A very interesting free walk given by someone with over 30 years experience working in Highgate Wood.
A really enjoyable hour spent listening to her talking about the different types of trees in the wood, as well as the animals that live there (she took us past a tree where we could hear woodpecker chicks!). She also talked about the history of the wood, which you cannot separate from the wood as it is today.
I would highly recommend going on one of their walks (did I mention that they are free? Well, all except the bat walk which is after hours). I will certainly be keeping my eyes and ears open next time I walk through this amazing place, feeling more mindful of what is around me and remembering to look up!
Quite pleased with this mix, actually. Setting the scene: Sunday afternoon, children playing with Gravitrax and FC25, listening to Dad getting into his music. A few really decent new tunes, including from Walk:r – he’s released some quality tracks recently. And London Electricity releasing on Metalheadz!
This is the northern part of the walk, probably about a kilometre long. The Parkland walk follows the route of an old railway line, which used to run from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace. It was also due to be incorporated into the Underground system as part of the Northern Line, but the Second World War put paid to that idea. The fact that it no longer exists has certainly given Alexandra Palace and Muswell Hill their “village” atmospheres – no hoards of visitors spilling from underground stations into the no-longer independent cafes and shops. Full history here.
Sorry, no photos of the actual path (just Duck Duck Go it!), just some arty shots of leaves. And, oh Lord, some black and white shots as well!
There is a definite disonance mixing drum n bass on a sunny spring afternoon. I think that’s why this mix ended up sounding a bit random – the weird and wonderful world of dnb on show. Mostly brand new tunes to start, and delving into the box towards the end. Enjoy!
With the in-laws in town, we thought we would treat them to one of those quintessential English traditions – high tea. The venue: The Wolseley on Piccadilly, a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace. Never mind that I can count the number of high teas I have had on the fingers of one hand – when in London, do as tourists Londoners do!
So in we went, greeted by the cockney doorman and taken to our table by the East European waitress. We were served through the meal by a Chinese, Indian and another Eastern European waiter – more a modern London than traditional English experience. All were excellent – the service was attentive and professional, all the more impressive due to the numbers of tables they had to wait.
First, we were each brought a silver teapot of our chosen tea. A whole teapot each! As we found out, this was about 5 cups of tea per person. We each used the toilet twice during the experience.
And then, the food – sandwiches, scones and cakes. All excellent. It’s impressive how tasty a simple sandwich can be when prepared by hand with attention to detail – no crusts, perfect amount of delicious filling, sliced into fingers.
We rolled out of there throughly satisfied, ready to face the tube home with our bellies full.
It’s been a couple of weeks of wall-to-wall sunshine here in London Town, and it was positively hot today. It’s also been a couple of weeks of itchy eyes, streaming nose and sleepless nights. Apparently tree pollen is the culprit this early in the year, and this year it is particularly severe. Hey ho, life is all about balance, right? Can’t have it all sunshine and rainbows!
As I was suffering from tree pollen allergy, we decided to take a walk in a wood. Highgate Wood, in north London, is a beautiful area of woodland with lots of trees, a cafe, big grassy area and kids’ play area. Here is a photo of lots of trees.
None of these seemed to be releasing any pollen, and in fact my tree fever was not any worse in the wood – happy days.
Lots of joggers out and about. I also spotted and avoided one of the children in my class.
Next week it is due to cool down and get a bit cloudier. Looking forward to that.
It did not seem “incredibly popular” at 9:55am this morning. The sun whimpered blandly down on the churned up turf as I turned up my collar and made for the cafe in the middle of the rec. A few dog walkers were out and the local football coaches were setting up for the Sunday training session.
Give it its dues though – there are a few facilities. Tennis courts (which are actually incredibly popular, usually), basketball courts, football pitches (not looking their best on a bleak February morning, but they have seen plenty of fantastic times), a couple of table tennis tables, children’s play area (under construction, a sign informing us that it is due to reopen in January, in minus a month) and a cafe serving scalding lattes and defrosted pastries.
Turning back, an interesting view up the hill to Alexandra Palace. Rows of suburban terraced houses cluster together, separating the rec from the lofty heights above.
I paint a dismal picture. But, 15 minutes after taking these photos, the atmosphere shifted “incredibly”. The football training sessions started, people turned up for their 10am tennis coaching sessions, and a group of kids started playing on the basketball courts. Even though the weather remained stubborn, the ambiance of the place transformed as people started to mix and interact with each other. What a difference a few minutes make.
PS. The ground was named after Oliver Tambo, an anti-apartheid activist who lived, in exile, in Muswell Hill for 30 years. What a life story, contrasting interestingly this morning with my musings in the recreation ground that bears his name.
Purpose? To create purpose. To express creativity. To tell stories. To ensure immortality.
I have high hopes.
As a first creation / expression / tale / ensurance, here is a drum n bass mix I made this morning at about 6:30am. I went out for a couple of drinks with a neighbour last night, meaning I slept very poorly – cannot process alcohol very well as I get older (truthfully, for about the last 44 years). So up I got and, with Coconut The Cat constantly miaowing in the background, I proceeded to play and record some tunes I recently purchased. All great tunes obviously, and a pleasant way to start my Sunday. Minimal mixing today, I decided to relax and let the tunes run…
Drum n bass has been a love of mine since the mid-90s. I really got into it while studying Philosophy (nonchalantly) at University of Bristol 1998-2001. An amazing time for drum n bass – Bristol was a real hub, Roni Size won the Mercury Music Prize, a golden age. Even more amazingly, it’s still big, with lots of club nights and a dedicated following (far more dedicated than me – big up Ben!). I got back into mixing a couple of years ago – digitally this time (in fact, I recently bit the bullet and sold the rest of my vinyl, meaning more cash towards my new clarinet (watch this space) and more room in the living room). I would love to also get back into producing music, but time is limited…
I’ll use this site to share some of my passions, which seem to change quite regularly. At the moment, planning to share mixes, photos of / guides to areas in London, my experiences learning clarinet and some sketches.
