It was if Michael Daniels and Fraser Borwick, the event leads for this wonderful walk, had direct links to the heavens.  The rains had stopped on the Friday, and the first day of endless, pretty warm to hottish sun brought everyone out!  In fact records were broken by my counts, 68 came, only just ahead of our last well subscribed walk, the Lee Valley/Olympics back on a sunny day in March, with 66 lead by David White. (Although David was sure there were only 66 on this walk, do I sense a tiny bit of rivalry here, mmmmm???!!).  We had people from the Midlands and East Kent group visiting, word had got about! But what was really memorable of the day, was Michael and Fraser's wonderful detail in all the many sites they took us around.  "I didn't know Rotherhithe was like this!" & " London's best kept secret!" kept coming up in chat as we walked.  Michael lives locally and clearly is passionate about 'his patch', where, in fact he is the Chairman of the local historical society.  What we came away with, aside from sunburn for some,  was the great sense of a community the area has,  loads of history and stunning architecture, an area thought, until recently, as a bit of a backwater.  To reiterated Michael's description of some of the sites of the day:

"We visit Southwark Park (including the beautiful Ada Salter lakeside garden) Surrey Water, Canada Water, Greenland Dock, Russia Dock Woodland, Stave Hill (views), Surrey Docks Farm (ewes) and Surrey Quays Shopping Centre (only for the loos!). We will pass through the charming Rotherhithe Village with St Mary's Church (very historic), The Old Mortuary (very atmospheric) and Brunel’s Shaft (!!). The walk finishes with a fabulous stroll beside the Thames, enjoying some of the finest views in London".

And that says nothing about the goings on in St Mary's Church where the senior, beautifully frocked Vicar, Father Mark, explaining the wonderful history and memorabillia withing the building, was somewhat trumped by the very cute young Vicar, Father Richard, who stood  nearby, equally frocked, with his cup of tea held gently in his cupped hands, prompting his senior at various points, but more importantly, providing sickeningly, wonderful eye candy for most of the troops in the pews (us!!).  I cannot start to think of the dreadful sins being imagined in that most holy place!! We finished with drinks besides the Thames in glorious weather, and 15 or so, went on to replenish their energy levels with a very good Chinese buffet locally!  A brilliant day Michael and Fraser, you have set not only records but raised, incredibly, the standards for these sort of events!  Can I book you for next year!!!