I think this could have been this time last year – long before ‘social distancing’ had been invented. And even these dog walkers just breasting the hill were exercising their dogs in March when COVID was still something that the Chinese were worrying about – not us… This short video was taken from the bench …
#walksonhampsteadheath
Copper beech
Tonight’s blog is going to be devoted to just one tree – but it is such a magnificent tree that it definitely deserves a blog all to itself. It sits on the top of its hill looking down on the heath unrolling below it – a huge translucent rusty copper tent under which to shelter …
Springetts Wood
The highest point of Hampstead Heath – what used several centuries ago to be open heathland but is now heavily wooded – runs along a ridge running from east to West with Hampstead on the west side and Highgate on the east. In the middle is Kenwood House and grounds, and The Elms, the home …
Random
Sun and lowering clouds over the garden in Hampstead Lane this afternoon. I did nip out between the downpours – one of hailstones as big as marbles! – but only got to the borders of Kenwood. Here is the house, bleached in a brief moment of sun seen through the spreading trees. On the way …
Mud
Nipping in between the continuing flood of awards related emails and the repeated torrential downpours, I only managed a quick half hour on the heath today. But I was staggered how quickly the rain had converted the rock hard clay paths of Monday into the quagmires of March! The skies were lowering so I moved …
Post party….
I am sorry that the heath got squeezed out by our virtual party yesterday – and the lines are are still very much humming! But the rain is also clattering down and the winds blowing, so I don’t feel as bad about being tied to my desk as I otherwise might! However, yesterday I did …