Haunting Highgate Cemetery

Perfect sunshine and warmth today for spending several hours outside on a blipmeet.  After huffing and puffing my way up Highgate Hill from Archway station, I met up with the rest of the group in the former Anglican chapel beside the entrance to the West side of Highgate Cemetery.  We were shown round by a volunteer guide, who made sure we stayed safe in this incredibly fragile and potentially dangerous environment.  Creepiest part of the tour was the time we spent inside the catacombs, surrounded by ornate and dusty Victorian lead-lined coffins.  These were resting inside cubby-holes in the walls from floor to ceiling.  I was amazed at how crammed together all the graves were, almost literally on top of each other, with monuments leaning at precarious angles.  I was touched to see the grave of the writer Beryl Bainbridge, who passed away a couple of years after I met her in early 2008 when recording her edition of Desert Island Discs.

After a delicious lunch al fresco with most of our party, Kathy (Chantler63) and I returned to have a further explore of the East side of Highgate Cemetery.  It was so peaceful there and the light was amazing, showing up the bas reliefs of various graveyard symbols on the tombstones beautifully.  After enjoying the tranquility of Highgate, all too soon we were engulfed in the chaos of the London rush-hour to catch our train back to Buckinghamshire from Marylebone, mercifully getting seats after spending most of the day on our feet.

A lovely day out, with plans kicked off for future outings to other London cemeteries and hopefully a weekday meet at Blenheim Palace too.  Many thanks to Kathy for organising today.  More images from Highgate in Extras - mostly in high-contrast monochrome straight from the camera, which seemed to suit the Gothic style of Highgate.