I would love to be providing daily updates on The Western Front Expedition here, but the fact is I haven’t the time to do so at the moment, so I’ve made all images accessible on this public Facebook album.
The Western Front Expedition, Stage 1: The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
Date 6 Sep 2014
A few pictures from our walk today, the first stage of 57 on The Western Front Expedition from London to Paris. There were four of us today: my mother Stephanie, my brother Ben, and my good friend Jeremy. 2.3 miles down, only 697.7 to go!
Keeping the captions brief tonight. We’re starting tomorrow’s walk at 8.30am and I just don’t have time to do it full justice.
Tomorrow’s walk is Stage 2: Monuments and Memorials
We met underneath the 15″ naval guns in front of the Imperial War Museum, London.
Mom in front of the museum. Photo by Benjamin Wenk.
Stephanie, Jeremy and David under the battleship guns at IWM London. Photo by Benjamin Wenk.
Now we’re inside the museum. A view of the horrors of war.
Mom and her namesake Howitzer. Photo by Benjamin Wenk.
The Tibetan Peace Garden is just two minutes’ walk from the front of the museum.
Jeremy in the back streets of Lambeth. This was St Mary’s Gardens. We’re around the corner from The Ship here.
This was lunch — the duck salad at The Ship on Kennington Lane.
Jeremy at The Ship.
We’d booked a private tour of Lambeth Palace after lunch. This place is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
These are the gardens inside Lambeth Palace. Note the gold tinted Bath stone used in construction — unusual for London.
Across the Thames. The view of the Palace of Westminster from Victoria Tower Gardens.
The famous First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon lived here in Westminster.
Jeremy in the Dean’s Yard, Westminster. We’re right around the corner from Westminster Abbey.
The high, vaulted roof of Westminster Abbey.
First glance of The Tomb of the Unkown Warrior, inside Westminster Abbey.
Close-up of The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. There’s a mirror-image tomb under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. That’s where I’ll be finishing up the walk on October 31st.
Tomorrow: Stage 2: Monuments and Memorials
Meindl Boot Shoot
Category Announcements, Marketing, New Routes, Press & Publicity, R & D, The Western Front Expedition, Upcoming
Date 4 Sep 2014
Well, this blog has been quiet for a few years, hasn’t it?
In preparation for the next big English Country Walks trip — The Western Front Expedition — I went out to grab a new pair of boots.
I’ve had luck with this brand before, so I decided to try the Meindl Bhutan MFS this time:
Thanks to Marco and the staff at Cotswold Covent Garden for your help!
Links:
Cotswold Outdoor
Meindl
Front page of The Times!
Date 12 Jun 2009
About a month ago, The Times newspapers approached me for help with running a special series of guided country walks for their readers.
So far we’ve been out four times, to four very different destinations all over the country: the Chiltern Hills, Hampstead Heath, Loch Ordie in Scotland, and most recently the Mendip Hills near Bristol.
Here’s some coverage of last weekend’s walk. Clicking the screenshot below will take you to the Times article.
You can see photos from this day out on my Flickr stream here.
At the moment, there are still two more Times Walks open to sign up for:
a) Sunday July 12th: an expedition to Pistyll Rhaeadr, the highest waterfall in Wales, with myself and Paul Sanders, the Times Picture Editor, and
b) Saturday July 25th: a walk near Aylesford Priory in Kent, with myself and Times correspondent Ruth Gledhill
If you’re interested, visit the sign-up page for Times Walks.
More updates to follow soon. Please keep in touch –
David
The Crab and Winkle Line
Date 2 Feb 2009
Just back from the first walk of the year, a test run of a new route for me. Ben, Felipe, and I walked from Canterbury to Whitstable in Kent, along the course of the Crab & Winkle Line, one of the world’s first passenger railways.
Too whipped to do much more than post a couple of snaps from the day. I’ll get around to posting the full photo stream later.
Felipe and Ben in blizzard conditions, standing on the path of the old railway line in Clowes Wood.
More snow squalls ahead. Here we are on the track into Whitstable.
Watton-at-Stone – Walkern, Feb 10th 2008
Category King Beorthwulf's Gardens, Walks
Date 3 Aug 2008
WALK REPORT These are some photos from a trip we took back in February – a visit to Benington Lordship gardens in Hertfordshire. This was at the tail end of winter, with spring imminent. 31 shots. With friends Aleks, Anneli, and Tobi.
Kelvedon – Heybridge Basin, Feb 9th 2008
Date 20 Apr 2008
WALK REPORT This was the second trial of my Tiptree cream tea walk. Still needs work to improve the route. Parts of Kelvedon are pretty, but the section from there to Tiptree lacks interest. Also, it’s a real shame that the old church at Inworth is kept locked – most of the country churches I pass on my other walks are open to the public, but not this one. Thanks to Anne and Cristina for help with trailblazing.
Fortress of the Black Swans, Jan 27th 2008
Date 26 Mar 2008
WALK REPORT Photos from a walk we did on a crisp winter’s day in late January. Destination: Leeds Castle. There were six of us on the train out from London Victoria that morning: Sara, Ross, Liz, Miranda, Joe, and myself. The low sun and crystal clear skies made for some nice photography. 24 pics in this set.
Stonehenge – Salisbury, Jan 18th 2008
Date 21 Mar 2008
WALK REPORT These photos give you a good impression of what the Stonehenge and Salisbury walk feels like when attempted in wet conditions. Despite the mud and rain, Lassona and I had a grand day out, and I came home with a new and improved route for this walk. 12 miles, 20 pics:
Godalming Walk, Jan 6th 2008
Date 19 Mar 2008
WALK REPORT Trial run of a walk I’m considering adding to the schedule, to Winkworth Arboretum, although it will probably be better to offer it in autumn, when the fall foliage is out. Route was Godalming – Tuesley – Busbridge Woods – Winkworth. Date: Sunday January 6th. With Ed & Sarah. 17 pics in this set.