So here we are, right at the very bottom of the ex-Wylde’s Farm Hampstead Heath extension, looking at it through ‘The Great Wall’. Well, given that it is only about 500 metres long and never more than 5 metres high, ‘The Great Wall’ may be a bit of an overstatement, but that is what it …
#walksonhampsteadheath
Hampstead Heath extension – Part 1….
The story of the extension starts with Wylde’s Farm (which still sort of exists and I will track down for another blog). To quote from Wikipedia: Built in about 1600, Wylde’s Farm was the farmhouse for one of two estates acquired by Eton College in 1449, soon after its foundation. The Eton College estate originated …
Towards the Heath Extension
If you look at the Corporation of London’s map of Hampstead Heath you will see this weird finger of heath at the top left – which is the Heath Extension. It is a relatively new addition to the heath and like most other bits, has a colourful history – of which more tomorrow. For tonight …
And back to trees…..
Well strictly speaking, back to dead trees. Yesterday I walked back through Kenwood Woods and saw this guy. Looked to me just like those sun reddened canyons that John Wayne – or the Lone Ranger – might have been galloping through in pursuit of some gap-toothed evil outlaw…. A bit further on I found these …
Wild flowers on the heath
After the carefully tended herbaceous borders in the kitchen garden last night, I thought maybe we should have some wild flowers. In fact, the heath is not that rich in wild flowers – or if it is, I have totally failed to find them. Maybe they flourish in the wilder parts of the heath from …
Kenwood Kitchen Garden
Alas, for those of us addicted to 19th century walled kitchen gardens, Kenwood’s kitchen garden is no longer a kitchen garden – but it is a totally charming oasis. Not that peaceful because it is so close to the road, but a joy for herbaceous border lovers! Above is the view through the entrance gates …