From time to time, we set out on a walk with a fixed purpose – yes, beyond coffee and cake somewhere along route. Goodness, do you think I’m fixated?
Saturday was a case in point. And Thursday before that. Photographs of crumbling and or lichen covered brickwork were needed. An art project for you know who. Well Dog and thee are always game and I had a rather neat idea.
See, there are a fair few walls hereabouts in South London. And a lot are brick. London loves brick. Common. Ubiquitous. Did I ever tell you that the Archaeologist, prone to ego as much as me, wanted to show off his knowledge of moths. There are some pretty dull jonnies in the moth world which are described as ‘ubiquitous’. Well he’s ten or some such when he describes these dull little fellows as ‘umbiquos’. Common things will always be umbiquos in my family.
Where was I? Bricks.
Yep lots of bricks but mostly well maintained and free of growth. The modern tendency is to avoid the clammy and the crumbling when it comes to homes and go for the scrubbed and the sanitised. Front garden walls are ok to let go a little but even there the height is an issue. A lot of bending. Not good on the knees.
But then there are the Woods. Er, I hear you intone. Don’t woods have, like, trees and stuff?
Mais oui, bien sûr. Save that Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods also have, at the rear, a line of about 20 plots where once Victorian houses sat. Why they collapsed I know not – neglect, subsidence – but collapse they did so now we have a fantastic play area of crumbling brick paths, walls and cellars, overcome with ivy and creepers, moss and lichens.
Dotted in amongst is the disused railway line and tunnel that featured in my short story recently as well as ornamental trees from when this section was privately owned. The Sequoias are pretty amazing.
The Texiliste took a fair few images. Dog made bold with his nose, hunting out trails and uri-coating many a post. And me? I thought of a post about my father’s vegetables and his battles with my grandmother over the same. It’s an easy spot to revert to the past.
We’d also hunted out some brick work in Crystal palace park a day or two before but I was distracted by some rather bizarre and, yes, creepsome imagery. The sort of thing for flash fiction prompts, maybe?
What do you think?
What about him?
This is part of Jo’s Monday Walks series, here
TanGental 
Very fetching, that last shot, Geoff! 🙂 Please delete the comment in your About page. Maybe I was too quick off the mark? Thanks for the link 🙂
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Ah phew
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lol, loved the last picture, some of those disused brick ones are quite spectacular too. Hey, I am named after a moth, not Sacha, obvs!
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I had forgotten about umbiquos, thanks for reminding me.
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Like yesterday, hearing that again!
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Green monster’s a bit scary but the one in the red hat is *terrifying*!
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Ought to be locked up!
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Friar Geoff? Great pics – I didn’t you had sequoias in UK!
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The UK has just about every tree that grows in the temperate parts of the world, thanks to the great Victorian plant hunters.
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There you go Jan. The master spaketh!
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Yep, stolen from California and Oregan. The Victorians loved them.
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Great pictures, Geoff. And I think we’re all agreed about the last one…
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Apparently he looks a bit dodgy!
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Such an intriguing place you live Geoff – sequoias in the middle of suburbia! I have so many questions about your bizarre and creepsome imagery ……….. Why giant lizards? for example. And who is that shadow holding the stick aloft? What are those concrete things floating on the pond? And why does the red hatted monk look so familiar?
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It’s the first day of Spring here according to the meteorologists which may explain it! London’s ley lines maybe
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A nice bit of color against that grey stone body. 😀 😀
Love all the pictures. Amazing what you find when you look. Of course, some places are more interesting than others, like the one you chose to wander. 😛
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Occasionally I get my eye in! Or my head on…
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Very nice old school Iguanodons. Very creepy statue though
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I mean the headless one is creepy. The other is an improvement
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Aw sweet of you to say. He will be pleased.
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The dinosaurs are rather great even if anatomically rather dated. And the statue well, he shouldn’t be allowed out.
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A strange place you meandered–enjoyed that! And that red cap makes the last photo.
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Thank you Cynthia. The red capped monk seems to be everywhere I am these days!
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Now being mostly stone, will you still be coming to the bash, or should we send a crane to fetch you?
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A crane sounds good
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Amazing to wander about in such places. Whenever I find the ruins of an old cabin or farm, I think, this was once someone’s dream. Hmm, I spy something for a flash…don’t mind if I rob a photo do you? Love that lat shot! A bit stiff in your stance, though.
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Absolutely steal away!
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Thanks for sharing your walk–and the great photos. 🙂
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Pleasure Merrill
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I enjoyed taking this walk with you in the woods, Geoff. Seems like a nice place to be, despite the monsters. I agree they make excellent flash fiction prompts, and I’m pleased Charli thought so too. The final one looks vaguely familiar and maybe a touch sinister. I’m not quite sure where I’ve seen it before!
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He’s rather umbiquos on my blog
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🙂
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I forgot to say, I love the word ‘umbiquos’, and enjoyed your short story. Thanks.
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