National Grade:Leisurely Distance: 6mi /9.7km  Leader: Jon K Date: May 23rd 2026

Fifteen intrepid ramblers joined Jon for a London walk on the hottest day of the year, so far.  We met at Warwick Avenue station but it wasn’t long before we were walking along the Regent’s Canal towards Little Venice.  The towpath proved to be a pleasant environment for walking as there were long shady stretches.  

We eventually left the canal and its colourful barges to walk up Primrose Hill.   We could certainly feel the heat now but Jon led us up a rather more gentle and shady path.  From the summit we enjoyed wonderful views of London while resting there for a while.  Some of us noted the memorial to Iolo Morganwg.  Born in Wales Iolo moved to London in the 1700s where he helped to set up the Gorsedd of bards (Welsh speaking poets and musicians).  It seems he got carried away and may have forged some of the poems upon which he based the Gorsedd.  Nevertheless, the Gorsedd lives on in the annual National Eidteddfod in Wales.  But it was on Primrose Hill that Iolo and his Welsh friends organised the first Gorsedd. History does not record the reaction of the local English speakers.

After leaving Primrose Hill we walked down to Regent’s Park.  Although very busy, it was still a very pleasant walk along tree lined paths.  There is so much variety in Regent’s Park…..formal gardens, a lake for boating, open spaces for various sports and picnics, an open air theatre. The rose garden was particularly beautiful on the day we visited.

When we arrived at Baker Street station we thanked Jon for a wonderful walk.  As a number of us remarked we are so fortunate to have access to so many open spaces in one of the world’s great cities.

Report by:  Rob Jones-Owen