efog-blog
Recent outings and activities...
Tring and the Ridgeway - 8th February
Despite the dreadful national weather situation and that day’s forecast (rain and gusty winds), 13 of us set out from Euston station on the 10.24. We got off at Tring station. Tring itself is a transition town - http://www.tringintransition.org.uk/ - but it has a massive car park for all the commuters heading to London, who can’t walk from their homes to the station due it being located about 2 miles from the town. At the time of building the railway, local landowners objected to it being close to the beautiful Ashridge estate, now managed by the National Trust.
A short walk up the road led us to the start of our walk, picking up on a section of the Ridgeway. Some sources describe the Ridgeway as the oldest road in England, dating back to prehistoric times, used by herdsmen, traders and soldiers. The track led us gradually up, into a section of wood designated as a butterfly nature reserve. The track was easy apart from one massive fallen tree which had to be hopped over. We emerged from the trees onto Pitstone Hill and had a marvellous view of the vale of Aylesbury below. Yes, an excellent view: sun, blue skies and wind to keep it all clear! We walked down across the open grassland and then gradually up again flanking Incombe Hole – a little valley with breaks in the surface revealing the chalk beneath. There was an option to add a couple of miles to the walk by continuing on the Ridgeway to reach Ivinghoe Beacon before returning to the main path. However, several noses sniffed the air and decided rain was on its way, so we skipped that bit and headed into Crawley wood. 
This was the first walk that I had led for EFOG, so I needed a gentle reminder that I was also in charge of decisions about when and where to stop for lunch… As we continued through the wood, past Clipper Down, the rain pelted down but we were largely sheltered by the trees. As the rain eased, the sun came out and created a stunning sight of sunlight glistening in the raindrop laden branches. We walked past the Bridgewater monument, which is open in the warmer months, and headed straight for the Brownlow café for tea and more. The walk then took us downhill and out of the wood into the village of Aldbury, described as the most beautiful village in Hertfordshire. I somehow missed the actual path to the side of the farm, taking us through a very squelchy field, with one young cow bellowing loudly and walking straight towards us. We all made it over the gate to the real path, which could have been better described as a mud pit. However, there was no further rain, and we all made it along and left, back to the station, without anyone inadvertently taking a mudbath.
Jenefer S.. 11th February 2014 Photos by Sue Ullersperger
A Mystery Walk - Sunday February 2nd 2014
The only information that Ian would give us relating to his “Mystery Walk” on Sunday 2nd February was that we should meet at Snaresbrook Station at 11.50, and that it would be “interesting”.
Along the Thames PathSo fourteen of us met there, caught a tube and changed to the Jubilee line at Stratford for London Bridge. A nice bright day amongst so many dull wet ones, not very windy and not very cold. Reaching the River, we headed through the tourists to and across Tower Bridge then, past the sailing barges and huge yachts, through St. Katherine's Dock. We then walked alongside the ex-warehouse homes of the poor East london locals and past some nice old ex-industrial buildings such as the power station of the London Hydraulic Power Company, and on towards Limehouse. Occasionally we even managed to access the Thames Path through the so-often-locked security gates of the poor-peoples' dwellings.
London Hydraulic Power Company's stationOn the way we stopped for meals at a local hostelry. I didn't make a note of the name because the whole place seemed a bit of a farce to me. You had to go upstairs to eat, although there was plenty of room downstairs, and it wasn't possible to eat outside, although some of us would have liked to. They had no lemonade, and water and coffee turned up late and the latter was not hot - and no-one working there seemed to have any idea what tortillas are supposed to be.
Ascending towards Canary WharfAt Limehouse there are at least a few older-style dwellings still in existence – 1930s maisonettes and the like – where they hadn't been bombed out or bought out, although the local Barley Mow pub has been turned into a gastro-pub by somebody called Gordon Ramsey. On a previous walk in October 2005, following much the same route, somebody outside of Wapping Station had asked if we were lost. I suggested that I'd almost certainly known the area before he'd arrived, and probably before he was born; I think now he may have been right.
Still enjoying the sunshine after a 3.6 mile stroll (and a very spread-out one, as seems to be the way with EFOG), we all managed to get onto the same DLR train to return via Stratford.
Paul Ferris, 3rd February 2014
A 3.6 mile walk. Those taking part were: Ian Greer in the lead (some of the time), Annick, Bernie, Fozie, Fred, Fritz, Jacky, Jenny, Lynne, Pam, Peter B., Peter G., Paul and Val.
The Stanley Spencer Exhibition, and an historical walk - Saturday 25th January 2014
Just to prove that EFOG people are not always wading about in the mud at this time of year, on Saturday 25th January Chairman Pam proposed a trip to see an exhibition of painting by the artist Stanley Spencer being held at Somerset House. The works in the exhibition are normally housed in the chapel at Sandhurst and are temporarily on loans while refurbishments take place.
Memorial to the London Civil Service DivisionSpencer painted his pictures shortly after the 1st World War and reflect some of his experiences amongst the troops whilst working as a hospital orderly in Bristol and fighting in Salonika. They show domestic scenes rather than battles, men in very human situations that represented for the soldiers of the time a 'heaven in a hell of war'. 
"twelve of the best looking English women of the day"After a short break, the group reconvened for a local walk led by Jim on some of the commemorative monuments to people who had been in the War. At the back of Somerset House there is a monument to some 2,000 plus men from the London Civil Service Division who gave their lives in an extraordinary numbers of campaigns running the entire length of the war through to 1919 and the Middle East. Heading back up to the Strand, the group learned about the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918 from the combined forces of the Royal Flying Corps, who had done sterling work with the army since their formation in 1906, and the Royal Naval Air Service.
Memorial to the Imperial Camel CorpsDown on the Embankment, Jim talked about the damage done to Cleopatra's needle by Zeppelins and Gotha Bombers during the war, and pointed out the shrapnel scars still visible. The ladies were then lined up for a photo in front of the obelisk. Very conveniently there happened to be twelve of us in the picture, as Jim explained the significance of this in his narrative: in the base of the monument is a time capsule, placed there in 1878 when the monument was finally retrieved from Alexandria. Amongst the other items placed on the capsule was a set of photographs of the twelve best looking English women of the day! Not sure that we quite live up to that acclaim, but it was a nice surprise to be associated with those glamorous ladies!
Burns' Birthday CelebrantsThe group then crossed over to Embankment gardens for a much smaller statue, representing the forces of the Imperial Camel Corps who operated out of Egypt during the First World War. The brigade comprised British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian troops fighting against Ottoman forces in the Libyan Desert, and on into Palestine. Some of the units also assisted Lawrence of Arabia in the Arab revolt before the companies were eventually disbanded in 1919.
EFOG's website - how you can help make it more 'visitable'
This is the Epping Forest Outdoor Group's website. If you are a member you can help make it more interesting to existing members as well as encourage new members.
We now have a new page called "Coming Soon". Maybe we could 'advertise' future activities better, in ways which will encourage more people to participate. If you lead or intend to lead a walk or other activity try to write something about it (or try to encourage somebody participating in the event to do so).
Think about contributing something, such as:
• Articles about Group activities, recent or future.
• Submitting news articles relating to the outdoors for publication.
• If you have any comments or suggestions, or if there is anything on the website that you are not happy about, let somebody know.
• Use the Contacts Form to let us know of any glitches on the site.
Have you contributed yet ?
Contributions can be sent by cuttting and pasting into the Contacts Form, or direct to Paul
Secret Nuclear Bunker and Ongar Walk
Sunday 19th January 2014 saw 15 intrepid EFOGers embarking on a mission to visit the Secret Nuclear Bunker at Kelvedon Hatch. This was well hidden (except for the not-so-secret big signs directing visitors to it). It was a very interesting - if chilling - experience with an informative self-guided tour using 
Outside the bungalow-disguised entrance to the bunker'wands' which gave information along 23 separate locations along the route. The bunker was originally built in the 50's and went through various incarnations and was finally designed for use by the government - not the likes of you and me - to shelter in and 'run' the country in the event of a nuclear attack during the cold war period.
Efob-bits emerging from the bunker It should form part of every child's education, just to remind people that this must NEVER happen and that, in reality, a self-made shelter under the dining room table with a few doors removed from their hinges and mattresses piled on top is really quite inadequate in the midst of a nuclear war! We had a quick bite to eat in the canteen after the tour and then drove on to Ongar to commence a short walk of about 3 1/2 miles.
Leaving Ongar at the start of the walkThe walk (rather muddy and slippery at times) took us along the Essex Way to the wooden church at Greensted and from then along paths and bridleways through farmland and woods back in a circle to Ongar. The lovely little old church at Greensted is fascinating, dating back to Anglo-Saxon times and is reputedly the oldest wooden church in the world. It even has a grave of a crusader in the cemetery.
Trying to avoid the mud at a kissing-gate
St Edmund's body (of Bury St. Edmunds fame) was allegedly rested there on the way to his burial (in Bury St. Edmunds) after he was murdered by many arrows and decapitation. Paul tells us that a wolf is also involved in the tale somewhere along the line - guarding the head until it was found so that it could be buried along with the body. The church did a good trade with members buying several jars of the homemade jams, pickles and preserves which were on sale. We carried on our trail afterwards, with some members looking at times as if they were competing in Dancing on Ice. We met, and talked to along the way, 2 lovely ponies and a rather pretty hairy pig in a small paddock munching her Sunday lunch of leeks and other vegetables. The birds were singing in the hedgerows, the weather was beautiful and the sunset as we drove home was spectacular.
Greensted Church - the oldest wooden church in the world
It was a bit muddy underfoot at times
Lynne E. 22nd January 2014