Tag Archives: urban

Rochester, Kent, cemetery

Had a quick walk around this cemetery but as dogs were not allowed we’ll probably not go back. There has been an effort to clear the graves in this cemetery and in doing so it seems to have lost something of its atmosphere, although there are patches that remain. There are large grassy areas (great for dogs to run around on; there were a couple of other dogs on a walk while we were there). I don’t get why some cemeteries (like the one up the road from us) don’t allow dogs.

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St Mary’s Island / Chatham Docks, Kent

We returned to the Island again this morning. We walked round to the left and Couscous chased the boats on the Medway River. The drawbridge was down so we went across to Chatham Docks and had a coffee. There are some new restaurants since we were last here (years ago we came to see a movie and the area depressed me so we never returned). It seems to have changed for the better.

  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no
  • Toilets – yes
  • Café – yes

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Haysden Country Park, Kent, again

Yesterday we went back to Haysden Country Park, only we missed the turn off and ended up parking by the other lake. This lake is actually Haysden Water while the main park is Barden Lake. Haysden had two problems – muddy and near the freeway so Couscous wanted to chase the cars and kept straining on her lead. So we walked a little way round and decided to go to the main park where it wasn’t muddy. Of course that is near a train line and Couscous wanted to chase the train, but by then she was tired so it wasn’t such a problem. Couscous had a lot of exercise on this trip.

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Victoria Park, London

We went into London to pick up my loom and on the way home stopped off at Victoria Park – London’s oldest purpose built, public park. A lovely autumn day. You can park in any of the side streets.

  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no
  • Toilets – yes
  • Café – yes

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Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Today we drove to Tunbridge Wells. First we visited Woodbury Park Cemetery, established in the mid 1800s. It’s a lovely Victorian cemetery, quite small, which is well kept. Lady Brisbane’s tomb is here – a cousin of the eponym for Brisbane, Australia. You park in the neighbouring streets for this walk. We then drove round to Calverley Ground (parked in a multi-storey car park across the road from one of the entrances). This park is formal and has a café and toilets. So together they make a good outing for walking Couscous.

  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no/yes
  • Toilets – no/yes
  • Café – no/yes

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Drop Redoubt Fortress, Kent

The Fortress, at Dover, can be walked around easily (once you enter through a small tunnel which you need to crouch to get through). The inner complex is open only one? weekend a year. Nearby is the Grand Shaft Staircase (also only opened once? a year) which enabled soldiers to get from the fortress to the port easily. An amazing structure with two cylinders encompassing three staircases. Dover Castle isn’t far and there are other heritages sites in the area.

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  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no
  • Toilets – no
  • Café – no (nearby)

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Nunhead Cemetery, London

We ventured into South London to visit Nunhead Cemetery, where we met a number of other dog walkers. The Friends of the Cemetery say this about it:

Perhaps the least known, but most attractive, of the great Victorian Cemeteries of London. Consecrated in 1840, it is one of the seven great Victorian cemeteries established in a ring around the outskirts of London. It contains examples of the magnificent monuments erected in memory of the most eminent citizens of the day, which contrast sharply with the small, simple headstones marking common, or public, burials. It’s formal avenue of towering limes and the Gothic gloom of the original Victorian planting gives way to paths which recall the country lanes of a bygone era.

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  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no
  • Toilets – no
  • Café – no
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    I am Here

    Homeless Dogs Given Hope-Filled Balloons

    In a unique urban intervention, two college students took and attached a series of balloons marked with written phrases to stray canines Santiago, Chile…

    Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent

    This country park is at the edge of Maidstone so driving there feels like you are in suburbia but once you’re there you feel removed from any residential vibe. A big park with a lake and surrounding areas. The paths are wide and well kept. When we went it was a sunny day and very busy but we didn’t feel crowded in. A large party was on one bit of the lake side (with bungy jump) and almost everyone had a dog. There seems to be a more wooded area on the other side so we will try one of the other car park areas next time.

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  • OK after wet weather – yes
  • Parking fee – no
  • Toilets – yes
  • Café – yes
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    Canine vending machines?

    Canine vending machines here in London…

    The world’s first vending machine for dogs has been unveiled in London. The dispenser, installed in Clapham Common, London today (April 23), challenges canines to pull on a toy bone lever to fire a tennis ball, which the dogs have to fetch…