RICHMOND TO TWICKENHAM WALK - 18TH OCTOBER
On a comfortable and dry October Saturday morning, a group of us assembled outside Richmond station for the start of a walk to Twickenham. The station underwent a major refurbishment between 2023 and 2025, restoring many of its historic Art Deco features. Today we would also have the pleasure of the company of a four legged friend, Tilly.
We made our way initially over to Richmond Green, which has been an important open space since the Middle Ages when it hosted jousting competitions. Many fine old houses, the central library and the famous Richmond Theatre surround the Green today and the remnants of Richmond Palace can be seen on one side, where we were to head next. Richmond Green is also known as Ted Lasso's neighbourhood park!
Richmond Palace was a Tudor royal residence built by King Henry VII in 1501 on the site of the old Sheen Palace. It was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who died there in 1603, and remained a royal home until the execution of Charles I in 1649. The palace was demolished over the following years, with only a few parts, such as the gatehouse, and a lovely row of terraced homes remaining today.
Meandering along the river we soon climbed up to Richmond Terrace to take in the celebrated view of the vale of the Thames from the summit. It has long been the inspiration of writers and artists, both native and foreign.
Richmond Park beckoned next and King Henry’s mound. This is actually a prehistoric burial chamber from the Bronze Age and later was used as a viewpoint for hunting and falconry. It is thought that King Henry VIII stood in this very spot when hunting. It now offers fabulous panoramic views of the Thames Valley to the west and distant view of St. Paul's Cathedral to the east. Interestingly the St. Paul's view has been faithfully preserved by generations of landscapers who have created a tree-framed sightline from the mound to the dome. The view is now protected and no new building is allowed to impede it. As the day was pretty clear we were able to glimpse the cathedral without the use of the telescope which is on hand.
Soon we were standing at Pembroke Lodge, a magnificent listed Georgian Mansion set in 13 acres of landscaped grounds. It is situated at the highest point in Richmond Park with spectacular views over the Thames Valley to the west. It offers classic and contemporary English refreshments in elegant Georgian Tea Rooms. Since it was an autumnal day many guests were sitting on the outside terrace, enjoying hot drinks, sandwiches and scones. We didn’t stop but carried on, mindful of our lunch table.
A winding path led us out onto the final slope down towards Petersham Nurseries where we popped our heads in briefly before taking the narrow alleyway through to the Thames. Crossing the river on the Hammerton Ferry the boatman took us a little further so that we could get a view of Ham House, a magnificent 17th century Stuart house, containing a unique collection of cabinets and artwork. It is now a National Trust property.
After a very quick crossing we disembarked and enjoyed the Twickenham riverside for the remainder of our walk. We peered into Orleans Gardens, then made our way into Fountain Gardens to admire the absolutely magnificent fountain installed there. The Naked Ladies are a Grade II statue complex on a rockery and water cascade in the gardens of York House. They were carved in the fin de siècle style from white Carrara marble and probably came from Italy in the late nineteenth century or very early twentieth century. They were brought to their current location by Sir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata who bought York House from Prince Phillip, the Duke of Orléons, in 1906. By the end of 1909 he had had the Riverside gardens redesigned in the Italian style and the statues installed.
We completed our autumn walk in historic Church Street. This took its name from St Mary’s Church over 500 years ago and was the main street linking travellers between Richmond and the West. When Richmond Bridge was built in 1777, York Street became the main through route. Today Church Street remains a perfect street for shopping with many unique shops and places to eat out. We stopped for a delicious Italian lunch and a further catch up, before heading our separate ways home. What a lovely walk!
ACOSTA DANZA - 23RD SEPTEMBER
On a somewhat chillier September evening a small group of us were fortunate enough to celebrate 10 years of Acosta Danza with a slice of Havana in London through ‘A Decade in Motion’.
Carlos Acosta was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1973 and following a late but dazzling start in ballet at the age of 9, he became the English National Ballet’s youngest ever principal dancer, at 18. He went on to join the Royal Ballet in London in 1998, where he became a firm audience favourite. In 2016 he founded his company, Acosta Danza following his retirement from The Royal Ballet two years earlier.
Acosta Danza has spent a decade cultivating Cuba’s emerging dance talent, blending classical and contemporary techniques to create a distinctive repertory rooted in the island’s rich history and culture. Since its inception, the company has pushed artistic boundaries, fostering innovative dancers who redefine the possibilities of movement whilst simultaneously celebrating Cuban identity.
The celebratory programme at Sadler’s Wells opened with renown Cuban choreographer George Céspedes’s ‘La Ecuación’ (“the equation”). Céspedes has created his own style of social dance which embraces Cuban flair alongside a mathematical precision.
98 Días (98 Days) followed, by Olivier Award winning Spanish Venezuelan choreographer Javier de Frutos, and was set in 1920s Cuba, inspired by the life of Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. The poet found himself so enchanted by Cuba that a short visit turned into the happiest 98 days of his life. This vibrant work captured how it feels to fall in love with a place far from home.
We were then treated to Llamada (Gesture) which was created for Acosta Danza in 2023 by acclaimed Spanish choreographer Goyo Montero. Federico García Lorca is also the source of inspiration for this piece, which draws on his poem “Ode to Walt Whitman” and explores sexuality, rage and faith.
Finally De Punta a Cabo (From end to end) by Alexis Fernández and Yaday Ponce, performed by the entire ensemble, closed the evening. The piece is set against the Malecón esplanade – an iconic five miles stretch featuring landmarks of Cuba’s architecture along the Havana coast. De Punta a Cabo showcased the breadth and variety of Cuban dance culture, from classical dance to salsa, on pointe shoes and with bare feet.
A thoroughly enjoyable evening which was generous in spirit, explosive, full of charisma and very absorbing.
HAMPSTEAD WALK - 13TH SEPTEMBER
The first of our autumnal walks began at Hampstead underground station where we gathered on a bright blue sky morning. We were about to explore one of London’s best known and loved open spaces, Hampstead Heath. At 320 hectares it is a beautiful landscape which has proved attractive to many artists including John Constable. On this Saturday morning we would find it filled with many people enjoying the scenery and fresh air, the many varied paths and the pretty bathing ponds.
We firstly made our way to No. 2 Willow Rd, a building considered one of the most important Modernist houses in Britain, built by Ernö Goldfinger in 1937-9. It was not appreciated by everyone at the time. Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, objected and took revenge by naming one of his principal villains after the architect!
In minutes we were skirting one of the first of a number of attractive Hampstead ponds, which reflect the Heath’s early use as a water supply for London. We passed the Mixed Bathing Pond before ascending Parliament Hill, the summit of which gave us views over London and up to Highgate. We were soon skirting the Men’s Bathing Pond and leaving the Heath via Merton Lane then climbing up to Witanhurst, the largest private home in London, built for the soap magnate Sir Arthur Crossfield in 1913.
We then explored Waterlow Park, with a view of Highgate cemetery before making our way to Kenwood House where we enjoyed a bite to eat. After a lovely pause we continued our walk past Barbara Hepworth’s ‘Monolith-Empyrean’ before entering winding woodland paths. A short shower did not deter us. We took in the squat memorial to the 1987 hurricane, enjoyed the picturesque view from Viaduct Bridge, passed an ice-house and eventually ascended steps to Jack Straw’s Castle, one of Hampstead’s most famous pubs.
After a short walk past Whitestone Pond and into Hampstead Grove, lined with many fine houses and then up Flask Walk, we were soon back at the start of this enchanting walk.
A wonderful start to the weekend with a catch up with friends from our Lyceum family!
WESTMINSTER ABBEY EVENING TOUR - 21ST JUNE
The Purcell Club’s evening tour of Westminster Abbey gave us a unique and intimate experience of one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Held just once a month, these after-hours tours take place in the serene quiet of the Abbey once it has closed to the public, allowing us to explore its ancient spaces in a more reflective and atmospheric setting. Members of the Purcell Club, a vocal ensemble of former Abbey choristers, give their services in order to put on these tours and all the profits from ticket sales go to the support the Abbey and a range of small charities.
We started our tour by assembling in the Cloisters for a warm welcome by a member of the Purcell Club and took seats in the Nave where the first piece of sacred music was sung. Our very knowledgeable speaker described the history and architecture of the Abbey in some detail moving from one location of interest to the next, including the Quire (with its beautifully carved wooden stalls where the choir and clergy sit), the Sacrarium, High Altar, and Cosmati Pavement where monarchs are crowned (the Cosmati pavement is a medieval mosaic floor dating back to 1268), St Edward the Confessor’s Shrine (who started rebuilding the Abbey between 1042 and 1052 ), Henry VII’s Chapel (it is the Chapel of the Order of the Bath with its impressive knights’ banners hanging over the stalls and its magnificent fan vaulted ceilings) and finally Poets’ Corner (the final resting place of Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, to name but a few). At various points there was a pause for members of the Purcell Club to sing suitable musical pieces ranging from 16th to 21st century. On returning to the Nave for the final part of the tour, a short piece was played by one of the abbey organists to demonstrate the Abbey’s magnificent organ installed for the coronation of King George VI in 1937.
What made this tour truly special was the addition of live sacred music. The music resonated beautifully through the Abbey’s stone arches, transforming the tour into a spiritual and sensory journey unlike any other.
