Autumn mooches

The last couple of weeks down this way has finally felt Autumnal. The weather finally caught up with the long, dark evenings. Work activity has picked up and that is eating into the evenings more, and is likely to continue for some time. The shorter days also mean that the opportunity to get out and about is relatively restricted. Nevertheless the Margravina and I have had a few medium length walks lately, mostly in our favourite haunt. 

Splendid avenue of trees near the southern boundary wall of Richmond Park

View of Dorich House from Richmond Park

Dorich House is one of those places that we have somehow not been to (it's now a museum owned by Kingston University). https://www.dorichhousemuseum.org.uk We did go once on one of those Open House Days several years ago (I think before it was a public museum) but we go the timing wrong and it was closed.

The day after the above walk, we walked across the Park to Pembroke Lodge (former home of Lord John Russell). It now houses a cafeteria and wedding venue (there are spectacular views over the Thames valley from the gardens ate the rear), has some very pleasant landscaped gardens which includes King Henry's Mound, and Poets' Corner. On this particular visit, I spotted a new display in the lobby. Self-explanatory pictures below.

Apologies for the reflection in the glass.

I thought this one was a precursor to the type of article that used to appear in the News of the World, about nocturnal activity in Surrey woods and lay-byes.

I'm not clear on the perspective here. See text in photo. There is an entrance called Ladderstile Gate, but that's on the Kingston Hill side, so I doubt Richmond Parish officials would be that far over, but who knows.

Of more interest from a Mil Hist angle. I know nothing about the unit referred to here, other than what I read in the Wiki page.

A lunchtime stroll through Battersea Park

Again in Battersea Park. This view appealed to me because the 4 towers of the power station neatly frame the new high rise buildings in the Nine Elms area, where the new US Embassy is located, along with Embassy Gardens which has the 'Sky Pool' between two buildings.

Saturday just gone, involved a walk in the Cotswolds. Actually, "a walk in the Cotswolds" is doing a lot of heavy lifting as the walk was less than a mile - from where I parked the car up to Forest Green Rovers football ground, where I went for my first visit. Like the average university student, the result was a Desmond. Sadly the weather wasn't great for taking photos, but suffice to say, it is probably the most picturesque place I have travelled to see football. The round trip took until nearly 8PM and Sunday was taken up with family commitments, so no time for wargaming.

Next post I will return to wargames-related matters.