I’ve
been looking down again, and this time I’ve been seeing the markers that are
set in city pavements to guide people through various walking routes. I saw the
first of these when I was in London last October, which alerted me to keep an
eye out for others. I’ve since found two more and I’m sure there will be others
in my future.
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial
Walk
I
spotted this walk marker just outside the boundary fence of Buckingham Palace,
one of ‘three palaces and two mansions which figured in
the life of the Princess’ (the others being Kensington Palace, St James’s
Palace, Clarence House and Spencer House), according to the information about
the walk on the Royal Parks website.
The website explains that ‘The Diana
Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is a seven-mile-long walk, charted by 90
plaques set in the ground, that takes you within sight of famous buildings and
locations associated with the Princess during her life.’ To be honest, the
concept doesn’t particularly appeal to me, though I do like the idea that the
walk takes you through ‘four of the eight Royal Parks ... St James's Park,
Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens’ and, if you were a tourist short
on time to explore London, the walk is a nice mix of splendid architecture and refreshing
green spaces.
The website also explains that ‘The plaques
are the work of sculptor Alec Peever. They have a rose emblem at the centre and
are etched in aluminium, which appears like a precious metal. The rose is
heraldic in design, and while symbolising the Princess's enduring image, also
symbolises Britain's traditions and heritage.’
2005
Cardiff Centenary Walk
Despite having pounded many a pavement in
my four and a half years in south Wales (especially in Cardiff), I hadn’t
noticed any of these walk markers until a few days ago (though I have
seen/visited/walked past all the sites on the walk’s route).
The walk, covering an impressive 41
landmarks and sites of historic interest, was established 15 years ago in
recognition of Cardiff’s 100 years as a city.
Despite that long list of places
to see, the walk is only 2.2 miles (3.6 kilometres) long, so it’s easily
do-able for any visitor to the Welsh capital.
You can download a route map and a guide
book from the Outdoor Cardiff website here.
Wales
Coastal Path
You would expect the signage for a coastal
path walk to be on wooden posts along the route, marking junctions perhaps or
pointing the way forward – and it usually is – but, where that coastal path
passes through built-up areas, markers can sometimes be found set into the
concrete under your feet. Such is the case here in south Wales, in towns and
cities like Penarth and Cardiff, where the markers can be found along the promenade
and the barrage respectively.
I’ve only walked an infinitesimal part of
the 870-mile-long Wales Coastal path and have no ambition to walk all of it,
even if I had the time, energy and money – judging by the route through
Cardiff, some sections are pretty dire – but the true coastal sections, which
make up the majority of this trail, take in some spectacular, breath-taking
scenery that rivals anything you might enjoy and experience anywhere in the
world. You can see what I mean and check out the full details on the dedicated website here.
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