NDW- Merstham to Oxted replcced by Statues walk in Hyde Park due to weather
Thanks to the sturdy six who braved the snow for the statues walk. I think we did about half the statues, the rest were hidden under snow. The bird life was surprisingly good, a close up of a heron, swans alighting close by, shoveller ducks thinking about spring and watching a great crested grèbe which had çaught a fish and was trying to prevent the gulls from stealing it. And parakeets perching all over a man feeding them.
Here is some info about statues not in the book
the horse,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Still_Water_(sculpture)
elephant. http://www.bfakhoury.com/dunamis
And the Henry Moore
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and...
I think those were the main new ones, the book « walking London’s Statues » by Rupert Hill was published in 2010.
Sorry, forgot serenity! https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/things-to-see-and-do/memor...
Train: Out Clapham Junction 9.30, or London Bridge 9.25 Merstham 10.01
Back: Regular (about every 20 mins) trains from Oxted to Clapham J and London Bridge
am steady climb from Merstham to the N Downs ridge, then “easy walking” across farmland to Caterham View point and Gap
pm Gangers Hill and Oxted Downs
Godstone Vineyard Cafeteria. See notes
If weather good, and you would like to, bring picnic. If weather dodgy we will eat at the Godstone Vineyard Cafeteria, which sounds OK but does not have sparkling reviews.