TADS #53:Sudbury Hill to Westbourne Park (or Not The Camden Crawl).

For the first time in three years, TADS were able to complete a full season of walks so even if we didn't make it to the planned endpoint of Camden (and, spoiler alert, we didn't) it would still be something to celebrate. The weather, this Saturday, was probably the worst weather of any 2022 TADS walk but that didn't really matter because the final walk of the season is always a bit of a celebration, something of a doss about. We don't stand on ceremony and I even let people bring games before they break up for winter.

In 2022, we'd had (I modestly say) some great walks. In March we finally put the Tadley walk to bed, in April we strolled from Didcot and back via the Wittenham Clumps, in May we headed along the Thames from Pangbourne to Reading, and then, in June and July, we enjoyed a couple of seaside visits. Firstly Benfleet to Southend and then Cosham to Portsmouth.

Possibly best of all, apart from me & Mo contracting Covid while we there, was August's TADS holiday in Llandudno and though the September walk from Liss to Petersfield and last month's trek from Merstham to Croydon were perhaps a little more low key I feel safe to say that everyone had a good time. I think that's true of Saturday today. 

Which is something of a relief. I woke up with a sharp, acute, pain in my chest (two days later diagnosed as costochondritis - a new one on me but thankfully nowhere near as serious as it is painful, take some codeine and wait for it to go away basically) and led in bed for a while wondering if I'd even be able to make the walk. I've never missed a TADS walk and I didn't want to miss this one. Even though I think they'd have been fine without me. Perhaps because they'd have been fine without me!

So I dragged myself out of bed and found, to my surprise, that what was painful in bed (and especially getting in and out of bed) wouldn't stop me walking. I took a few tubes down to Greenford and called Pam who met me by the canal. With her coat's red hood pulled up and turned away from me I was reminded of Nic Roeg's terrifying Don't Look Now.

We wandered up to Sudbury Hill (a lovely Charles Holden designed tube station, confession:I didn't take any photos so there's a few of Pam's here (ta!) and I've padded out with stock images) and met with Shep, Laura, Adam, and Teresa who had driven up and from there headed down to the Broken Gate Cafe. Most people had nice looking veggie breakfasts but still feeling sore, and anxious - I didn't know what the pain was at this point, I stuck to a cheese roll. I wasn't risking anything further upsetting me. At least not yet!

From there we cut back up past the Busy Bees nursery and into some common ground that I'm fairly certain Pam, Shep, and myself navigated during our Capital Ring odyssey. With fallen trees and paths leading to nowhere we conceded defeat and headed back down Greenford Road to the canal. It would be our constant companion for the rest of the day.

People canoed on it, coots and swans swam on it, we saw a few herons, and Shep and Laura even stopped to buy some bread to feed the birds (yes, there was a brief debate on the suitability of bread as opposed to dried peas). At one point we saw a dead swan covered in blood with its head and neck ripped off (a fox?) and, soon after, we also saw a dead rat. There would be some death on this walk, alright. The amount of cyclists speeding along the towpath only seemed to increase the likelihood of that.

We skirted the edge of Horsenden Hill (where, 2,500 years ago, Iron Age peopled settled - and a place that became a home for an anti-aircraft battery in World War II) and continued to follow the Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm) through such uncelebrated, and still pretty industrial, areas of London like Alperton and Park Royal.

As the canal passed under Acton Lane, we came off (we'd done at least 9k, more when you throw in all the walking at the start) for a pit stop at the splendid looking Grand Junction Arms in Harlesden. A pub that played classic rock from the old days (mostly good stuff, to be fair) and a friendly enough hostelry for us to exchange stories, and limericks, about our own old days.

Which we did. Possibly for longer than we should have done (slowed down by my embarrassingly slow drinking rate). By the time we got back on the canal it was getting dark and had even started to rain so the next stretch felt longer than it was as we passed along the side of Kensal Green cemetery with train lines and sidings to the south of us and views of Trellick Tower and Grenfell in front of us.

Crap bladders meant it was soon time for another stop so once we'd passed by the Trellick in all its glory we pulled up, in Westbourne Park, to the Union Tavern where, of course, we got comfortable. Aware of the time, and sadly having to disappoint Eamon (or maybe he was fine with it) who had just texted from Camden, we decided we'd end it here.

I'd hoped to read out some spiel about Little Venice, Regent's Park, London Zoo, and Camden but, to be honest - and considering how the day started for me, I was just glad to have done the walk (28,346 steps by end of play so not an inconsiderable stroll) and, even more so, to have completed a full TADS season. Even more I was pleased that I'd been sensible enough to let my friends cheers me up when I wasn't feeling on top form.

We looked for somewhere to eat and found DHABA@49 nearby. Again, aware of my chest pain, I took it easy and just had poppadums, daal, and naan. It was good though and everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs too. Not sure about the gold crockery and cutlery but otherwise the decor was quirky and cool and the staff friendly. By the time we left the place was heaving.

Shep, Laura, Adam, and Teresa took an Uber back to Sudbury Hill and Pam waited patiently as I slowly sipped my Cobra and we took a series of tubes and buses back to South London. I felt a lot better at the end of the day than I had at the start and though it wasn't the most picturesque, or details heavy walk, it was still good fun. I'm sure I'll be back with the spiel and snaps soon.

Thanks to Pam, Shep, Laura, Adam, and Teresa for coming on Saturday and for all the other times they've come along this year and special thanks to Pam for, along with me, being the only member of TADS to turn in a full card this year (though special mention for Shep who turned up for every walk but was beaten by his ankle in Didcot).

Thanks also to everyone who either joined a TADS walk or met us in a pub or a curry house along the way this year. That's (deep breath) .... Pam, Shep, Laura, Adam, Teresa, Joe, Isaac, Jess, Mo, Neil B, Bee, Neil W, Tina, Hannah, Ben, Tracy, Darren, Cheryl, Tommy, Tony, Alex, Grace, Izzie, Vicki, Chris, Gwen, Jim, Catherine, Colin, Patricia, James, Kathy, Carole, Dylan, Tom, Gary, Jack, Rebecca, and Michael. Including myself, that's forty-one people in total (and more than likely I've overlooked someone) but it's not about the quantity, it's about the quality - and you're a quality bunch!

We're back in March with a walk from Hook to Basingstoke which I'm calling Steadfast In Service. Hope to see lots of you there. Roll on spring!