Alexandra Palace and Parkland Walk (North)

 A bright morning after a couple of grotty days, so I got up early with the intention of a quick stroll to Alexandra Palace.

Some decent atmospheric shots due to the cloud cover - and the open views from the hill.

The Lake behind the Palace.

Good shot of a pair of Tufted Ducks

As it was quite so nice, I decided to extend my walk by going on through the Parkland Walk, which follows the disused railway line that used to go to Alexandra Palace. Although described as a nature reserve it is just a narrow (albeit pleasant) treelined walk through North London, the northern section terminating in Highgate Woods. Only catch was that the Walk, and Highgate Woods, were teeming with people, mostly walking either their dogs or their children on a Sunday morning. Plus copious numbers of joggers.  So many folk that I didn't really feel able to photograph the walkway itself, which really only leaves one worthwhile sight that that you can see from the path, St James Church, Muswell Hill.

I gave up Highgate Woods, partly as too busy and partly due to the extreme cold. My fingers were frozen even with gloves.

20 mile walk

I was fortunate enough to have a visit from my support bubble. In addition to watching some crap TV, having some delivered food and making a slight dent in my alcohol supplies, we also went on a walk. A nice day for it, in that it was dry and mild. Not sunny so not best day for photos, and since I had company I hardly took any.

Basically I proposed a walk to Trent Park. I knew that using the most direct that is about 4 1/2 miles away, but I suggested we take the pretty route through as many parks as possible. I had warned Thibault to bring footwear that could cope with some mud. Glad I did so as the latest rain, on top of sodden ground, left some parts very wet indeed. But while I had anticipated some muddy patches, I was surprised by Oak Hill Park where the actual main pathway was under water. And you couldn't easily go round it as the sides were at least as bad! No option but to wade through ankle deep.

Above was Pymmes Brook - compare to same Brook in autumn. Note the autumn version had banks!

Anyway, we duly reached Trent Park, and had a very pleasant wander around. Here is the gate lodge.

Obviously Trent Park also had its drainage issues.

We went down into the Water Garden which was not as drowned as I expected, although the little ornamental "waterfall" on the lakeside was gushing a lot more than it usually does. Normally it is more of a gentle trickle.

We then pretty much circumnavigated the park, including the impressive obelisk.

And after the park and a brief stop to refuel with salt beef sandwiches, Thibault came up with the bright idea of extending our trip to Enfield, a good 2-3 miles further across North London. And having got there I took him on a brief sightseeing trip including visiting my favourite bakers to replenish my supply of oat and raisin cookies, before the pretty long trudge down to home.

Thibault has some fitbit app so was able to tell me accurately that we had walked 20 miles. I had reckoned my walking range was really 10 miles, so I guess I have to upgrade that. Probably having company makes the trip easier, as you are chatting rather than concentrating on aching limbs. And he found he had surpassed 38,000 steps, so way over the 10,000 that you seem to be supposed to do. And if he did 38,000 with his long gait, I must have comfortably exceeded 40,000 with my little  legs and  short paces.

And along the way we had covered Trump, democracy in the US, vaccines, architecture, town planning, cycling, holiday planning and no doubt much more. It was a good day. And lovely to have the company. Will be so nice to do that more often in a post Covid world. And yes, I do appreciate how lucky I am to have a mate who would cycle across London just to pop in and see me, with only a long muddy walk and  a stock of port to entice him. And one fit enough to do so without finding it an ordeal!

 

Snow in Grovelands Park

 Having taken my fill of photos in Broomfield Park I headed to Grovelands Park

Winchmore Hill

Cottages just outside the park

Grovelands starting in the woods and wetlands area

Grovelands House, built to a Nash design, the grounds landscaped by Repton, so it should all look good, even without the snow!

Now I bet you have never seen this little critter. In amongst the vast numbers of coots and moorhens on the ornamental lake was a single Hooded Merganser. It isn't even a British bird - its from the States. While apparently the odd one gets sighted in the UK as a vagrant, this one is most likely a captive bird from some waterfowl park that has escaped.

The Woodman pub - would be so snug inside if only....