February’s walk for Walks Longer 3 group was to Darlands Nature Reserve with a coffee break at Finchley Nurseries.

It was very muddy as there had been a lot of recent rain, but we were undeterred, no boots stuck in the mud and it didn’t actually rain! There was surprise when one walker mentioned her ‘seal skins’ waterproof socks which, it turned out, weren’t actual seal skins but from a company called ‘Sealskinz.” Thankfully no animals were harmed as a result of the walk.

Although we had occasionally been here before nobody had ventured ‘off path’ through the woods and seen the large oak tree which Robert led us to. We ended our walk where it began, at ‘The Orange Tree’ and no doubt most walkers went home, refreshed by nature, and washed off a little mud!

Kathryn Ross - Walks Longer 3