How Things Began

There was no TV when I was at junior school.  Oh, it had perhaps been invented, but there certainly wasn't a set on the premises.  Even if there had been, there would have been nothing to watch.  In those days you were lucky to get the Test Card for a few hours during the day, and that was before the iconic version where Carole Hersee played noughts and crosses with her rag doll. No, if we were to have any education that came over the airwaves, it was going to be on the radio.

Most schools programmes were on the radio and it was a treat to have a change from the classroom to listen to one.  We'd all head down to the school hall where the teacher would plug in the loudspeaker.  It wasn't a whole radio; that was confined to the school secretary's office, I suppose in case some rebellious child decided to switch to the Light Programme instead of the Home Service.  It was just a portable speaker, set into a 3ft square of plywood, and which stood on the edge of the stage.  Once we were in place, it would be plugged in and switched on and we'd hear the last minute or so of 'Singing Together' before the real event started - 'How Things Began'.  I don't know if you remember it?  To the accompaniment of the screech of cicadas and the sound of water dripping from trees, the presenter would wander round a Cretacious Period jungle and report what he was seeing.

Sometimes it would be a Brontosaurus browsing leaves, or a herd of Iguanadons wandering the plain.  But what you really waited for was the shock and horror in the presenter's voice when he witnessed some poor creature suffering a horrible and violent death at the jaws of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.  You might go back to the classroom and do a little bit of English or History, but you knew what the game would be at lunchtime once you got out into the playground.

So what has this to do with the WAG walks, I hear you ask?  Well, I thought I'd go back to How Things Began with our walks.  Way back in 2004 we'd talked about putting together a small walking group, and Susan & Brenda organised the first of what was to become many walks.  We started from Friday Street, a hamlet somewhere between Guildford and Dorking in deepest, darkest Surrey.  I wouldn't say it was remote, but Google Streetview have yet to make it as far as the pub.  The walk was just under six miles, largely through woodland, and passed through Coldharbour, which is the highest village in Surrey, and Leith Hill, which is Surrey's highest hill.  I remember it being a good walk, and I also remember that the car park was a few hundred yards from the pub, up in a clearing in the woods.  I particularly remember this because when we got back my feet were really sore and I couldn't wait to get back to the car to change my shoes.  Everyone else had gone straight to the pub, so I pulled the car round to the pub car park for a quick getaway later!

The first walk

And what of the pub?  It was the Stephan Langton, and very picturesque.  I can't really remember what the food was like but it looks as though the owners have changed recently, so if you're in the area it might be worth looking in for a bite.

Not one of the walkers...