Historic Buildings

Come along on Saturday 16th Mayl to visit the historic city of Lichfield in the county of Staffordshire! **About Lichfield** Lichfield is a historic and pretty town situated 14 miles north of Birmingham. Notable for its three-spired 14th century medieval cathedral, Lichfield was the birthplace of Dr Samuel Johnson, the writer of the first authoritative 'Dictionary of the English Language'*.* In 2009, the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork, was found 4 miles south-west of Lichfield. Lichfield's heyday was in the 18th century, when it developed into a thriving coaching city. This was a period of great intellectual activity; the city was the home of many famous people including Dr Samuel Johnson, actor and playwright David Garrick, physician Erasmus Darwin and the novelist Anna Seward, author of the book 'Black Beauty'. This prompted Johnson's remark that Lichfield was "a city of philosophers". **Itinerary** 9:07am - catch train to Lichfield City 10:41am - arrive and walk into town 11:00am - guided tour of the cathedral 12:30pm - lunch 1:45pm - guided tour of the town 3:30pm - freetime: Samuel Johnson's Birthplace Museum, Erasmus Darwin House, the Old Guildhall Prison Cells, Wheate & Son's Toy Museum 5:16pm - catch train back to London 7:30pm - arrival back **Cost** Entry and tour of the cathedral is £10 per person and the guided tour of the city is £7 per person. Payable on the day by cash, PayPal or Bank Transfer. You can do both, either or just do your own thing in the city. **Train Tickets** Please go ahead and book your own ticket at the Avanti West Coast Railway website - [https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk](https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/)/ or on the Trainline website - [https://www.thetrainline.com/](https://www.thetrainline.com/) The GroupSave tickets don't work out any cheaper. so best to purchase two single tickets. If you aim to get the 9:07am train from Euston to Lichfield (£30.50 single) and return on the 5:16pm train back to London (£9.00 single). You might get them cheaper if you shop around. **Please book your tickets asap, as they will go up the nearer we get to the date of the trip.** Please note, we only wait at the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time. If you can't see us at the station, please text. Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign. Hope to see you there! Robert 07905 901 834 (prefer text) ***On the day, if you can’t make the trip, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.*** ***Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.*** ***Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - [https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/](https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/)***

This is a new walk, and another enjoyable one. We will meet at 10. 45 am at The Beehive {see map below} for a hot drink. After our hot drink at 11.15 am, we will make or way to The Brixton Windmill {as image above} this windmill is one of the few left in London. After our visit to the windmill we will walk to Brockwell Park and the cafe there for our lunch {or bring our own} where you can get a hot meal. After lunch we will walk into artists homes and look at their art, {this is part of the Dulwich Festival} ending up in to Dulwich Park, where our walk ends, and have a well earned drink. For those who want to carry on after our drink we will make our way to one of our members homes to look at her paintings. who is in the festival. {This is optional} With North & West Dulwich railway station 10 minutes walk away, and local buses just outside the park. If you have a knee problem or walk slow, this walk is not for you. Meet up cost £7 {please have the right change} Please note: If you have a knee problem or walk slow this walk is not for you. Some of the footpaths can get quite muddy, so please wear the correct footwear. If you need any more info ring Paul on 07530 675739 {this is not a smart phone.} JOIN OUR 45+ NOT GRUMPY FACEBOOK COMMUNITY <[https://www.facebook.com/45plusnotgrumpy/](https://www.facebook.com/45plusnotgrumpy/)>

**VICTORIA.....not just a station** My first new tour for 2026 and surprises galore. Of course we will talk about the station and the famous theatre but once we hit the back streets there is so much more of interest. How about a forgotten wedding venue for the famous, a hidden square and a music venue many of us will remember. Also a pub that changed British comedy forever and the man who made crossing the road a bit easier! And if thats not enough we meet the most famous soldier from first world war. I enjoy the research for my tours and this one taught me much I never knew. tours cost £14 per head ...cash on the day please rsvp to book or if you have any queries send a message or contact me, Barrie,via Phone or Text 07860 911393

*“In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.”* - Albert Einstein **Join us at the Bow Street Museum on Saturday 16th May!** **Journey through the history of law and order in Covent Garden as you experience Bow Street Museum of Crime & Justice.** **Within the iconic building that housed both the Magistrates’ Courts and Police Station in the heart of London’s Theatreland, discover the story of the Bow Street Runners, London's first law enforcement service, and the Metropolitan Police Officers who walked the streets in their footsteps. Explore the original 19th century cells and uncover the stories of the people working in and passing through the station and courts.** **Read more here:** [Bow Street Museum website](https://bowstreetmuseum.org.uk) **MEET DETAILS:** **FROM 1:15pm: MEET AT CAFFE NERO (optional)** Address: 83-84 Long Acre, London WC2E 9NG **2PM: ENTER THE MUSEUM** Address: 28 Bow St, Martlett Ct, London WC2E 7AW **4PM-Late: PUB SOCIAL AT BOW STREET TAVERN (optional)** We'll head to a local pub for a social chit chat over drinks. Address: 37 Bow St, London WC2E 7AU **TICKETS:** **You will need to purchase your own ticket for this event. Bow Street Museum are giving us a special LoMAZ discount - £6 tickets instead of £8! Just choose the “Concession” option at checkout.** **Please** [book here](https://bowstreetpolicemuseum.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/33249?catID=33153&) and choose the 2pm slot (or thereabouts) for Saturday 16th May. LOMAZ DISCOUNT TICKET: £6 (choose the “Concession” option) Ticket with Art Pass: £4 **GETTING THERE:** [How to get to the Bow Street Museum](https://bowstreetmuseum.org.uk/visit/plan-your-visit/) **EVENT WHATSAPP GROUP:** Please join the event WhatsApp group to help you find the group on the day. The link will be posted in the Event Comments 48 hours before the event, for those on the confirmed going list. *NB* *Joining this WhatsApp group will make your phone number visible to other members in the group.* **PLEASE READ:** LoMAZ events are run by volunteers. This event has an attendee limit as we prefer a smaller, friendlier group. If you RSVP but can no longer attend, please change your RSVP as soon as possible, **otherwise you will be marked as a 'no show'.** We remove members from the group who: * repeatedly sign up for events then 'no show'. * repeatedly change their RSVP to 'No'. * are on the event waitlist or have not RSVPd but turn up anyway. Please see the [About Us section](https://www.meetup.com/london-museums-a-z-for-30s-40s/) for more information about the group and how it works. **Thank you for your interest in the group & being part of LoMAZ.** 📸 Follow LoMAZ on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/londonmuseumsatoz/) Image credit: "CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS / @CSI：cafe" by [puamelia] is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

**VICTORIA.....not just a station** My first new tour for 2026 and surprises galore. Of course we will talk about the station and the famous theatre but once we hit the back streets there is so much more of interest. How about a forgotten wedding venue for the famous, a hidden square and a music venue many of us will remember. Also a pub that changed British comedy forever and the man who made crossing the road a bit easier! And if thats not enough we meet the most famous soldier from first world war. I enjoy the research for my tours and this one taught me much I never knew. tours cost £14 per head ...cash on the day please rsvp to book or if you have any queries send a message or contact me, Barrie,via Phone or Text 07860 911393

…Platform 37\* (pictured: the east elevation from York Way) More than 20 years ago, the celebrated ‘blue veil’ in Allies + Morrison’s Masterplan drawings defined a long, imperforate block here, literally following the paths the railways had made, entering and spreading out across the site. An initial proposal, by AHMM, was abandoned in 2016, after joint Google founder Larry Page described it as ‘too boring’. Danish metamodernist Bjarte Ingels and critic-of-the-UK-architectural-profession Thomas Heatherwick were appointed to collaboratively re-design Google’s new ‘groundscraper’, 3rd largest office building in the UK\*\*, intended to accommodate all 7000 London 'Googlers’. It is almost finished, expected to open this autumn, and is the final piece in the King’s Cross Central puzzle. We're going to meet outside Thomas Heatherwick’s new Studio in Argyle Street, then see AHMM’s 10-storey Belgrove House, the London Discovery Research Centre\*\*\* intended for research into diseases of ageing and human biology, and then the site in Midland Road, where Richard Rogers’ British Library Extension, including tunnels and passageways for Crossrail 2, will soon be taking shape. It requires the demolition of Long & Kentish’s Centre for Conservation, which was only completed in 2007! Adjacent is HOK/PLP’s Francis Crick Institute, and then, passing through St Pancras International Station we emerge in Pancras Square, to see Google’s current building at No 6. Cutting through the station forecourt, we enter the casbah-like ‘Regent Quarter’, the first area around King’s Cross Station to be regenerated. Its small-scale offices, retail and leisure businesses are in a mixture of refurbished and new buildings arranged around an informal network of passageways and back courts, which leads us to York Way and the stunning, extraordinary east elevation of Platform 37, superbly juxtaposed with the glazed north gables of Lewis Cubitt’s 1852 twin train-sheds. At this point in the walk, it’s too early to make up your mind about the design, but it’s obviously without precedent\*\*\*\*, and, possibly, is not the work of a human hand! From the towpath of the Regent’s Canal, we can see the north elevation, rearing up from the end of the 330m long building, equivalent to a 80-storey skyscraper on its side. Finally, King’s Boulevard! Here it is the backdrop to the busiest desire-line in London! Anticipation, excitement, car-free of course, safe and secure, and bike-free, thanks to the wardens. We’ll probably never get to see inside, but I can describe the structural system, hanging the floors from intermediate trusses leaving continuous, and single-, double- and triple-height workspaces in open accommodation, producing continuously cascading work environments, running from one end of the building to the other, very much like open-gangway railway carriages. On the ground floor will be retail, plus Google’s own *AI Exchange*, a public venue ‘designed to demystify artificial intelligence through free educational programming, interactive exhibitions, and cultural events’. It’s dedicated to exploring AI's impact on society and increasing public understanding. But this building's contribution is to the public realm: like a geological feature: an escarpment, an endless cliff, meandering along a human coast of footfall. Not as sophisticated as Foster's Bloomberg, not as pure as Piano's Paddington Square. A flag waving in a breeze will never conform to a geometric pattern: it’s a dashed-off sketch, not a thesis! But even so, unique, different, memorable and like many of Google’s products, ‘free’ to Londoners! By the way, if AI is half as good as they say, why does Google need so many staff? And such a big building? And what do all those staff do? I will explain. Hope you can come! Andy \* Google’s new, recently announced, official name for their London HQ. \*\*only Nos 22 and 100 Bishopsgate are larger. \*\*\*Developed by Precis Advisory for US pharmaceutical giant Merck, who terminated their involvement last September, but the shell is now topped out and nearing completion. \*\*\*\* perhaps echoes of the London Bloomberg Building, the Centre Pompidou and the Chips Building by Will Alsop?

We will meet outside the Blackhorse tube station (Victoria line and Overground) and make our way to see the wetlands. * Walthamstow Wetlands is a 211-hectare nature reserve adjacent to the River Lea. The reservoirs, under the ownership of Thames Water, also form part of a larger Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, noted for the mixture of aquatic and terrestrial habitats on site, and for their London-wide importance (especially for birds). * We will finish our walk outside the Blackhorse tube station. Optional drinks/lunch at the end of the walk. What to bring: Comfortable footwear Water Photo-taking gadgets and chargers An umbrella just in case (it's London after all) The walk is free for members who have subscribed for an annual membership. For other members the fee is £5 cash/card on arrival to contribute towards the organiser's meetup fees and costs. The annual pass option is £15 payable by cash or card on the day. This will provide access to at least 40 walks per year (members are welcome to bring a guest to each event). All walks are free for the NHS staff (also welcome to bring a guest). **'No Show' Policy:** *If the member replied 'yes' but did not attend the event, did not update the RSVP and did not inform the organiser on 3 occasions – this triggers an automatic removal from the group. That's once for events with a waiting list.*

This walk has been quite popular, and with a very good Sunday Roast at the end it would be a shame to miss it. Come with me on an enjoyable and picturesque walk along the River Thames. We will meet at 11 am in The London & South Western pub in Lavender Hill, { to get to the London & South Western Pub, when coming off the platform, as you come down the stairs, there are 2 exit signs, take the one to the town centre, , once you come out of the station, turn left cross the road, the pub is right in front of you]. After our hot drink at 11.20 am we will make our way to the River Thames, and walk through Battersea Park {as image above}, We will stop at the Battersea Brewery at Circus West or you can go to see the Shops in Battersea Power Station. We will end up for lunch at the Rose Pub which is opposite the Albert Embankment {please advise if you want lunch as I need to book it.} With Vauxhall main line and underground stations 5 minutes walk away. Walking distance 6 miles miles approx. This walk is mostly on the Thames Towpath, so wearing trainers would be OK. £7 meetup fee required {please have the right change}. If you need any more info ring or text Paul on 07530 675739 {this is not a smart phone} or email paulc200850@yahoo.co.uk

**Looking for a nice London exploration this weekend?** **Join our group of girls to visit one of London’s last remaining Tudor houses.** **Sutton House was built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadleir as his family home, and is now the oldest house in Hackney. Explore its atmospheric Tudor rooms with their original features and discover its surprising recent history.** **Take your best cameras to capture the beautiful interior designs of the house. If you’re passionate about architecture, history, interior design or culture, this event is for you ☺️** **See itinerary below:** **📍 11:00 – Meet outside the Sutton House** **🎟️ Tickets: book in advance via the National Trust website**[ (Sutton House page)](Sutton%20House%20page) **🏡 11:00–12:30 – Visit Sutton House (self-guided explore + photos)** **☕ 12:30–14:00 – Coffee & light lunch** **• E5 Bakehouse** **🌿 14:00–15:00 – Optional walk in London Fields / Hackney area** **🚆 15:00+ – End / return to central London** **All you need to do is RSVP,** **See you soon,** **Lumi**

Come along on Sunday 17th May for a Blue Badge Guided Walk around historic Baron's Court! Blue Badge Guides know London better than anyone. They have trained intensively for two years and passed the highest Tourist Guiding qualification in the UK. **About the walk** Situated between Kensington and Hammersmith this attractive conservation area was built up during the late Victorian period and retains many interesting examples of domestic architecture. Discover purpose built artists’ studio houses, the former home of the Royal Ballet, one of London’s leading drama schools, the famous Queens tennis club, a teaching hospital and a former burial ground with an unusual name. We’ll hear about the notable people who have passed through the area including an aviator, authors, a world famous political leader, actors and dancers. The walk is a private walk for the group, we will be guided by Blue Badge guide [Diane Burstein](https://www.guidelondon.org.uk/guides/dianeburstein/) and Guy Fairbank. Guy will be starting at 2:15pm and Diane at 2:30pm, so on the day, just come along at your chosen time. **Payment for the walk** Full Members of the group will be £11, everyone else the cost is £13 per person (payable via cash or credit card on the day or in advance via PayPal or Bank Transfer). If you wish to pay in advance: \- send a bank transfer: TSB Bank plc\, sort code: 77\-66\-65\, account no: 00030809\, Account name: Cultureseekers \- go to PayPal \- [https://www.paypal.com/uk/](https://www.paypal.com/uk/), ‘send a payment’ to general@cultureseekers.org and click on the ‘Goods & Services’ option and change it to ‘Friends & Family’, as this avoids a charge from PayPal. **Become a Full Member** To become a Full Member (£14 a year) either: \- Pay cash at an event \- Pay via Bank Transfer \(TSB Bank plc\, Sort code: 77\-66\-65\, Account no: 00030809, Account name: Cultureseekers) \- Pay via credit card on the day or in advance \([https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QLAX8AUI](https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QLAX8AUI)) \- Pay via PayPal\, send a payment to general@cultureseekers\.org\, using the ‘Friends & Family’ option **Afterwards** After we will head to the 'Curtains Up pub' 28a Comeragh Road, for a chat over a drink. We finish close to Barons Court Tube Station. If you can make it, please come to the pub afterwards, as it’s a great way to meet and get to know others after the visit. Please note, we will only wait at the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time so please be early or on time. Look out for the red & blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign outside the station. Hope to see you there! Robert 07905 901 834 (text only) or email: [general@cultureseekers.org](general@cultureseekers.org) ***On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it. Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.*** ***Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - [https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/](https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/)***

Let's start the Spring with your brand new favourite springy hike! Yeeeeeesssssss! And it is gorse season so be ready for a yellow blanket covering the cliff top giving your photos the peps that it deserves! Wanna go to an absolutely stunning place and enjoy some less known and less busy views of the Jurassic Coast with as much beauty as the Durdle Door or the Coast of Ireland? Yes you do! And this is your trip! Wanna walk pass a place called 'Dolphin point'? Because, you can often see dolphins swimming in the sea as well as the last remaining nesting puffins, razorbills and guillemots(the last remaining penguin species in Europe) on the South Coast of England? Wanna go through a magical forest, an old quary and a splendid lighthouse for your new favourite photo? Well come with Mama Jon then! Although this day out is a hiking trip, we will certainly stop to look for the nesting see bird colonies as well as the interesting local wildlife such as peregrines, Bullfinches, wheatears or dolphins that are common in the area, so take you binoculars! The Jurassic Coast is the Jewel on the crown when it comes to English Coastal beauty and the area which is 95 miles long (150 km) being difficult to access, most people and hikers just go and visit the Old Harry's, Durdle door and Lulworth Cove, about only 10 miles of this very long coastline missing the other 90% WHAT?! Yes I know, this is a big mistake! There is SO much more to enjoy and the landscapes you will see on this trip will blow your mind! SO, here are a few details for you to get an idea of the trip. We will take a train for a couple of hours, (about 2h20) and then a short bus journey(30 minutes) to Swanage cutting our journey time from 5 to 3 hours. From the sightseeing bus, you will be able to admire national beauties along the way. You need to deserve the Jurassic Coast after all, it isn't so easy to just get there! Once in Swanage, we will start our hike and climb to see the wonders of Dorset, the hike is medium with a few climbs but it is really worth it. Most of hike will be on the Southwest Coastal Path and around pretty places such as Anvill Point Lighthouse, Dulston Castle and The Globe with incredible view of a sea that doesn't really make you think UK kind of sea but has more of a Mediterranean kind of vibe. We will have a break on the cliff top and will then walk through another path back to Swanage where you can get a take away for the train or have a drink there or Wareham if we have time. Guys, the Jurassic Coast is on the other side of the world so it will be a full day out, we should be back at Waterloo by 21:30... and our train tickets are booked for a certain time to save a bit of ££, but British [rail...you](http://rail...you/) know... so do not plan an early one in the evening as I will not cut the trip short, I will have a UNO though so be ready for war! INFORMATION: ATTENTION As Always, trains in Britain, once you leave the South Eastern coast are extremely expensive. Usually about £45 return with the group discount, I will collect that money on the day before the hike via bank transfer to buy the train tickets. There will also be an additional charge on the day of 4£50 tap in with your bank card to pay for a return bus ticket too. DISTANCE: 9 miles/16km and it takes about 5 hours DIFFICULTY: Medium, a few steepish climbs PRICE: £17 via Paypal The train ticket should be around £50 ish return to send on my BA on the day before the hike. About 4£50 tap in for a short bus journey on a sightseeing bus INCLUDED in the fee: Guide fee My costs (My train and buses) My Paypal fees and my costs A lovely time with the loveliest people, also called Jonions NOT INCLUDED: Bus fare Train Food Anything not mentioned above WHAT TO BRING: A packed lunch A bank card that you can use to tap in Weather appropriate clothing(Think winter, you will might get wet) Preferably hiking shoes, unless you wish your shoes to die. They will! MEETING POINT: London Waterloo next to the cash machines located next to the clock in the main station hall and the Whsmith at 8:00 am I will send the location when I am there. ATTENTION: Our trips will not be cancelled due to weather conditions so please ensure that you do wear and carry appropriate clothing. 😄 As you can see, my humour is terrible, good luck with that but know that I take care of my Jonions and read the bit about discrimination please, if you are racist, homophobic, cannot accept that people have other opinions or mental health issues, this might not be a trip for you. If you aren't any of the above, we will love you so, come on, press the button. POLICIES: 1: This group is designed for the pleasure and enjoyment of all of us, we do not accept any derogatory comments or behaviours towards anyone. Racism, discrimination and other unacceptable behaviours will only lead to your rejection to any of our trips and this without exception. Everyone is welcome, we have religious and non-religious people, gay, straight, bisexual people, all shades and colours or nationality, people of all ages, sex and political believes and mutual respect is the fundamental spirit of this group. 2: Our trips are only refundable up to 14 days before departure, if you wish to cancel after that, you will be offered a transfer to another trip for the same price or you may resell your slot to somebody else. 3: If we do cancel the entirety of the trip on our side, you will be fully refunded, 4: I am not responsible for train cancellations and do not pay for taxis and alternative routes, by signing to this trip, you do agree to this.

A walk through the majestic landscaping of Dulwich Park, the American Gardens and the charmingly picturesque Dulwich Village. LEAFY SUBURBS, OPULENCE, MANSIONS, PARKLANDS, GARDENS, LAKE followed by SOCIALISING with CHEAP FOODS and DRINKS in a convivial pub atmoshere. **WALK START POINT: Forest Hill Station** (National Rail and London Overground Zone 3). WALK DISTANCE: Approx 5.5 miles. WALK END POINT: Denmark Hill Station - National Rail and London Overground Zone 2). WALK ROUTE: A WALK THROUGH LEAFY SUBURBS of South London. Our walk takes us through HORNIMAN GARDENS, AMERICAN GARDENS in DULWICH PARK and RUSKIN PARK before finishing at 'The Fox on the Hill' near Denmark Hill Station. WALK STOP OUT POINT: Nearby bus routes during most of the walk. *The American Gardens:* Designed around sweeping lawns lined with Azaleas and Rhododendrons. One of the less well-known facts about Dulwich Park is that it was visited annually by Queen Mary who came to see the Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Queen Mary was consort to George V which means that she was Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother. Queen Mary visited every year in May. In her honour, the park has a Queen Mary Gate named after her which stands beside the road called Dulwich Common. The gates are nearest to the American Gardens. **Scroll down to see Disclaimer and Notice of Risks.** ENJOY UNIQUE HEALTHY WALKS IN STUNNING GREEN SPACES OR ALONG WATERWAYS IN LONDON. STRENGTHEN NEW FRIENDSHIPS IN A PUB SOCIAL AFTER THE WALK. **COST of EVENT**: **All of the walks on this group are only £5 each to attend. Payment is not collected before the day of the event to allow you maximum flexibility. Why pay more on other groups for overpriced walks with no afterwalk socialising!!** **The walk is free for holders of the Ken's Events Membership Card.** Enjoy London! Get out and about and see your city in the company of new people! Explore and enjoy London's abundant green spaces and surprising surrounding countryside. Give up the city streets for a day and breathe some fresh air. Improve your overall fitness levels and make some great new friends at the same time. Take this opportunity to visit green parts of London, unknown to most people, and that you would not otherwise have an opportunity to see. Social Event: Our walks are social walks, where the emphasis is on meeting new people, enjoying nature, healthy exercise, and fresh air. Our walks are not interrupted with running commentaries or historical lectures, although occasionally features of significance may be pointed out. As such our walks will be continuous with few stops and it is your responsibilty to keep walkers ahead in view and to follow the direction of the walk. WE ALWAYS END THE WALK AT A PUB WHERE THE SOCIALISING CAN CONTINUE. RISKS for all walks: Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and carry a bottle of water and necessary medication. You need to be moderately fit for this walk and be able to walk for four miles without a break. In these walks we use; pavements, cross busy roads, public parkland, towpaths alongside water, other public paths, rights of way, bridlepaths, country lanes and other established paths and tracks through woodland, bush and countryside. Please only wear good sturdy shoes, preferably walking boots and take care as surfaces may be uneven, tree roots may protrude, there may be low overhanging branches and some paths are also used by joggers and cyclists and sometimes cars (country lanes). Some tracks may be muddy and slippery. On occasion wild,domestic and farm animals may also encountered. If you require insurance for these walks then you must arrange this yourself. No large dogs or small children please. Please arrive in good time to allow opportunity to use toilets at the start of the walk as there may not be any toilet breaks available during the walk. WANT TO COME ON ANOTHER WALK? For a list of future walks go to[ http://www.meetup.com/KENS-EVENTS-EXPLORE-LONDON-SECRETS/events/](https://www.meetup.com/KENS-EVENTS-EXPLORE-LONDON-SECRETS/events/) DISCAIMER All Ken's Events are subject to a disclaimer. Please click here [http://www.meetup.com/kens-events-explore-london-secrets/](http://www.meetup.com/kens-events-explore-london-secrets/) to find out more about Kens Events/Walks and click on 'read more' to see full disclaimer. COST of EVENT: A £5 meetup organiser's contribution will be collected from attendees who do not hold the Ken's Events Membership Card. The walk is free for holders of this card. Please post no pre-event messages unless you are posting something relevant for the whole group and only post photos of other members with their consent. Kens Events also has a Facebook Page, Instagram and Twitter accounts. [http://www.facebook.com/Kens.events](http://www.facebook.com/Kens.events) Instagram Page [Kenswalks](https://www.instagram.com/weekendgreenwalks/) Twitter [@KenEvents](http://www.twitter.com/KenEvents) Kens Events also has a Facebook Group that you can join. [http://www.facebook.com/groups/Kensevents](http://www.facebook.com/Kens.events) RAIN POLICY: Our walks normally go ahead as planned even if it rains. Light rain is not usually a problem . However if torrentail rain is forecast, please check back to this webpage on the morning of the event around 10am for the latest update. Tell your friends you are going! When you arrive at the starting point look Ken with the 'KEN'S EVENTS'/MEETUP Flag or Badge.

Wild Ones Columbus Annual Native Plant Sale Saturday, May 23th, 2026 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (Eastern Time) Overbrook Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, 4131 N High St, Columbus, OH, 43214 Public Welcome, Family-Friendly Free Event A wide variety of native flowering plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees will be available from Wild Ones Columbus and local vendors Natives in Harmony, Leaves for Wildlife, and Scioto Gardens. Wild Ones will publish a list of plants that will be available at this year's sale closer to the event date. Be sure to stop by! Show up anytime!

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

**History** The history of [Blendon Woods Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/blendon-woods/) began long before its 1951 opening, rooted in a landscape of rugged ridges and deep ravines that made the land unsuitable for traditional farming. In 1945, a report proposing a metropolitan park system for Franklin County specifically highlighted these cliffs of Bedford Shale as some of the "wildest land in the vicinity". Following this recommendation, the recently formed park district purchased the first 229 acres in early 1949. Because the terrain was so uneven, developers had to cut a mile-and-a-half-long roadway through dense woods just to bring in heavy equipment. This initial preservation effort ensured that the mature second-growth hardwood forests remained largely untouched by the urban expansion spreading toward Westerville. Opening day arrived on Labor Day, September 3, 1951, marking Blendon Woods as the second park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The final push to open was a frantic race; the State Highway Department only finished the primary gravel access road four days before the gates opened. Early staff members, consisting of just four full-time employees, had to hand-dig pit toilets and learn construction skills on the fly to build the first picnic shelters. Despite the dusty conditions and limited facilities, the park was an immediate success, drawing massive crowds from across Central Ohio. By the end of the 1950s, annual visitation had already climbed to over 190,000 people. As the surrounding suburbs grew in the 1960s, the park faced severe overcrowding that threatened its natural habitats. In response, Franklin County voters passed the first Metro Parks levy in 1960, providing the funds necessary for a decade of steady expansion. During this era, the park nearly doubled in size, growing from 264 acres to over 570 acres by 1968. Planners also addressed a critical water shortage by collaborating with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service to build a lake in 1964. This body of water originally served as a temporary reservoir before its role shifted toward conservation and wildlife support. The 1970s marked a transition toward the specialized wildlife and educational focus for which the park is known today. In 1971, the Walden Waterfowl Refuge was established around the 11-acre Thoreau Lake, creating a sanctuary that remains restricted to provide a quiet habitat for migratory birds. A formal nature center was also developed during this period, expanding on the guided Sunday walks that had been a park staple since the early 1950s. The park’s famous "Monarch Mansion" also became a prominent fixture, starting a long tradition of raising and releasing thousands of monarch butterflies each September. These initiatives cemented the park’s reputation as a premier destination for birders and nature enthusiasts. In more recent decades, Blendon Woods has continued to modernize while maintaining its wilderness character. The 10-acre Natural Play Area was added in 2017, encouraging kids to explore the ravines and woods off-trail. This was followed by the opening of a $1.5 million inclusive playground in April 2025, designed to accommodate children of all physical abilities. The nature center also underwent major renovations to include immersive, three-dimensional exhibits and a new butterfly house. Today, the park encompasses 653 acres, preserving a unique geologic and biological corridor amidst the bustling Westerville and Northeast Columbus area. **Map of the Park** Here is a map of [Blendon Woods](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BLN_map_Inclusive-Playground-and-Butterfly-Trail_May-2025_1980px.png). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Lake View, Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook, Brookside, and Sugarbush Trails. This sounds like a lot, but it will really be only a little over five miles. Blendon Woods has a few hills here and there, but it's not one of the more strenuous metro parks. **Where We'll Meet** We'll meet just in front of the Nature Center. This is about a mile into the park from the main entrance. You have to go past the Ranger Station and the Shadblow Reservable Area to get to it, so don't stop too early at the Ranger Station and get it confused with the Nature Center. **After the Hike** Afterward, we will head over to [Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/) at Easton for [drinks](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/#dinner-menu) and [food](https://forbiddenroot.com/wp-content/uploads/Cbus-Food.pdf). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks. The brewery's actual address is [4080 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4080+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88388a86d10b6619:0x4d42b470a5cf11d3?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111); however, I recommend pointing your GPS to the [Worth Garage](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worth+Garage/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388b4df6082825:0x17582f0eccd9dda1!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11rzfvvv8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) across the street. Parking in this garage is free as long as you're not on the first floor, and it is literally right next to the brewery.

The topic for May is "Ink" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

Let's check out the Maker's Market in German Village, a large outdoor Artisan Market, featuring over 65 Makers, Goods, Art and Delicious Food Trucks! Admission is FREE! [GVMM](https://www.gv-mm.com/) Let's get outside and enjoy the New Spring Season and Warm Weather! We will meet at Stauf's Coffee Roasters in German Village on South 3rd Street at Noon, 12 PM and then take a brisk walk to the Maker's Market, just south of Schiller Park. We can initially get coffee at Stauf's Coffee Roasters, if anyone may want to do so. Parking is widely available at Schiller Park and surrounding side streets. Thanks and hope to see you come out!

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."