Freedom Pass London

Mike Pentelow was editor of Landworker (the newspaper of rural workers) for ten years and was the editor of Fitzrovia News (London's oldest community newspaper, to which he contributed for 40 years), which gave him a feel for both town and country. An author and journalist for 50 years, his previous books were Characters of Fitzrovia, Norfolk Red and A Pub Crawl Through History. Mike was a keen rambler, having walked the entire River Thames and many other waterways. A real ale enthusiast, Mike also enjoyed a game of darts and pool. He was a member of The Ramblers, the Woodland Trust, the Campaign for Real Ale, the Inn Sign Society, Camden History Society, Socialist History Society, St Marylebone Society, Society of Authors, National Union of Journalists and the Mecca Bingo Club. Having lived in London for over 50 years, Mike died in April 2020, an early victim of Covid-19. PHOTOGRAPHERPeter Arkell has been a photographer since 1970, covering news, social issues, the environment and sport. He co-wrote Unfinished Business: The Miners' Strike for Jobs 1984-5 and took the photographs for A Pub Crawl Through History, Mike Pentelow's book about commoners who have had pubs named after them. A keen rambler (with author Mike Pentelow and others), he has walked the Thames Path, the South West Coastal Path, the Isle of Wight Coastal Path and Peddars Way/Norfolk Coast Path. He has lived in London for more than 50 years and currently contributes photo features and writes reviews for Real Democracy Movement.

• Introduction How to Use This Book 1 A Natural Selection at Downe Kent: Downe to Bromley2 On the Box Surrey: Burford Bridge to Mickleham3 In Woodland We Trust Hertfordshire: Heartwood Forest & Sandridge, circular4 A Grand Canal & a Great Road Hertfordshire: Watford to Kings Langley on the Grand Union Canal/River Gade5 Bluebell Blitz Surrey: Banstead Woods & Chipstead Downs, circular6 Fleet of Foot London: Hampstead Heath to Blackfriars7 Epic Forest Fight London/Essex, Epping Forest: Chingford to Loughton8 The Canal, the Old Railway & the Quaker Hertfordshire: Rickmansworth to Bushey9 Holly, Ivy & Chestnuts Southeast London: Lesnes Abbey Wood, circular10 A Racing Certainty Surrey: Epsom Downs11 Happy Valley Surrey, North Downs: Coulsdon Common, circular12 A Trail of Two Forts Essex, River Thames: Tilbury Riverside Terminal to Coalhouse Fort Park13 Wandering along the Wandle Southwest London, River Wandle: Colliers Wood to Croydon14 Picnickers' Paradise West London/Surrey, River Thames: Staines to Chertsey15 Dragonflies & Gunpowder North London/Essex, River Lea: Tottenham to Waltham Abbey16 Death in the Churchyard, Life by the Lake Hertfordshire: Elstree & Aldenham Reservoir, circular17 The Nazi, the Queen & the Highwayman Middlesex/Hertfordshire: Trent Country Park, circular18 Midsomer Murders Trail Buckinghamshire, River Misbourne: Amersham to Great Missenden19 From Dickens to the Rolling Stones Kent, River Darent: Farningham to Dartford20 Brookside & the Big Green Space Southwest London: New Malden to Putney Bridge21 Colne Riverside Ramble Hertfordshire: London Colney, circular22 Animal World Surrey: Chessington, circular23 Literary London London: London Bridge to Bloomsbury24 Inspiring Women London: Charing Cross to Bloomsbury25 Karl's Trail, On Your Marx London: Leicester Square to Highgate26 Saviours, Spitfires & Swans Berkshire/Buckinghamshire: Maidenhead to TaplowIndex