Hayes to... er... somewhere

Introduction

We walked yet one more section of the London LOOP on October 22nd. Dad didn't come this time.

The walk

Hayes station was a little way from the route of the walk proper, so we had a little way to go first.

A pleasant footpath.
1/45 at f2.5, 30mm, ISO200
Pleasant broken glass inside the smashed-in window of a pleasant white van.
1/125 at f2.8, 30mm, ISO200

The route itself began in a park which is on the Meridian line (0 degrees); they had a stone marking this, which wasn't particularly interesting.

The park also contained this spiky building. Nice neighbourhood.
1/350 at f8, 30mm, ISO200

After that we went past the entrance to some private school or other (heavily CCTVd) toward the Church of St. John the Baptist.

The school had a number of large brick planters, some of which still contained trees (just barely).
1/2000 at f1.8, 30mm, ISO200
Nice flint wall on the church's exterior.
1/45 at f5.6, 30mm, ISO200

The route led down through a grassy field toward a major road. Crossing the road led to another sports ground and some public woods (ancient woodland maybe? not sure).

View across the hill.
1/350 at f8, 30mm, ISO200
*looks straight up* Ooh, pretty leaves!
1/90 at f4, 30mm, ISO200
More leaves!
1/500 at f1.4, 30mm, ISO200
Interesting tree-trunk.
1/180 at f2.5, 30mm, ISO200

On getting out of the woods, we took a slight diversion to find the local windmill, which is in the middle of a housing estate.

Lightning conductor.
1/180 at f5.6, 30mm, ISO200
Slatted window in the mill.
1/180 at f5.6, 30mm, ISO200
The top part of the windmill.
1/350 at f11, 30mm, ISO200

We continued through more woodland and stopped to eat our lunch at a large concrete viewpoint (there was a view, although mostly of clouds). On resuming, we discovered that somebody had built Croydon Tramlink and completely reorganised the next road junction in consequence, both since the walk directions were printed. We promptly proceeded to get lost.

Eventually we sorted ourselves out and ended up in the gardens of a stately home apparently called Heathfield.

There were flowers...
1/90 at f3.5, 30mm, ISO200
...and, later, this rather nice sign.
1/180 at f2, 30mm, ISO200

That was pretty much it really. The walk helpfully ended in the arse-end of nowhere but only in London terms, meaning there was a bus every ten minutes. One of those took us to Sanderstead station.

The station footbridge. What a great bridge.
1/250 at f3.5, 30mm, ISO400
Peeling paint.
1/90 at f2.5, 30mm, ISO400

All images © Samuel Marshall. All rights reserved.