I was on Wimbledon Common yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours. I usually go running on the common but yesterday I cycled there and did some walking. I hurt my right heel running the day before and it's giving me ,"jip."
If you look at a map of London you will notice that there are a lot of parks; green spaces. English towns and cities and all local communities have their parks, commons and recreation grounds. The emphasise is slightly different for each but fundamentally they are the same, they are large areas of trees, open grassland, ponds, lakes, recreation facilities and sports facilities provided for the enjoyment of the population and they are free. They are what make big cities, towns and communities human places to live. Parks keep us sane. Walking in a park, taking in the wildlife, the changing seasons, or perhaps playing a sport, keeps us healthy in mind and body.They are places where you can go and be silent within yourself, get in touch with your inner being before you once more enter the fray.They almost have a spiritual quality.
London has it's famous parks, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regents Park, Green Park, Battersea Park, St James's Park, Primrose Hill and Battersea Common and these are just the well known ones. Every community has it's local park. Where I live in South London, The Sir Joseph Hood Park is my local. More famously there is the royal park, Richmond Park, two miles in one direction from me and two miles in the other direction is Wimbledon Common. I visit both regularly to walk, run and cycle.
Here are some pictures from my walk on Wimbledon Common yesterday.
AND here is a link to the common website: http://www.wpcc.org.uk/
Trees and shadows.
Wide open spaces. There are two golf courses on the common, London Scottish and The Royal Wimbledon Golf Club.
Gates and fencing.
One of the park keepers cottages. Park keepers or conservators are employed full time. They ride on horse back around the common and wear a fetching dark green uniform.
Christmas must be on the way.
Swans on Queensmere pond.
A walk in the woods.
Autumn yellowing leaves.
Light through the foliage.
A dead tree or a dinosaur as my youngest daughter used to call it.
A frosty morning.
Beautiful photos. You are blessed with such lovely places to visit. I especially love the photo "a walk in the woods".
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna. Do you have parks where you live?
ReplyDeleteLoved this post Tony. I love a good walk in a park too. :) I've read that London has more green space than any other city in the world. I think your daughter's comment about the dinosaur is also perfect.
ReplyDeleteI guess now I have a question for you: what is jip?
Love this. While my husband and I lived in Suffolk we enjoyed these joys...abbeys, parks, reserves. I loved walking the hills and just taking in the beauty. Wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteOK Eliza I owe you a definition.
ReplyDeleteIt's a British slang word we use when something is causing us trouble. It usually refers to physical or medical ailments. It's origin is lost to me in the mists of time. I'm sure somebody out there knows where it came from. It might have originated in the two world wars. Soldiers with ailments, that sort of thing.But which word it is an abbreviation for, I can't find.
Thanks Anna and Kalee for your kind comments.
Anna, I'm sure Finland has got it's beautiful, wild open spaces in abundance. Do you ski, or is that a silly question?
Kalee, you will have to come back.
Tony, what beautiful images! Oh, how I envy your living so close to this commons and the sights and sounds of London! - Vic
ReplyDelete