An email came in yesterday, reminding me of April’s A to Z blogging challenge. You write a post a day (except Sundays) in April, each day using the next letter of the alphabet as the prompt. They can be themed or random as long as each day you use the correct letter.
As I set off today, a beautifully crisp London day, I had a ponder. Maybe I should take my city as my theme? And if I did then my home town – Dulwich – would be D.
Dulwich, pronounced Dullitch and not like a boring sorceress, isn’t a town but a village.
Yeah, right. It’s part of the urban sprawl of one of the world’s biggest cities so a village? Really?
Really.
Let’s explore that contention.
We have fabulous buildings.

The Old College, home to some grace and favour apartments and the College church; the Armistice day Parade on November 11th congregates around the memorial in the left of the picture

Bel Air house, in Bel Air park and now a rather grand restaurant; dog enjoys marking the front steps
Open green spaces.
Parks.
Ponds and areas of water
Historic schools.

Dulwich College is one of three foundation schools, all set up by the charitable trust funded by one of Shakespeare’s era actor Managers, Edward Alleyn
Funded by… I was cut off in that video; suffice it to say it was funded by a Russian Oligarch who owns a London Football Club, a somewhat different character to the original funder of the College – or maybe not. Who knows?
A toll road, the only one left in London.

cute hut but the toll fee is excessive if you ask me
One consequence of a toll road locally is the danger of relying on a satnav. The Lawyer, after he passed his driving test, tended to use his satnav to find his way around even areas close to home. But he didn’t want to be taken via the toll road so set it to avoid routes that had tolls. Which was fine until he and a friend drove to Cardiff. Rather than follow the bloody great sign on the M4 saying ‘Wales, Cardiff and the West’ and crossing the Severn Bride, they followed the satnav that sent them 50 plus miles and 2 hours out of their way via Gloucester.
Where were we? Oh yes, the criteria for a village…
A golf club that sits beneath the last remaining element of the Great North Wood that covered an area of some miles around here some hundreds of years ago.
I’m with Mark Twain about golf
Golf is a good walk spoiled
A bowling club with some quality street art.
A tennis and croquet club.
A quaintly beautiful High Street
With six million pound houses.

Rumour had it that Nicole Kidman and Tom Crius, then they were together planned to move here; I’m sort of glad they didn’t
And the Oldest Public Picture Gallery in the world.
Is that enough?
It is for me.
Wonderful commentary and pics Geoffles!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ritu. I see myself as the new Paul Theroux. Not!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks lovely, Geoff – and I like the idea of that blog challenge. Think it would take some planning though 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sort of depends if you want a theme. A random set can lead you anywhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true – and I am a definite Pantser!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel like I know it so well now 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
One day you should visit. Bring Roxy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL!! Roxy will be pleased – her first invite out :-))
LikeLike
A walk wouldn’t be a walk without a dog – absolutely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
He wouldn’t let me go either!
LikeLike
Dulwich looks a very pretty place to live, you even have tasteful street art. Thanks for the lovely walk Geoff, I enjoyed it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a little bit self aware, a bit pretentious but I don’t want to live anywhere else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you love it there, then it doesn’t matter. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well put
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love Dulwich after all din’t our youngest son and his wife start married life there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What people of taste and discernment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah! Yes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow, its genuinely beautiful. I am a little shocked how green it is – given its London! Also had to snigger – your commentator voice came out! – remember that commentary thing you did at the cricket!! proper reminded me of that. Are you impressed I remembered? my memory is so shit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am and I’m touched. Best bit of my year that. If I had my time again….
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely walking tour. Charming village you have there. ☺
LikeLike
A fantastic tour! What have you saved for A-Z???
LikeLike
When I worked in Southwark’s Tooley Street in the early 1970s, I was amazed that Dulwich could be in the same Borough
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed so. I spent an age in the 80s working on the redevelopment of London Bridge City along Tooley Street. And now they’re doing London Bridge Station at last.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Geoff. I was there from ’72-’74
LikeLiked by 1 person
Still derelict docks with the bright light the PW HQ I think
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely place to live!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, we think so!
LikeLike
Dulwich looks beautiful, Geoff! Very similar to where I live now which is Greenwich. Lots of parks and green areas. Looks peaceful too.
I think I’m tempted to do the A to Z challenge this April. Sounds challenging!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did it last year, and chose places I knew, cheating a little with ‘X’. It doesn’t have to be complex or anything and it is a good way to find other blogs and be found.
LikeLike
Lovely! Thanks for the tour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you enjoyed my little back yard, Merril. Pretty unique in many ways.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It doesn’t look too bad for London, Geoff!
LikeLike
I look forward to visiting it in June 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The tour bus is booked…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the little toll booth, Geoff, though doubtless I’d feel different if I had to pay up every day 🙂 Is it fairly easy to avoid? A good looking village you have there. Thanks for joining me.
LikeLike
A charming village with some lovely architecture. Not a place I knew until now. Thank you for the tour 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pleasure Jude. It is pretty unique, certainly for London.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Saltburn in Winter | restlessjo