5/7/2025 - Rainy day in the Lakes. Went to Grasmere to climb Dollywaggon Pike, which I first ascended 70 years ago! Had to return as rain fell, and low mist descended. Not the day for the fells! A mad 24 hour round trip from London and no sleep. Cancelled and slow trains. Will try again.
28/6/2025 - My final walk f my Heretic walks book on Essex. Learnt that Queen "Bloody" Mary lived in a Royal Palace - Hunsdon House, just up the road! So decided to walk there and down to Hoddesdon where she turned back, as London wasn't ready. Lovely walk linking together the River Stort Navigation, River Lea Navigation and New River together. Hot walk - 31C - and saw no one!
21/6/2025 - My last Martyr Walk and aptly on the hottest day of the year, which although mild gove an insight to ne being burnt alive. Set off from Marks Tey to Copford Church beside Copford Hall, once the country home of the Bishops of London. Edmund Bonner -bloody Bonner, was here and is reputed to be buried in the nave. The small church is spectacular with wall paintings. I walked on across the fields and then roads into central Colchester. St. Peters church on North Hill has a plaque to 26 martyrs burnt at the stake in the 1555's.
14/6/2025 - Linked together two more martyrs - William Pygot in Braintree and Thomas Hawkes in Coggleshall.
Back in Essex linking together more Martyr sites.This time from Braintree to Coggleshall - 10 miles Beautiful walk and clearly defined paths except passing under a tree! Covered with brambles and thought I had lowered enough to avoid them. Alas my cap goy hooked up and later at home I daw the blood and cuts only head! All in a day's walk and glad the geese behaved!
7/6/2025 - Continued my Essex Martyr walks yesterday from Brentwood where William Hunter became the first martyr in Essex. He is remembered in Brentwood with a road named after him, an obelisk and a plaque on a tree close to where he burnt at the stake. I walked across fields on good paths to Great Burstead where three martyrs came from. Then ontoBillericay where another came from and a monument to some of the Mayflower pilgrims who sailed to America. Lovely 15 mile walk and missed the storms!
1/6/2025 - Continued mr Martyr walks from Denham to Uxbridge where there is a memorial to three Protestant martys burnt at the stake in 1555. Denham is a lovely viagge where the actor Sir John Mills lived. I visited his grave in the churchyard and found a grave to a family of 6 who had been brutally murdered. The culprit was later hung. Then on along the Grand Union Canal to Uxbridge and found the memorial stone. Lovely short walks due to underground closures!
14 mile walk - 14/5/2025 - linking together two important Martyr sites in Essex. First to Hockley church where William Tyms was the curate and burnt to death at the stake in 1555 for his catholic faith. Then through Hockley Woods and along the Roach Valley Way to Rochford to see John Simson plaque just off the market sqaure.
Celebrated VE day by walking from Parliament Square along the thames, past the Battle of Britain Monument, and on past St. Paul's cathedral to The Tower and poppies. Only 7 miles and part of my 100 mile May challenge for Sightsavers! Now halfway!
May 3rd. 2025 - May 4th annually is English Martyr Day. Began walking and linking together Martyr sites in Essex. During Queen Mary's reign - the bloody Queen - some 72 Roman Catholics, who refused to denounce their faith, were burnt at the stake in 1555/6. The plaques and locations where these atrocities happened can still be seen today. We honour their devotion and dedication. The photo of me, is beside the Martyr monument in Rayleigh, Essex, where four martyrs were burnt at the stake,
26/4/2025 - Beautiful walk along the Thames from Hampton Court, walking the Pink Ribbon walk - 10 miles. - for breast cancer.There 1,000 walkers who have raised more then £700,000 so far! A great effort and a lovely day out.
I am walking along the Thames in April to raise money for Breast Cancer, any donation would be gratefully received! Thanks.
15/3/2025 - Christened my 156th. pair of boots on a 14 mile walk around Great Dunmow and Stebbing in Essex on Saturday. Feel most comfortable and dry! Held off retiring my 155th pair, waiting for drier weather. Didn't want to get them muddy. I had no option but to wear them as the 155th pair were falling apart and only dried mud was keeping them up! Also treated myself to a new day pack - 40l.
Happy walking!
Currently walking and linking together all the places associated with the highwayman, Dick Turpin, in Essex. From The Bluebell inn in Hempstead, where he was born, and onto Great Sampford and Thaxted where he had a butchers shop. Then onto Loughton and Traps Hill where he and a gang committed a robbery - his ghost riding down the hill is often seen. Then into Epping Forest where he had a cave for his ill-gotten gains, He married and lived in Buckhurst Hiiil, London but a reward was on his head. He had the Rose and Crown Inn in Enfield, but often escaped when the law came through a back window and rode away on Bess. Eventually he was arrested in York, as his handwriting was confirmed by his school teacher. He was hung and his grave in St. George's churchyard in Yorks can still be seen. He changed his name to John Palmer. A fascinating walk and a fascinating but ruthless character.
