Day 9 Petts Wood to Hayes

Yes, I have leapt forward and I will be going back. I was hoping to meet up with a friend and this was the scheduled day for the section. Alas, it was not to be. There are worse days to be caught walking in the rain, I suppose. I started out late what with the weather changing necessitating different footwear, change of handbag etc etc and then trying to work out how to get to Petts Wood more quickly than the train in 29.5 minutes as I've just missed one.

The preciptiation never got bad enough for me to do up the front of my jacket! My book was in my waterproof map pouch and my camera in my armpit under the invincible Berghaus (I had to open the vents as it was still warm) but, ever prepared, a tech t-shirt and tech trousers occasionally got damp and then dried out. I wore my walking boots instead of Merrells for the first time which seemed risky but again, that paid off, I could squelch and splosh with the best three year olds.

Farnborough seemed interesting, plenty of coaching inns and old stuff really. The church, St Giles the Abbott was rebuilt in the 1640s and is impressive - from the outside. There are many WWI memorials built into a wall in the grounds which are very moving.

St Giles the Abbott Farnborough

Memorials

To me, the word 'Bromley' doesn't promise too much so it was quite pleasant to discover all these villages and patches of green in south east London. As I'd got out so late, I decided to take a break at the Green Roof Cafe at BEECHE in High Elms Country Park. The cafe was nice and would be absolutely lovely in the sun but my cream tea (coffee) was ok, but nothing to write home about. It was dry.

Much more interesting was the Eton Fives Court nearby. This was once part of the High Elms estate of which the mansion burned down in 1967. There are also some ornate gardens remaining although it's a little early to catch them in their full glory.

Eton Fives Court

Garden

Garden with some topiary

Now you know

This was an interesting day with lots of things to see. Next up was a farmhouse with a Victorian clocktower. The bell was rung to tell th farm workers when their lunch break started and finished. I'm thinking of getting an alarm version for the back of my house.....

Clockhouse Farm

The world round here has undulations, and up a hill was one of those houses you know you want to wander around for hours - Holwood.

Holwood House

This place is full of history. Designed by Decimus Burton for John Ward and built between 1823 - 1826, it replaced an earlier house owned by William Pitt the Younger. The grounds contain the remains of an Iron Age for known as "Caesar's Camp". It was Pitt who asked Humphrey Repton to do something with the gardens. It was under an oak tree here, that William Wilberforce, after a chat with Pitt, "... resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave-trade". The oak has long-since died off, its successor stricken by the great storm of 1987 and now a grandchild sapling is in place, fenced off. There is a concrete bench to commemorate the momentous conversation and decision by Wilberforce, also fenced off. Are we not celebrating freedom here?

The bench

Wombling along, I came to Caesar's Well which hosts the source of the Ravensbourne. The 'well' is now a brick-lined area with pebbles, presumably to stop it becoming a betrodden swamp. The water flows into Keston Ponds which were a delight. Quite visually pleasing, I was called back by the sound of a lot of watery noise. There were massive fish at the surface creating great waves and rushing about. I don't know if it's frisky fish season or what but it was fun to see. Not so good to try and catch in a photo. I may, one day, conquer using the camera for video and then how to download it all for your delectation. Bet you can't wait, videos of fish.

Try zooming in

 There were pretty ducks too :-)

Mandarin

Onwards and finally to Hayes station. Another day done. Sorry you had to wait.