Poetry

York is a walled city in northeast England that was founded by the ancient Romans. Its huge 13th-century Gothic cathedral, York Minster, has medieval stained glass and 2 functioning bell towers. The City Walls form a walkway on both sides of the River Ouse. The Monk Bar gate houses an exhibition tracing the life of 15th-century Plantagenet King Richard III. We travel by train and on arrival there will be a guided walk of the city. After that you will have free time to explore, which could include a look around the medieval shopping streets of Stonegate and the Shambles, you could discover Viking York at the Jorvik museum or walk the city walls and discover York's royal history of kings, princes and England's Christian history.

Walk length 10miles/16km approx. Circular. A chance to explore the countryside close to the Hampshire village of Bramley across fields and woodland and sections of nature reserves such as Pamber Forerst and Silchester Common. The half way point of the hike is close to the remains of Calleva Atrebatum, the site of a once significant Roman and previous Iron Age settlement. The site contains the remains of city walls and an amphitheatre that are free to view and managed by English Heritage. Lunch and Finish Please bring a snack lunch (this will probably be on a common close to a pub) and water for the hike which should finish about 4.30pm (time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.). there is a pub very close to the station at the end of the walk. This a medium undulating walk. Meeting: We are meeting at Bramley station for the walk to start at 11.00am (after the train arrives). By car: There is no car park at Bramley Station however there are a number of side roads that should be free (check for restrictions and leave enough time to park). By train: The train from London Paddington at 10.03am gets to Bramley for 10.56am (one change at Reading). There are trains fairly late back to London. See National Rail Enquiries ([www.nationalrail.co.uk](http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/)). I would encourage you to seek other members who can take advantage of a group save on the train and meet from 9.30am outside the WHSmith at Paddington to give you time to get tickets/group save tickets (see photo below). The organizer will not be taking the train but will meet you at Bramley for the start of the hike. Walk Cost: £7 cash on the day organizer fee (For paypal it is '[colin45@hotmail.co.uk'](http://colin45@hotmail.co.uk'/) Please send as friends and family to avoid charges. For bank transfer message organizer. Train from London approx £23 return with a group save or network railcard discount. Please make a note of the organizers number - Colin 07709305681. The organizer will not be taking the train but will meet you at Bramley for the start of the walk. Walking Safety Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking boots, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Escape-London-City-Explorers/pages/23195445/Terms_and_Conditions/) COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE ME. MANY THANKS.

**FREE FOR MEMBERS OR SIGN UP WHEN YOU ARRIVE** Hello music enthusiast, We're excited to invite you to our Songwriting Class held right here in the heart of musical Camden every Saturday at 2 p.m! Whether you're a budding songwriter or just looking to explore your creative side, this class is designed **for people under 30s and all skill levels.** Come be a part of our community!!! No matter your background or experience, all are welcome. Let's turn your musical ideas into real songs! If you want to know more information, text or call Thomas: 07310801741

The South Downs lie almost a degree of latitude south from London, so Spring arrives earlier. Flowers bloom, lambs are born, and before the Equinox the daylight sun shines longer. So head south - to the pretty village of Pyecombe to welcome Spring. Pyecombe has something for everyone; *The Plough* nestles near the Wayfield farm shop and cafe which has locally sourced goodies. The 12th-C church grounds offer a peaceful spot for sandwiches. The name derives from Old English *pīc* for peak and *coomb* is a scooped valley hollow, a typical chalkland feature. And in this spirit the walk will be hills, interspersed by rests in the village. [Home | Pyecombe Village Website](https://www.pyecombe.info/) And the walk would not be complete without a well positioned hillfort, so expect one in the mix of this remix of the South Downs' best places. TRAVEL Take the 9.35 train from London Bridge to HASSOCKS. Buy an off peak day return ticket to HASSOCKS is £11.45 with a Network card or Groupsave. Walk starts at Hassocks rail station 10.35. Bring a packed lunch. Circular walk. The organizer will be standing outside the ticket office from around 9.15 am as a focal point for people to arrange group tickets *How to join?* * The walk is entirely free of charge; * You only arrange for your own travel and pub expenses; * Understand our terms and conditions below (the "IMPORTANT" part); * Understand how to stay safe outdoors, as you will be responsible for yourself. See our quick safety tips: http://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/ Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section! IMPORTANT Please bear in mind this is a free of charge, self-guided trip with a hobby group. It is not organized by a business nor any entity with commercial purposes. Any trip details, travel advice, route planning, instructions and other content in our group merely represent our shared personal knowledge, research and suggestions as outdoor enthusiasts. As this is no business, there is no "product", "service" or "package" and also no "tour guide", "operator" or "walk leader". Each participant is responsible for their own safety. Even if some of us are very experienced walking outdoors, nobody assumes responsibility for any kind of injury, damage or loss that may happen. Despite this, we take extreme precautions and all trips we plan are very safe, fun, highly educational and popular. Our experienced members volunteer their time and effort to shape a pleasant and quality adventure for everyone :-) By participating you acknowledge and agree with this disclaimer. Here are our tips on staying safe during outdoor trips: http://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/ TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, INSURANCE Although we provide detailed suggestions, each participant is expected to arrange their own travel and (if required) accommodation - this gives everyone the freedom and choice to join from wherever they want and stay wherever they want. Anyone interested in travel or outdoor insurance should also arrange this on their own. As mentioned above we always take extreme precautions, but some people may still feel safer if covered. We advise not to buy tickets until the day. People getting tickets from the same station are encouraged to meet early on the day to benefit from discounts such as GroupSave.

**We will be at The Mitre pub in central Greenwich.** This meetup is free and casual. We just sit around for a few hours and write together. Bring a laptop, or use a pen and paper or clay tablet and stylus if that's what works for you. The structure of the session is roughly: 2pm: chat 2:20–3:25: writing time 3:25: chat/coffee break 3:40–4:45 writing time 4:45: chat But our Saturdays are very casual, so feel free to drop in and out. **This is usually in the meeting room at the Mitre. If you arrive a bit later, you may need to ask the bar staff to show you through to the room.**

Walk length 20 miles/32 km approx. Circular. A very panoramic walk that crosses paths over chalk grassland and woodland from Dunstable Downs to Ivinghoe Beacon. The mid point/lunch stop is close to the National Trust visitor centre at Dunstable Downs The Visitor Centre at Dunstable Downs is 243m (797ft) above sea level and Ivinghoe Beacon stands at 233m (757ft) above sea level, the views from both are fantastic. Some features on this walk include a chance to see the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral before taking a route along the edge of the Whipsnade Wildlife Park. The Tree Cathedral was created by Edmund Blyth in memory of fallen comrades after the First World War as a spirit of 'faith, hope and reconciliation, he was inspired by the beauty of a sunlit group of trees seen on the way home from a visit to the Anglican Cathedral at Liverpool. It is now owned by the National Trust. This walk also follows some of the oldest tracks in Britain, with paths such as the Icknield Way; extending from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath in Norfolk and a small section of the Ridgeway, 87 miles (139km) long, an ancient chalk ridge route used in prehistoric times. Meeting: We are meeting outside Tring station (main station car park) for the hike to start after the train from London arrives at 10.02am. Tring Station, Tring HP23 5QS. (please note Tring station has no facilities however there are facilities at the Ashridge Vistor Centre less than and hour into the walk). The 9.25am train from London Euston arrives at Tring station at 10.02am. Train ticket approx £15.00 using a group save or national railcard. If you want to meet to get any group saves meet close to the ticket office at 9.00am in case you need to queue (photo below). The organizer is not coming by train but will meet you at Tring station. By car to Tring: The car park at Tring Station is charged at weekends. Other road parking around close to the station is limited. If coming by car you could meet us at Aldbury as there is more off street parking, Meet us in the main village green, it is only a small village, if you want to do this be on the green no later than 10.30am when we pass by, the village is 1mile from Tring Station (please let me know you are doing this so I can lookout for you). Lunch & Finish Please bring a packed lunch and water for the walk. This walk should finish about 5.00pm and include a 30 min snack lunch stop, however the time maybe earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace (this is a complete day event and you are advised not to arrange plans for the evening). Tring rail station station has no facilities. We pass the Bridgewater monument and Visitor Centre 1.5 miles into the walk. We are stopping close to the Dunstable Downs Visitor Centre for lunch. Cost: £7 cash or paypal (colin45@[hotmail.co](http://hotmail.co/).uk) payable on the day guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal or bank transfer if you prefer, please message the organizer. If you do paypal please send as friends and family to avoid charges. Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681. Walking Safety Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Escape-London-City-Explorers/pages/23195445/Terms_and_Conditions/) COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE ME. MANY THANKS.

An in person writing group for writers of the weird, the wild, the dark and the dismissed. With a focus on Feminist and Queer stories, and a commitment to the chaos and joy of the writing life, we invite you to join us to work on your own projects. We will meet for two hours, on the second Saturday morning of each month. We will begin with a 15 minute catch up, followed by 45 minutes quiet writing, then a 15 minute break/chat, followed by a final 45 minutes of feedback on each other’s work if wanted, or further writing. Come join us, we’d love to have you!

A chance just to work in company on your writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing or work stuff. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. WE FILL THE ROOM, so you MUST SIGN UP below AND ARRIVE BY 11.40 at the latest, or we can’t guarantee you a seat. And if you can't make it CHANGE YOUR RSVP to "not going" ASAP to give someone else a chance, thanks. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 11.00 - Café starts serving 11:30 - Host of the day will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 11.40 - Brief introductions for everybody - your name and what you’re working on 11:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 12:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 11.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places ASK THE CAFE STAFF, they may be able to seat you in the adjacent restaurant section (without having to buy food). If not then there's sofas on the sales floors below as well as one cafe at the back of the ground floor and another in the basement. The hosts won't have any other alternatives to offer you. Please feel free to join us for the break and afterwards. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura and Anna

After our usual Saturday writing event, our Shut Up and Write regular Sonali Misra will be giving a Q&A on the inner workings of the publishing industry and what publishers are looking for. Sonali is a published writer with a PhD in publishing studies and a Lecturer in Publishing at University of the Arts London (UAL) and previously worked in sales/product and editorial roles at Hachette and Scholastic in India. She co-founded The Selkie Publications CIC, an international literary magazine that platforms minoritised writers. Her writing has appeared in British, Canadian and Indian anthologies and her debut non-fiction book came out in 2020 by leading Indian publisher Rupa.

🌳 Join us for a beautiful walk in one of London's most popular romantic green spaces, Hampstead Heath ... ✊ *Note: Active Muslims is equally about focusing on the actual activity, in this case, it is a paced walk (and not a stroll), therefore it is advised to approach and attend these events with that mindset, intention and [purpose](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBhPWpdIMKq/?igsh=MWVjdnZrdGZwd3dmYw%3D%3D).* 📍 Meet: Outside **Hampstead Underground Station** (Northern line). ⌚ Meet from: 1:30pm, we start our walk at **1:45pm** sharp insha'Allah *(Magrib is 6:06pm)* 🟢 **WALK:** 📏 10km (6.2miles) 💓 Av. Pace: 5km 🏔️ Elev. Gain: 190m 🚥 [View Walking/Hiking Levels Here](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPRjEOPjW8B/) 🔄 Starts/Ends: **Hampstead Underground Station** (Northern Line) *- **not** to be confused with Hampstead Heath Overground Station.* 🚻 Toilets are available in the park. 🧎 Prayer: We can take a break for prayer in the park if time is short. 🎒 What to bring: appropriate clothing/shoes. 🗂️ "No shows" for previous events may be moved to the waitlist to prioritise reliable attendees / new joiners - ***when there is a waiting list, priority is given by attendance records / new joiners.*** 📊 [[why it matters](https://tinyurl.com/28sh83cn)] ⛑️ *Disclaimer: You are solely responsible for your own safety on these events and are also responsible for your belonging at all times.* 🌐 **[@Active.Muslims](https://www.instagram.com/active.muslims)** *(Follow for latest events updates)* 🚦 **[Walk/Hike Levels:](https://www.instagram.com/share/reel/BBxV4zomeZ)** 🟢 Easy 🟡 Average 🟠 Moderate 🔴 Challenging ⚫ Very Challenging ``` 🌳 One of London's most popular romantic green spaces. A popular place for authors and poets... Alexander Pope, John Arbuthnot, Richard Steele, and later John Keats, Percy Shelley and Leigh Hunt, were frequent visitors.. The Heath is a great semi-natural park, saved from urbanisation in the nineteenth century. It has woods, ponds, walks and fine views over London. Two of the ponds are used for outdoor swimming. On the edge of Hampstead Heath surrounded by tranquil landscaped gardens, you have Kenwood House, one of London's hidden gems (Kentwood house was also the backdrop in the movie Notting Hill). ```

**Bermondsey to Rotherhithe – from Bourbons to Brunel** This walk is presented by Central London Humanists and led by Robert Hall. Humanists believe we have just one life to be lived rationally and well, with compassion for others. This event is a guided walk of +/- 2 hours pointing out places of interest. We will be walking 3 Km / 1.8 miles. Bourbons in Rotherhithe? Yes, it’s true! We’ll visit a couple of parks; hear about one of only fifteen statues of women in London; a leaning tower (not quite as good as Pisa!); walk part of the longest street in London and visit the tomb of Prince Lee Boo; we’ll also see the Mayflower – not the ship, however. **Date:** Saturday 14th March 2026 **Time:** 2 pm with a prompt departure at 2.15 pm **Place:** Meet Bermondsey station (Jubilee line and various bus routes) It is strongly suggested you find us using: [https://what3words.com/drop.assume.remain](https://what3words.com/drop.assume.remain) \- or the What3Words app\. The nearest toilets are J'amocha, 190 Jamaica Street SE16 4RT – turn right as you exit the station and walk 150 metres. There will be a very brief toilet stop on the walk. **Finishes:** About 4.00 pm at The Ship, 39-47 Saint Marychurch Street SE16 4JE The walk is led by Robert – 07981963681. He can be contacted for further information but please note he won’t be able to respond to messages or calls after the walk has started. **The formal bit:** These walks are not suitable for dogs, sorry. CLH events are 18+ unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. The maximum group size is 40 people. If you have signed up but find you can't attend, please change your RSVP on Meetup (it’s very easy to do) as soon as possible so that an accurate numbers of attenders can be estimated. You are responsible for your own actions and safety; there is no liability on the walk leader or CLH for anything that may happen on the walk. You must be able to keep up with the walk leader at 4 Km/h (2.5 mph) for 5 Km (3 miles). It is participants' responsibility to safely cross roads. Where appropriate, pedestrian controlled lights will be used and obeyed unless it is obvious that the whole group can cross safely. When the group stops at a point of interest, please be mindful not to block pavements so members of the public can pass by safely. Don’t forget this is the UK and it may rain at any time! The walk will go ahead whatever the weather unless conditions are dangerous so please bring clothing for all seasons. **A donation of £3 to Central London Humanists would be appreciated.** The majority of Central London Humanists events are free, but we welcome a £3 contribution per head. This helps towards the running and organising of events, as well as various admin expenses. If you can't attend and would still like to contribute, or would prefer to pay online, please **[click here](https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML71XMH66FX5E/checkout/ALWCDLQ3S7AVPLFZ62PZGXLU)**. We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information, but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any individual's views expressed (most definitely including the walk leader!) do not necessarily reflect the views of the group at large.

To book: ww A gong bath under the moon is the ultimate relaxation. You are invited to lie down under the moon and relax while the sounds of the gongs and other instruments wash over you. This session provides ultimate relaxation and supports healing through full body vibration. These sounds act to stimulate the alpha and theta brain waves associated with meditative states of stillness; while releasing nitric oxide which supports the health of our hearts, lungs and bones, helping to regulating our nervous system, immune system, hormones and sleep cycles. As the mind and body relax, the heart rate and blood pressure decrease and our breathing become deeper. It is in this state that deep healing can occur. Thus, a sound bath not only reduces stress and anxiety by inducing a state of relaxation, but it also has physiological benefits.

The topic for March is "Our Bodies, Ourselves" 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!

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Back By POPULAR DEMAND The BEST Saint Patrick’s bar crawl in Columbus! We will begin our crawl at BODEGA 7:30pm 1044 North High St. 8:30pm we will be found at GOOD NIGHT JOHN BOY. 906 North High St. 9:30pm LINCOLN SOCIAL ROOFTOP. 711 North High St., 9th floor. 10:30pm BROTHERS BAR & GASWERKS. 477 North Park St. They have $1 shots that we MUST avail ourselves of Wear GREEN! Of course. BEST DRESSED will win BRAGGING RIGHTS

**Our March pick is *God of the Woods* by Liz Moore.** **This month’s novel is an award-winning literary mystery that blends family drama with psychological suspense. It explores women’s voices and relationships while delivering an exciting, eerie, and deeply suspenseful story. The book is 576 pages in print or 14 hours and 35 minutes on audiobook.** Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found. As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.