Theobalds Park Meet
Rita: “Thanks to Martyn's brilliant route planning, catching the 217 bus (top deck of course) was the ideal route to Trafalgar Square. Susan, you will be relieved to know the 217 also goes to Cheshunt (the other direction) to save you that route march you were forced to do to get to use WIFI at the pub. Glad you recovered from that experience!
The bus stop - Manor Court was a short walk from the site, over the bridge round the corner from Bullsmoor Lane, via the underpass. The 217 to Turnpike Lane and then Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square, to and Trafalgar Square amongst the throngs of others.
Shame we didn't sit by the fountain as that's a great experience especially on a hot day if people splash one another. As I was in charge of finding the way - once we were off the train it was good the animal crew members were safely left behind at the campsite - no distractions from that source anyway.
By then it was time for food, ahh! What a plus that we had blue sky and full sun, so lunch in Chinatown, with tables outside - perfect with red lanterns stretched over the square. Knowing me, maybe it was the other way round, a trip to Chinatown for Dim Sum, passing the National Gallery on the way?
Seeing David Hockney's painting of his parents was evocative, its brilliant colour and composition. Hockney has been an advocate of painters being able to have access to the Gallery in order to develop their own practice. The Gallery allows this and the exhibition was a way of showing how the facility has been used to base paintings on earlier works by other artists.
The coffee shop in the gallery was 150 percent full, so instead we found the Crypt at St Martin in the Fields was slightly better at 85 percent full. As all the alcoves looked the same all round a huge area I did wonder if I would ever find Martyn again but knew his phone would be on so no worries there.
Going into London from Theobalds Park by top deck on the 217 is the recommended route, feet up, calm again, and we were back well in time for the evening meal at the pub and glad to be back at camp and sanity.”
Susan: “as Rita has mentioned my long trek I'll just add that it was due to Theobalds Park having no Wifi when I had an important work Zoom meeting. I finally ended up in a pub yard at Waltham Cross. My last meeting with these people was done from Martyn's car in a thunderstorm at Crowborough. Apparently these colleagues are now referring to me as 'Milk Tray Woman' because I get to meetings whatever the circumstances...Hmm.
It's also worth mentioning that whilst Rita and I have been to Theobalds several times, including once getting caught up in a red weather warning (!), the others didn't know the site. On a first visit it's a pleasant surprise to find a secluded, tree-lined site so accessible to Central London. It's not the built-up 'industrial' area you might expect. And although it's within hearing distance of the motorway, so is Kingsbury, and most people quickly adapt to it.”