Glencorse goes blue

This is such a subtle change that I did not notice it at first. I took a photo of Glencorse back in March 2007 (not long after I started this blog) when the shop sign was green. Now it has turned a rather nice blue and the lettering has grown in size to better fill the space available to it. I approve.

Monkey puzzle

Martingales Close is hardly my favourite place in Ham. It breaks the local convention by being a no-through-road to pedestrians and the uniformity in the housing makes the walk in and out again rather dull.

The one bright point is this large monkey puzzle tree that commands an open spot as the road splits in to two making a rough "T" shape.

Ormeley Lodge

Ormeley Lodge is one of the most significant buildings in Ham and walk past it regularly to catch it in its different moods and to see if any changes have been made, such as timing the front hedge.

More often than not I pass without taking a photograph but occasional something about it makes me pause to take another one. This time I was attracted by the clear autumnal light and the luscious greenery around the downstairs windows.

Autumnal reds

Each year I decide not to show any more pictures of vivid Autumn colours and each year I find some that make me change my mind. These impressively red leaves are well hidden in the access track that runs off Dukes Avenue and behind Ham Parade.

Closing down

I live close to Ham Parade and I do as much shopping there as possible. Mostly this is in Rowleys (bread), Ham Pantry (cheese) and Ham Fruiterers (er, fruit) and these all get visited several times a week.

Giftbox is another favourite and I have bought all my occasion cards, and much else, from there over the last fifteen years or so.

Now it is closing, and that's a great shame.

Something to worry about?

I am always worried when I see signs of major works in one of Ham's wild areas and this has got me worried. This is just outside Ham Gate, opposite Park Gate House, and until recently there was a clutch of trees around the almost hidden pond.

On the left of the picture you can see the path that takes you right in to the woods, then along the border with the golf club and finally alongside Ormeley Lodge before returning you to Ham Gate Avenue about 300m away.

I fear that this could become a car park but any building work here, even if it is just benches and tables, is to be regretted.

South Lodge

South Lodge is one of the grander grand houses on Ham Common. It's days as a hunting lodge are long gone and now it survives as a collection of flats, though it goes out of its way to hide the fact.

A quiet corner in Ashburnham Road

Not many people walk in to the corner of Ashburnham Road as most of us most of the time take the short-cut past St Richard's Church and it is only because I normally walk the other way that I went in to the corner this time. It was the right choice.

The hedge to the left effectively separates the corner from the road despite being flimsy and short. That is enough to give the corner a distinctive character when the rest of the Wates Estate has open gardens. The trees and flowers are a nice final flourish.