of
the open fire.
I have been several times and
have never been disappointed by
the expertise of the cooking
influenced, they say, by the stylish
country inns of Provence and
Tuscany. The last time I went was
on a Saturday lunchtime when they
have a special prix fixe menu. My
companion and I both had Isle of
Wight crab with a majoram celery
remoulade to start, which was well
executed and then, though I
hesitated over the lamb, I chose 24
day aged charolais beef with
mushroom and herb agnoloti a
stroganoff sauce, parmentier
potatoes and spinach. The beef
was succulent and so tender my
knife just slipped through it. My
friend chose the oven roasted corn
fed chicken breast with crispy
polenta, Alsace bacon cream and
some of my spinach. She said it
was so lovely she could eat it all
over again. There is a long wine
list but we just stuck to the
suggestion on the menu, a
satisfying South African Shiraz.
From the dessert menu I nearly
D
Turkish
Delight
went for my usual selection of ice
cream and sorbets, but was
intrigued by the limoncello and
olive oil tiramisu with amalfi lemon
and thyme sorbet. I was not
disappointed. It was luscious! My
friend who has a less sweet tooth
chose the cheese board, which is a
real speciality of the house. There
is a separate menu of about a
dozen cheeses from across
Europe, selected at their peak and
served with hand baked biscuits
and quince jelly. I wish they sold
postcards of the cheese board. It is
wonderful but I always get sidetracked by the desserts.
We finished up with excellent
coffee and petits fours and vowed
to return soon – I must get to that
cheese course one day!
The à la carte menu is certainly
not exactly cheap but it is a real
treat. However, the weekend prix
fixe menu is excellent value at
£19.50 for 3 courses or £24.50 for
2 courses and half a bottle of wine.
Coffee and petits fours are extra.
One or two dishes carry a
supplement including the amazing
cheese platter, but are worth it.
If you are looking for good food
in lovely surroundings and great
service in the midst of the West
End, then treat yourself!
Clos Maggiore’s
33 King Street, Covent Garden
WC2E 8JD Tel: 020 7379 9696
www.closmaggiore.com
Tas Restaurant in
Bloomsbury
By Acrise Faulkner
e were meeting up with
friends for an early
evening meal after a visit
to the British Museum. I
suggested we tried the Tas on the
corner of Bloomsbury Street. I
pass that corner every day on the
way to work and until the Tas
chain took it over, nothing ever
seemed to stay there for more
than a few months. Tas, it seems,
has broken the mould and
certainly looks as if it’s here to
stay for quit a while. The
restaurant is large and airy with
lots of large plants outside and
the menu is inviting at any time of
the day.
W
When we arrived our friends were
already sitting down sipping
pomegranate juice and trying to
decide what to have. One of my
friends is a vegetarian and this is the
ideal place for her. Lots of the
starters and 14 main courses are
suitable for vegetarians and that’s
not counting the huge selection of
fish dishes.
We started with the meze and
decided to share a selection with
some delicious home made bread.
We picked kisir, (crushed walnuts,
hazelnut, bulgur wheat, tomato
sauce , parsley, dill , mint and spring
onions), taramasalata, cacik (
cucumber, mint and yoghurt),
patlican-biber kizartma (fried
aubergine, red and green peppers in
tomato sauce and yoghurt), calamari
and midye tava (fried mussels on a
skewer with garlic sauce). We had to
force ourselves to stop at that point
Excursions
as you really could make a complete
meal out of the meze. It was all
lovely and we could have gone on
picking forever!
The main courses were equally
good. My vegetarian friend had a
very tasty mantar (mushrooms,
onions, tomatoes, peppers and garlic
with cashar cheese). Her husband
tried the ciger izgara ( lambs liver
with sumac and red onion) which he
said would convert any “offalaphobic”
like me. My third companion had a
traditional pirsali kofte which was a
lamb kebab on pan fried leeks and I
had my favourite karides guveç, a
wonderful prawn stew. With some
rice or coucous and a simple salad
this was a really satisfying and
delicious meal.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have a
Yakut red wine and though the
house red was adequate, I’d rather
have paid the extra pound or so for
an Italian, but it slipped down quite
easily anyway.
The puddings are a mixture of
traditional Turkish and European.
The baklava and kunefe were both
good and would satisfy any sweet
tooth anywhere. The sutlaç was new
to my friend who pronounced it a
scrummy rice pudding with rose
water and I had home made ice
cream. I chose coconut, cinnamon
and vanilla and was very pleased
with my choice which seemed a
really refreshing way to end the
meal. We couldn’t manage Turkish
coffee but I am sure it would have
been good and one of the charming
waiters would have stepped in to tell
our fortunes from the coffee tails.
Tas really is worth a visit if you are
in the area and there are branches
all over town.
It is just the place for a light lunch
or longer dinner. Whenever you
decide to go, you are sure of a warm
welcome from the staff and good
value.
Tas Restaurant
22 Bloomsbury Street,
London, WC1
(near Tottenham Crt Rd Tube)
Tel: 020 7637 4555
020 7 637 1333
Meal with 3 courses and wine
about £20-£25 per head
35
page 36 - 37:LIL 13.qxd
2/25/2011
The Georgian Hotel is a traditional
hotel in the heart of London. It
provides a home from home
atmosphere in quality rooms within a
traditional Georgian seing.
Located just
minutes from
Baker Street, and
within walking
distance of
Oxford Street, Regents Park, Hyde Park,
and the exclusive doctors' quarter of Harley
Street, it provides a picturesque base for
sightseeing, business trips, and family stays.
87 Gloucester Place, (near Baker Street)
London, W1U 6JF
Phone : 01480 212898 Fax : 01480 212880
[email protected]
36
1:49 PM
Page 1
HOTELS AND
RESTAURANTS
Award winning wines,
ciders and apple juice
Open throughout
the year
Free admission
& tastings
www.biddendenvineyards.com
Tel: 01580 291726
Excursions
page 36 - 37:LIL 13.qxd
2/25/2011
1:49 PM
Page 2
www.heritagerailways.com
HOUSES & GARDENS
VISITS & ACTIVITIES
ENJOY A RIDE ON
A STEAM TRAIN
For a leaflet showing railways
near your holiday destination write to:
The Heritage Railway Association
10, Hurdeswell, Long Hanborough,
Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 8DH
Excursions
Bourne Hall Hotel
14 Priory Road, West Cliff,
Bournemouth, BH2 5DN
Tel: 01202 299715 Fax: 01202 552669
[email protected] www.bournehall.co.uk
Burhill Golf Club is set in beautiful
Surrey parkland. The Clubhouse, a
luxurious Georgian Mansion, is
steeped in history and dates back to
1726. The Golf Club was
established in 1907 by the
Guinness family.
Phone: 01932 227 345
[email protected]
Burhill Golf Club, Burwood Road
Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 4BX
Burhill Golf Club is part of Burhill Golf and Leisure Limited.
37
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2:03 PM
Page 1
The Royal Wedding
better than the Olympics for UK tourism?
irst, there were the congratulations, photo- sessions and
Such claims tend to be greeted with scepticism by commentators
somewhat obsequious mini-documentaries about “Wills &
such as Robert Barney, Director of the International Centre for Olympic
Kate” (or Catherine, as we now have to call her). That lasted
Studies, University of Western Ontario: He has stated that “There has
for about a day. The media then promptly switched its attention to
never been an Olympic Games that has made a profit” and concluded
how much the nation could make financially from next year’s
that “If making money were an Olympic event, no city hosting the
nuptials. In an era of budget deficits and public spending cuts,
Games would win a gold medal. Or Silver. Or Bronze”. His compatriot
pecuniary considerations (so it appears) have displaced romance.
Andrew Rose, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley and
The “Sun” newspaper triumphantly declared that the marriage
co-author of a study on “The Olympic Effect”, concurs : “No reasonable
celebrations “will give a £1 billion boost to the Britain’s hardperson thinks that the direct benefits of hosting the Olympic Games or
pressed economy”. Income from tourism “will soar by £750 million
any other mega event cover the expenses”. Meanwhile, the European
as royal fans worldwide flock here
Tour Operators Association (ETOA) is
hoping for a glimpse of the happy
equally unequivocal. In its recently
couple”. Both the Sun and the “London
published “Olympic Report”, it insists that
Evening Standard” referred to the
there is no strong link between hosting
prediction by Neil Saunders of
sporting tournaments and increased
research consultants “Verdict” that
tourism: “ The audiences regularly cited for
sales of food and drink will exceed £360
such events as the Olympics are
million and that souvenir
exaggerated. Attendees at the Games
merchandising could “rake in” another
displace normal visitors and scare tourists
£26 million. The Guardian reported that
away for some time”. ETOA’s outspoken
a range of commemorative crockery –
Executive Chairman,Tom Jenkins, pursued
such as Aynsley plates (£39.95p each)
this theme at a World Travel Market (WTM)
and “two-handled loving cups” (£32.95p
seminar entitled “Sports Tourism: Its A
each) - will be on sale by Christmas,
Tough Game – But Some Win”, in
and that the country’s retailers are “all
London’s Excel Conference Centre on
aflutter” at the commercial potential of
November 8th. He warned his listeners
the great event. According to the
that tourism was not a good reason for
“Glorious Britain” shop at Gatwick
holding the Olympics and that host nations
Airport, there has already been a rush
invariably miscalculated how many people
of passengers wanting to purchase
would actually turn up. Beijing, for
royal wedding souvenirs before
example, had expècted 400,000 foreign
boarding their flights. The UK press has
guests in 2008 but received only 235,000
noted approvingly that Prince Charles
for the whole month of August; In Sydney
will probably fund most of the wedding
(2000), the total was 97,000 instead of
bill ( with assets from his Duchy of
132,000; Athens (2004) had hoped for
Cornwall estate), though this won’t
105,000 people per night but got fewer
include security costs (estimated at £40
than 14,000. The principal danger,
million compared to £4 million for
suggested Jenkins, was “between
Charles & Diana in 1981). Kate’s parents
perception and reality”. He also queried as
“will offer to pay for the wedding dress
to exactly where the supposed 380,000
Will this year’s Royal Wedding of Prince William
or the honeymoon”. David Cottle, a Dow and Kate Middleton touch the heart’s of millions in the international visitors in 2012 (if they
Jones Newswires columnist, has
materialized) would be accommodated:
same way as the wedding of Will’s mother, Diana
depicted the occasion as a “big,much“Currently there are only 122,000 hotel
Princess of Wales?
needed money- spinner for a Britain in
beds in and around London” – which of
trouble”.
course could now also prove to be a major issue if there is a massive
The most significant aspect of the royal wedding, however, is likely to
influx from abroad for the Royal Wedding.
be the “huge numbers” that will be attracted to the capital – especially
Prior to WTM, a brief survey of 200 leading tour operators was
(says “The Sun”) from America ,Canada, China, Russia and India”.
conducted by ETOA. This revealed that 68% of those questioned in
Which is probably rather fortuitious in view of the disagreements which
London expected an “Olympic slump,” with their turnover falling by
have surfaced regarding the likely attendance at the 2012 Olympics.
around 30%. In the case of regional England, 60% feared an average
This had (until the engagement announcement) been portrayed as
decline of 17% - supporting the ETOA view that “The problem s not
London’s next available “tourist boom” opportunity. Lord Coe, Chairman
restricted to the host city. If you remove London from a visit to the British
of the Organising Committee foresees a possible one million additional
Isles, everywhere else become far more difficult to sell”. In its “Olympic
foreign visitors (up to 350,000 per day) coming to the UK for the Games.
Report”, ETOA asserts controversially that during the Games, the venue
An analysis prepared by the ‘Oxford Economics’ company for the
effectively closes for business: “The absence of tourists consequently
VisitBritain and Visit London organizations calculated that the Olympics
breaks the normal conveyor belt of contented customers begetting new
(“if there is good planning”) could generate tourism gains of £2.09 billion
arrivals”. This contention has been dismissed as “ A weary old story” by
for the period 2007-17, including £1.47 billion for London. A VisitBritain
the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Their riposte to ETOA is
survey indicated that 22% of people worldwide said they would be more
that “The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a long-term
inclined to visit the UK because of the Olympics – but also that the
investment in the future of Britain’s visitor economy” as well as
percentage would be even higher for some countries: India (44%), China
regenerating deprived areas of East London and providing the people
(39%), Mexico (53%),Malaysia (43%) and Indonesia (49%).
living there with “state-of-the art” sporting facilities once the Games are
Furthermore, they forecast that tourist arrivals will increase thereafter
over. All the same, it may not be totally unwelcome to the Olympics
and the legacy effect – thanks to the media exposure and accompanying
Organizing Committee that public and media interest is now for the
publicity – could last for decades.
moment firmly focused on 2011.
COLIN GORDON.
F
38
Excursions
inside back:Layout 1
2/25/2011
2:14 PM
Page 1
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2/25/2011
2:20 PM
Page 1
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