A Sunday stroll towards Christmas: A walk from Snaresbrook to Chigwell - Sunday 9th December 2012

Ian Greer's walk from Snaresbrook on Sunday 9th December took place on a quite pleasant, and not bitterly cold, day. We were lucky, considering the somewhat inclement or at least chilly days that we seem to have been having – and were forecast for the following week!

Getting ready for the startThere was even something of a removal of some clothing by some of the eight who assembled outside of ROVSCO hall for Ian's punctual-at-11 set-off. Well, Eleven-o-five, actually, but we knew that the ninth person was well on her way! Whilst we waited in the bright sunshine a fox walked past us and crossed the road to the station, enjoying the sunshine too, no doubt, though perhaps a bit sun-dazzled. Not sure whether it was intending to catch a train, but anyway – I digress.

We walked past the Eagle, and through the luckily-not-flooded underground underpass to reach Hermon Hill, then walked down to Charlie Brown's. Charlie Brown is no longer there, of course, but his grand memorial roundabout is – an impressive obstacle to pedestrians who wish to cross. The nearest safe(er) crossing is up the road some way near Tesc*/*'s, where – nearby – is also the working place of Louise, but she said that she's turned the water off before closing up on Friday, so tea was out.

Louise, Pam, Madeleine and the dancing dogsThe Roding-side walk continues from across the crossing, but a little way back down towards the roundamemorial and, although pleasant and green enough, is a bit road-noisy and nowhere near the river. The river is eventually encountered – at least for a couple of hundred metres. At Woodford Bridge we walked uphill towards the village, and turned left, passing the Three Jolly Wheelers. We now entered Chigwell, where the houses all had security gates, so it must be a rough neighbourhood.

Passing a convenient garden centre, we went in to look at the Christmas specials. Lots of trees seemed to be leaving in fourbyfours and beemdoubleyous, and inside was a great display of dancing dogs, which took up most of my time. Jinan snogged Father Christmas, but his wife wasn't around so that was all right for Jinan, but not for me 'cos Mother Christmas might've been my opportunity.

Father Christmas and JinanAfter 4.5 miles from Snaresbrook we entered police property, where some of us had a roast and others waited an age for a sandwich. After that we made our various ways homewards or onwards and I lost sight of all but Louise and Jinan. The three of us had determined to continue to the Chigwell Riding Trust's Christmas Carol and Nativity Service* – a further 1.5 miles. It struck me as funny as we walked through Chigwell Village that a Jew, a Moslem and a Pagan were jointly making their way to a Christian event. We were reminded later, at the service, about three people - probably of mixed backgrounds - who'd done a similar thing years ago, BCE.

Chigwell Police finish-for-someI've never been to the annual Chigwell Riding Trust Christmas event before – Christmas, as many of you will know, is not really my thing – but I enjoyed it. I did suggest to Louise that we cut to the chase at the point where you take a candle and parade past the manger, and go straight to the mulled wine and mince pies. She called me a heathen, so I went along with everybody else. There was plenty of mulled wine and mince pies anyway, and a slight diversion to see the baby Jesus on the way wasn't really a bad thing. There were angels and donkeys (horses - or maybe ponies - actually, but I mustn't be pedantic), as well as shepherds and that, so it looked very nice.

I should say that I had a good time and that possibly a good time was had by all.

 

* Please have a look at Chigwell Riding Trust For Special Needs website here

 Paul Ferris, 9^th December 2012

Competitors views of the Rodings Rally...

 

A Thurrocks Nomad's view of the Rodings Rally

On Monday at work, someone asked "What did you do Saturday evening?". They were expecting an answer like, "I went to the Theatre" or "I went out for a nice meal". What they were not expecting was "From 9:30pm until 5:30am I was in Epping Forest in the damp and dark, trudging along the rides, squelching through mud and pushing my way through holly and brambles looking for people hiding in tiny tents concealed in the undergrowth..."

It was of course the Annual Rodings Rally. I have been taking part in this for over 20 years and I will try to explain why I keep coming back every year.

The challenging nature of the Rodings is a big attraction It would be relatively easy to find a mapped location on the ground if one had a firm starting point from which to measure and set a compass bearing, and then, clear open ground to cross. Nothing in the Rodings is like that. The possible start points for bearing off into the forest usually have no distinguishing features and have to be determined by distance from some remote landmark. These landmarks are often indistinct, crossing tracks are hidden by fallen leaves, streams may be dry and other unmapped paths and streams can confuse. There is little open ground and the way forward is usually blocked by fallen trees and thick undergrowth, often prickly holly or bramble. Trying to keep to a bearing and to estimate distance covered while forcing through this is difficult. Advantage should be taken of any additional clues such as gradient or other features. After finishing, when we look back, we can usually identify our mistakes and so there is always the tantalising feeling that next year, with a bit more concentration, our navigation will be more accurate and we will stumble straight onto every checkpoint at the first attempt.

We are a running/jogging club. The Rodings is the only orienteering event we attempt therefore we do not have the skills of 'real' orienteers. To judge distance travelled we have to count our steps, which requires such concentration that much ground is covered in serious silence. We live only one hours drive away from the Forest but somehow never return during the year to learn the 'lie of the land' so we can genuinely say we are not helped by local knowledge. So how did we get on in 2012?...

We solved all the clues pretty quickly and off we went. No.1 was common between both sets of competitors. With our late start but fast walking and others searching there for a long time, it was as crowded as a cocktail party, I said to Derek as we queued up to get our card signed, " I hope it's not all going to be like this". It wasn't. It rapidly thinned out from there. We knew the clue to No.2 referred to Lodge Road. However, one grid reference was 180m to the East of Lodge Road, but another was only 100m from the very end of Lodge Road. So being a pedant I chose the latter, but after getting there and a quick scout around it was obviously not there. We were in good time so we went to the other location and fairly easily found it so didn't lose too much time.

There were few people around for No.3 in Epping Thicks, but good luck meant we found it quickly, as we did Nos.4 and 5. So we were on a roll and we could see a 10/10 approaching.

No.6 was just before the Tea stand but we had tea first then tracked back to find it. Somehow I got my North and South mixed up and we turned left off the path instead of right... I realised straight away and corrected it but No.6 proved very elusive. We went out and in again, still no luck, then tried a completely different strategy which resulted in success but we had wasted one precious hour. Nos.7 and 8 were a long way away with no direct route. Nevertheless we criss-crossed our way there successfully, even correctly negotiating my personal Nemesis, the junctions with triangles upon triangles. Nos.7 and 8 were bagged but time was speeding up and slipping away. Off we went for 9 which, although generally on the way back, again lacked an easy route. We had decided on a strategy, up this open wide avenue for a paced distance, then off into the thick forest on a bearing. It all fell apart when we found the entire boundary an impenetrable 7 foot high bramble hedge. We revised our strategy, up to the end, then in on a long bearing. We would have just enough time for a single attempt. Thick forest, uneven ground and tiredness caused poor judgement and we failed to find it. We also got split up while trying to search a wide area. We made our separate ways back out, regrouped and to our horror noticed we had less than 20 minutes left and more than a mile to get back. A cardiac arresting route-march got us back with a few minutes to spare. Nothing could have been more welcome than the cup of tea at the end. So 9 out of 10 again. Not bad, but if we had used all the available information at No.9 we could have nabbed it for a clean sheet. So better luck next year, we will be back.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers and all the helpers especially those who spend a long cold night in the tents- you are all very much appreciated by us competitors.

Peter Woodard, Thurrock Nomads

 

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A selection of comments from other competitors in the 2012 Rodings Rally...

 

Many thanks Susan for a FANTASTIC experience!!! We all had a ball!!! Kids & adults – found 3 out of the 5 stations so not bad for 1st time out!!! No sense of humour failures either!

Determined to have MORE teams next year & get all 5!

Huge thanks as well for enabling us to go early and for organising it! What a feat!

All best wishes

Shenagh x

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Hello Sue

Hope you are well. I am hoping to say thank you very much and many congratulation for a most successful and enjoyable event. We had such a great time and will definitely come back next year. Thank you for the great organisation!

Another thing.... We are just very eager to find out how we did in the night - would you be able to kindly let us know our ranking, if already known? We are team No.65, "Brave Lions"...

Thanks a lot!

Cheers
Ning

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Could you please pass on my thanks and praise to the organisers of the Roding Rally last weekend. This was our first time attending this event, and was pleasantly surprised at the scale/organisation of the event. My team of Explorer Scouts enjoyed the event as well.

My offer of help was not required.

Could you please tell me when the final results will be available, as I’m sure to be asked my Explorers.

I will be promoting next year’s event to the rest of my scout district.

Kevin Bruton

ESL Red Squirrels ESU

DESC Royal Forest

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Hi Susan,

The rally was really great and I really enjoyed it!

I was wondering if I could still hit some more of the Epping forests maps? Of I could have 3 spare ones I could send a heir for them. Of course I would also pay for the postage.

Thank you,

Kat

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Hi Susan,

Thanks so much for helping to organise such a fantastic event last - it was my first time attending the event and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I will definitely be returning next year! When we completed the event last night, one of your fellow organisers asked if any of us would write a review of the event. I have done one for you, if that's OK, and my team mate Mike Fleming passed on your email address so that I could send it to you.

I hope it's OK for you and thanks again for a great night!

Best wishes,

Katie Garner

(Note from Sue: Katie’s review is pasted, below...)

A fantastically unique, mud-splattered way to spend a Saturday night

First off, I must say what a brilliant, well organised event the Roding Rally is. I’ve always loved the great outdoors, and although I have done some small forest hiking in the past, I have never had the opportunity to take part in such a large scale competition such as this. Working out the grid references from the cryptic clues gave the initial orienteering aspect a new twist, which was great fun. The checkpoints were at varied locations across the forest, making it perfectly challenging without being over complicated and frustrating! Finding interesting routes from each checkpoint was entertaining and there was a good mix of trekking across muddy, holly-strewn undergrowth, gravelly footpaths, grassy clearings and country roads.

The checkpoints themselves were near impossible to find, the small dark green tents well and truly hidden among branches. Most of the checkpoints were unlit and the exhilaration of racing against the other teams to be among the first to locate the tent really encouraged a friendly rivalry, with competitors shouting out of breath greetings to each other. Amidst a sea of bobbing torch lights you never really felt alone; although the forest was completely pitch black.

The whole event was well planned from start to finish, with the organisers being extremely kind and welcoming, even to us newcomers! I would definitely take part again next year as I thoroughly enjoyed the variety. The distances between the checkpoints were ideal, providing a decent interval for you to work out your routes yet it didn’t take too long to navigate. Perfectly planned, fantastic fun and a real team event. Also, I think it is a brilliant idea to do the event overnight as it adds a whole new dimension to orienteering making it twice as fun – and definitely twice as entertaining!

Katie Garner, The Badminton Brigade

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Comments from Roding’s Rally Facebook page...

Just finished, had a brilliant time, did way better than last year. Thanks very much for putting on a fantastic event. Epping Forest Field Centre will hopefully be back for more next year.

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Lovely evening. Spent an hour visiting all three sites on the last clue. If it wasn't for that we might have been in front of Suffoc. Oh well. There's always next year!

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Terrific event, as usual when has it ever not been!) Still haven't worked out the letters clue to No 5, got it more by luck and guesswork and taking a chance. Many thanks to ALL involved in putting it on every year.

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A Night stumbling in the Forest (an EFOG member's view)

November 2011 – Sitting in a tent in the middle of Epping Forest at silly o'clock in the night in a checkpoint, I wondered if I could get any of my other group, Redbridge 18 Plus, to have a go at next year's event. Roll forward a year and I'd managed to interest/cajole/con Elliot and Will into our first attempt at the legendary Rodings Rally (it only took 56 years – why the delay?).

One thing about taking part in the rally, it means you're banned from the "joys" of check-point plotting, so you don't gain any unfair advantage over the other teams. So having had a forest-free autumn, I was looking forward to returning from "exile", having missed the camaraderie of c.p. plotting, early morning starts, falling over in the mud, and most importantly, scrambled egg on toast at the cafe!.

Arriving at Loughton Station first, I waited or the others to arrive. Will was next, but carrying very little for a night in the forest - no food, drink or torch even. However, it turned out he was not feeling well and was going to join us for a pre-rally drink and was then going to go home. Fortunately, Elliot was fighting fit, so it would be just the two of us, so now our team name "Trev's Trudging Trio" was a teeny bit wrong.

Arriving at High Beech and having confirmed the starting point, we ventured to the nearby pub for a couple of beers to fine tune our sense of direction. But alas, it was closed for a private function. This was not a good start, a man down and the pub shut. Un-deterred we re-assessed our plans and made off to the Wellington, as did a number of other teams who we saw there. 10 o'clock came and it was time to depart for the start. We said our goodbyes to the sickly Will and left him to meet his friends/ get attacked by an owl/ get run over in the dark of the forest (for those of a nervous disposition he did get home safely).

Arriving at the check point, we were greeted by some friendly faces, given our clues and card, and then spent the next 5 or so minutes huddled over the map checking co-ordinates to see which best matched the clues. Most were ok, except the last one, check-point 8, where 2 locations referred to bridges, so we plumped for the one which seemed most likely.

We then set off along a forest track towards check-point one, and could see a couple of walkers on the same track in the distance which gave us some encouragement. Arriving in the vicinity of checkpoint 1, it was like a scene from a Disney film, with dozens of torches all twinkling in the forest, searching for the tent. We continued down the hill for about 300 metres before bearing right into the forest. There was no sign of a tent, and not a lot of other torches either, Retracing our steps we found a track leading off into the woods which looked promising. Following this, we came across an increasing number of other teams, and there across a clearing was the tent. Our clue sheet said the tent would be illuminated, I was expecting a light display more similar to Blackpool at its best, rather than faintly glimmering lamps, nevertheless we'd found it. 1 down, 4 to go. Susan and Lynne signed our card and we set off for cp 5 (2nd in the 5 cp event). This is where it started to go wrong.

Having in previous years done check-point plotting, I know we normally use compass bearings to get back to a path. My brilliant idea was much easier - simply retrace our steps, using the incoming torches as a guide back to the track. After about 15 minutes of falling over tree-stumps and going round in circles we finally found our way back to the track which we came in on. Having found our way back to the road, we decided to follow it round and after a short time ended up back at the start point. Yes, I'd missed the turning.

A re-check of the maps and we decided we'd follow the roads to the next cp (number 5). After a mishap-free half hour (blimey!) we were at the horse ride leading to cp 5, a brisk stroll down the path, again with a fair number of teams about, and a quick foray into the woods and there was the checkpoint. Is this Jim and Sue's house? I enquired. The reply confirmed it was. Two checkpoints found, I wouldn't be frog-marched out of Efog at the next club night! This time we used the compass technique to get out, heading west and were back on the road in no time.

The route to the next cp looked straight-forward, follow the roads skirting the forest and then up Strawberry Hill, to the cp, after all who can get lost on the road? Answer – we can, and did. Somehow, we'd ended up in the outskirts of Loughton. After half hour or so exploring Loughton and avoiding the temptation of a late night kebab, we found the road to Strawberry Hill and an incredibly busy tea-point. The third checkpoint should be just along the track and to the left. After 5 minutes crawling through some of the densest undergrowth of the night, there was the checkpoint with Val and Eileen. We made our way back to the tea-point which was now much quieter. After some much needed refreshment we pushed onto the fourth check-point (cp8).

After a starlit walk along tracks and Fairmead Hill we arrived at the horse ride; following this, the check-point should be to our right. However, we couldn't see anything - other than trees - not even torches twinkling in the dark. We'd gone too far, instinct was telling me. We retraced our steps and after a short while glimpsed a track to the left, which looked likely. We wandered along this to about where we'd marked the spot on the map. "It should be around here" I said, by this stage fearing we'd got the wrong co-ordinates, "lets give it 20 or 30 minutes". By now though, people had begun to venture into the forest. Either, we were right, or they were equally lost and just following us. But after a few minutes, behold the 4th checkpoint. Card signed by Fred or Dave (we only saw a hand), we made our way back to the track and after a celebratory high-five headed to the village hall.

Following the road back to the village hall was straightforward (even for us!). We arrived back shortly after 3 a.m., giving us a time of just under 5 hours, and were very grateful to have a sit down, a cup of tea, a chat with the Efoggers who were on duty at the hall, and a much needed early breakfast.

It had been a good night, the weather had been almost perfect - quite mild with little wind - and chatting with some of the competitors on the way round, they had also enjoyed it. Oh, and somehow, we'd found all 5 checkpoints (I was not expecting that). I'm glad we had a go, perhaps next year, we'll have 2 teams. I'd like to thank all the EFOG members and past members who make it possible and Elliot for being willing to have a go and not losing the scorecard. It's a night like no other, and despite our mishaps was challenging and fun!

There's something quite strange about choosing to spend Saturday night wandering about looking for tents in the forest on a late autumn night, when everyone else is in bed, warm and asleep, but maybe that's part of the magic of the event. Well done all EFOG folk.

Trev Eley, 3rd December 2012

An Exploratory walk along the Lower Lea

(This wasn't a programmed EFOG walk, but was walked by two EFOG members - possibly as a pre-ramble to a possible ramble. If any members feel like doing it, let me know. It is a bit out-of-the-ordinary and a not-very-difficult 5 miles or so.)

A nice sunny day after a dull rainy one yesterday, and Pam and I decided to take a walk – which turned out to be a little on the wild side in a couple of ways.

I'd done this walk before, or something very close to it, early last year. Then – as today – was a bit of an exploration to see if it was yet possible to negotiate the lower reaches of the Lea without negotiating too much of industrial Canning Town. It turned out that it is not yet possible...

Pudding Mill Lane DLR was the starting point, and even the station entrance approach looked very different from when the Group had used it for last-year's tour of the pre-Olympic Park. Walking in the general direction of the Bow flyover, we first tried a somewhat overgrown ex-towpath to our right at the first bit of “back-river” that we came to. Apart from a welcome from a worried security guard, the way proved – not unexpectedly – not very welcoming and led us nowhere you'd want to be or could get out of.

An anti-nuclear ecological green man by the gasworksHowever, on the other bank and in the other direction (ie back towards Stratford), a new section of river (or canal)-side path has been created, so we went along that. It is a short stretch, and leads to a rather important lock in the confused water system here. I understand that it is a bit special because at one time it locked water that was tidal both sides. Whether that's true now I couldn't work out. There is a very attractive (sort of) ex lock-keepers cottage here, painted in a shade of blue that is almost totally out of keeping with the rest of the buildings hereabouts, but which will probably become famous.

Crossing the Stratford-to-Bow Road, we visited part of the premises of what used to be a pigment & resin company - or maybe paint. Something has sprung up here that looks like an on-end cheese skyscraper, but Pam explained that it probably represents one of the Olympic torches. There's also a plainly attractive outdoor seating area next to the cut, which is associated with an indoor eating experience with prices that represent just what the east-end is coming to.

We didn't eat there, but staved off hunger and thirst in favour of the more homely fare of the House Mill at Bromley-by-Bow – an area which the Group is completely familiar with 'cos I've walked you there before. Crossing the great tidal lock-gates at Bow Locks, we had to necessarily back-track along the first real wilderness: Gillender Street. This is the Gillender Street which the south-bound Blackwall Tunnel traffic is always backing up to, though why anyone would want to back up to this...

Canary Wharf from the Private bridge at Bow LocksThe back-track was to enable crossing of the Lea itself, by means of the Private bridge that always led to the gas-works. Now that the gas-works doesn't work anymore, the Private bridge now allows ordinary pedestrians, buses and vehicles that have due reason to cross it, across. I found this out the last (and first) time I'd been to “the other bank” (ie the Essex side), for now a new footpath - aptly but stupidly named “The Fat Walk” - has been provided as part of the 50 mile Lea Valley Path, from Luton to the Thames. Last time I'd walked the Fat Path alone, this time I had Pam with me so felt safer. It is nice and wide (“Fat Walk”, see!), has seats and lights, but is totally disconnected from any other human beings except walkers and rogues and footpads (and maybe cyclists) by a twenty-foot fence. You could have a great audience of spectators whilst a footpad was demanding your purse. Anyway, we saw a bloke walking his dogs – which barked but wagged their tails as well, so that was alright.

This lovely path – and it is nice, albeit the Middlesex bank is mostly scrapyards – runs alongside the tidal Lea, with the wildness of reed-beds and mud-banks edging it. Swans, Mallards, Cormorants, Gulls, rafts of Teal, Wagtails – even a Sandpiper – were all to be seen. Then we reached the barrier where I'd been stymied last time. A couple of hundred metres beyond can be seen what appears to be a continuation of the path, but between it and us is Cody Dock. I moaned of course that by the time any connection will be made to enable the Lea-side path to reach the Thames I shall be extinct or at least more decrepit than I am now. We turned back to where it is possible to follow a passage through the business estate area (reason for the fences) and out into real streets. One of the real streets – near Star Lane DLR – is Stephenson Street, and if you'd like a taste and smell of real Victorian-style east London, that'd be a good place to go. I don't like it very much.

Stephenson Street sort of spills -  or perhaps vomits - onto the Canning Town Flyover, but we went under it. There is an encouraging notice: “ Bow Creek Ecology Park”, and then the approach dives into a black hole to which at least somebody has added a burnt out three-piece suite, amongst other things. On the other side of the black hole, “Bow Creek Ecology Park” is writ in large friendly letters across the tarmac alongside part of the DLR. To cross the DLR and access Canning Town Station a new ramped bridge has been built. It had been built last time, but the same fence inhibiting access is still there, so you can't get that way to the station. I was back to my rantings about a tower block in Stratford going up between going to bed one night and getting up the following morning and the non-opening of a pedestrian bridge after two years.

Fat Boy's Diner at Trinity Buoy WharfThe ecology park is actually a nice place. I've been there before and it has a lot of managed wildness about it – very pretty and with bees and things in the summer. But it wasn't summer and the clocks have gone back and the sun was getting low, so we crossed the Blue Bridge and walked towards Orchard Place and our Thames-side destination. Orchard Place is one of those out-of-the-way places that is just being discovered by London and the World. I discovered it quite a few years ago, after hearing tales of the strange, in-bred community that once lived here, separated from their fellow men – even those that lived in Poplar a mile away.

Surprisingly, I thought, there were a few other visitors making their way towards London's Lighthouse. Oh Yes there is! It is an intrinsic component of Trinity Buoy Wharf, where there is also a Perpetual Music Player and Fat Boy's Diner, where we dined on burgers, cokes and milk shakes as the Sun went down. The tenders in the diner were Sicilians, but there was at least a woman customer from California to give it some sense of reality.

The metal gates of the old East India Dock were still open as we walked back along Orchard Place in a rapidly darkening evening, but we went in anyway to look at the river and Canary Wharf in a dull red sunset. Just opposite is the Doom, or Otwo as it is now termed, all illuminated-like. East India Dock Basin – now another wildlife and dog-walking area – was not illuminated and I had difficulty finding my way out the other side, but luckily a handy dog-walker knew her way, or the dog did, so we followed.

We came back by train, East India DLR station being nearby.

Paul Ferris, Remembrance Sunday, November, 2012

 

For more information on the missing link in the path at Cody Dock, have a  look at this website:

 http://www.gasworksdock.org.uk/index.php?mact=News

As walkers, you may even consider contributing to the fund, as I have done. We spoke to a member of the Gasworks Dock organisation who is trying to do something about it.

There is a nice pdf file available from London Borough of Newham about the proposals for the "Fatwalk" by clicking here