Ireland day 0902. Monday 18 March 2024- London Day 2 *

Ireland day 0902. Monday 18 March 2024- London Day 2

Today’s summary	Met up with a friend for breakfast, then went out to the Chilterns to walk from Amersham to Wendover. Very enjoyable and nice to be able to get out and about on a good network of public rights of way. Lots of progess on the HS2 railway to investigate. Watching “Dune” on TV this evening. Val arrives tomorrow.
Today’s weather	A little drizzle in the morning but bright most of the rest of the day and even some sun in the afternoon. Light south westerly wind. Appx 14c

Today’s overview location (The green mark shows the location of my route)		Close-up location (The orange line shows where I walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): Chilterns

Commentary

(Summary blog only. Last full blog was Day 0368).

I’d arranged to meet a friend for breakfast this morning. So I was up “bright” and early and in Bill’s restaurant before 8:30 am. It was good to catch up and an excellent way to start the day. I was determined to capitalise on the momentum created by the early start so I went straight from the restaurant to nearby a mobile phone repair shop to get my iPhone screen protector replaced. Something I’d been meaning to do for ages. Then I collected a few things and headed over to Marylebone station.

My objective today was to take the train to Amersham – where we used to live before we sold our house last year – and then walk through the Chiltern Hills to Wendover. It’s a beautiful part of the world and I always particularly enjoyed this route when we lived there. So a bit of a trip down memory lane today.

Well, I have to say, memory lane was very muddy today. It’s been very wet in the UK lately – the wettest winter on record, I think – so perhaps the mud wasn’t too surprising. But it did make the going quite hard. Nevertheless, it was a great walk and I was pleased to see the rapid progress being made on the new HS2 railway line (though I think I am in a minority of one on that one). And every time I come to the UK from Ireland, I always appreciate the freedom that the UK’s extensive network of rights of way gives you to explore the countryside. Long may it last.

I covered the 19 km to Wendover in 3½ hours, which I was quite pleased about, considering the conditions. Ideal preparation for my hip consultation tomorrow! I rewarded myself with a cup of coffee and an almond croissant from Budgens which I ate on Wendover station platform while waiting for the train back to London.

Now it’s time to go and get something to eat, then I think I am going to watch “Dune” on TV later this evening. “Dune 2” is just hitting the cinemas now, but apparently you’ve got to see the original installment first, in order for the second edition to make sense. I’ll report back tomorrow!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Marylebone station – start of today’s expedition. I still can’t get over how similar it is to Dublin Connolly	Mud!!

The Lee – “quintessentially English” as they say	Bucolic Chiltern scene between The Lee and Kingsash

In England it’s been the wettest winter since records began – and it shows	Knitted Empire Biscuits? Very Home Counties

The new HS2 railway is progressing well through the Chilterns. I’m a fan – though that’s not a popular position