Meandering Across the Heath

I like the simple elegance of this bench, spotted in West Hampstead,

and its accompanying plaque, with its image of 52 years' worth of walks.
Without a distinct destination in mind, I headed in the general direction of Hampstead Heath, finding myself on some fantastic streets along the way.


A Hampstead resident welcomed me to the neighbourhood almost as soon as I set foot on the heath
and I enjoyed wandering across the wonderful greenspace in almost utter silence and solitude.


Just when I thought I could be a bit lost in amongst the various paths, I realised I had reached the more populated part of the park--in terms of people, dogs,
and birds.
Coots had taken over one corner of the pond,
with the occasional moorhen lingering about,
but the centre of the pond was all about swans.
I've never seen a pair of swans with so many cygnets!