efog-blog
Myddelton House Gardens
Some photos from a 7th February 2026 visit to the gardens of Myddelton House, near Bulls Cross, Enfield, led by Lynne.
The garden was developed by Edward Augustus Bowles, a self-taught horticulturist and one of the great gardeners of the 20th century. He became an expert on many plants, and particularly the Crocus, which led him to be dubbed “The Crocus King”.
Myddelton House was built for Henry Carrington Bowles and completed in 1818. He passed the house on to his son, who in turn passed it on to his nephew, Henry Carrington Bowles Treacher. Treacher assumed the name Bowles by Royal Licence in order to inherit the estate.
It was named Myddelton House in honour of Sir Hugh Myddelton, an engineer who created the New River, part of which flows through the grounds. The New River is an artificial waterway, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from Chadwell and Amwell Springs near Ware in Hertfordshire. It now terminates at the East Reservoir in Stoke Newington, now known as Woodberry Wetlands – a nature reserve managed by the London Wildlife Trust.
The New River Walk
(above) Photos by Jill S.
Photos by Lorraine
The New River in fast flow
a teasle head
The Rock Garden
(above) Photos by Madeleine
Three Rivers Walk - Lewisham to New Beckenham
A walk on Saturday 31st January 2026, led by Trevor and incorporating three South London rivers - the Quaggy, the Ravensbourne, and the Pool.
The last day in January and a cloudy but dry day, saw 5 of us - Richard, Fozi, Eileen, Marian and I - meet up at Stratford to catch the DLR south of the river to Lewisham. Meeting up with Kathy and Brian on route, we arrived there and were soon joined by Madeleine, Annick, Peter and Lynne.
Setting off we headed to the High Street, passing the confluence (convergence) of the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy, with its adjacent green space creating a mini oasis of nature amidst the towers of Lewisham. We crossed the road, noting a recent piece of art commemorating the “Great flood of Lewisham” in 1968, and followed the Quaggy before it disappeared into a culvert which runs along the High Street in front of the police station. I have seen grey wagtails on this short stretch of the river, but not today.
We then entered Lewisham shopping centre, pausing to buy lunch, before exiting to the right at the far end of the shopping centre, and turning left towards a roundabout, then right towards Ladywell. Crossing over Ladywell Road we entered a quiet green space, St Mary’s Garden, before crossing over the river Ravensbourne into Ladywell Fields and then turning left to follow the river through the park, passing a colourful National Cycle Network sign. We continued, crossing over the river and the railway, passing the Alex Yee Ladywell Arena (renamed in late 2024 in honour of local triathlete, Alex Yee, the 2024 World and Olympic champion).
We then stopped for lunch at a couple of handily-sited picnic tables, close to the Lewisham Dutch Elm, which is one of the few Elm trees in London to have survived the Dutch Elm disease outbreaks of last century and is considered one of the great trees of London. After lunch we continued to Catford Bridge Station, where Fozi, Annick and Peter jumped on the train home, whilst we continued southwards, through a retail park to enter the River Pool Linear Park and followed the river to its confluence with the River Pool.
From here we followed our third river of the day, the River Pool, through the park, until it departed to the left. We continued past Lower Sydenham station to rejoin the River Pool at the riverside walk in New Beckenham, crossing the road to enter Cator Park, with the river on our left. We followed the river and at a path junction turned left to follow the Green Chain Walk/ Capital Ring from the park, passing some large houses to nearby New Beckenham Station, where the train arrived at the same time as we did, which was lucky, or well planned!
The total length of the walk had been about 4½ to 5 miles, mostly on level paths and the rain had held off. What a fabulous riverside walk it had been, a hidden treasure of south-east London. Where will our next walk take us?
Trev (Pathfinder) Eley
Peter B. and two slabs from the Berlin Wall, now installed in Lewisham Shopping Centre. 
A stunning mural at the entry to one of the footpaths
The group around one of the National Cycle Network markers in Ladywell Fields
Photos by Madeleine
Hanningfield Reservoir Walk
It was a pleasant Saturday 17th January morning when we met up to head for Hanningfield Reservoir. Some met at Eagle Lane for the benefit of those without cars and some headed straight there. En route we saw a herd of deer near Brentwood and a little further on 3 Little Egrets enjoying the water in a flooded field.
A total of 16 of us then arrived at the Café on the Water for refreshments. At about 11.45 we headed out for the walk which took us through the woods to the south side of the reservoir. We passed the Essex Wildlife Trust Visitor centre and near there a few wood carvings of the Wind in the Willows characters, then popping into a couple of hides ended up back at the café for lunch. It was fairly busy so there was a bit of a wait for some of the food, but it was worth it. It probably gets even busier in summer when water sports are happening.
Unfortunately the reservoir level was very low so the wildlife wasn’t particularly near the hides, but we were told there were Widgeon visible with binoculars.
We walked a total of about 2.5 miles.
Richard, 20th January 2026
Photo by Trev.
A Walk in the Abridge area
It was a dark and stormy night. 16 EFOGERS tried to sleep, tossing and turning, concerned about the next day's marathon walk.
Thankfully, the storm passed leaving a calm but cold morning. Relieved, the intrepid 16 met their fearless leader at the start of the marathon. Penned in by high fences the feareless EFOGERS stomped joyfully onward, pleasantly surprised by the lack of mud. Over fields and through forests they travelled, finally reaching the first sanctuary: the beautiful medieval church at Lambourne End. After taking in its beauty, the quest continued - more unforgiving fields, more scary forests - until on the horizon the second refuge appeared: the watering hole known as The Blue Rooms Café, where a hearty welcome and delicious food was gleefully provided.
Fully refreshed, the EFOGERS ventured forth into the wilds once more, still surprised about the lack of mud...!!! More fields and forests were navigated, safely avoiding the many dangerous wild beasts of those parts. Eventually the intrepid wanderers returned to their waiting chariots, happy and thankful to have completed such a wonderful quest.
Lambourne End Church
The Blue Rooms Cafe
Ian. January 2026
Dagenham East to Elm Park Walk
It was the Saturday before Christmas (Saturday 20th December) and with the days being short, but hopefully sunny, we were going to have a fairly local walk around some of the lesser well-known parts of Essex / East London.
We met up at Dagenham East station at 11 a.m. There were 10 of us, which I thought was a good turnout for this time of year. After some of us grabbed a drink from the kiosk at the station, we set off, turning right out of the station before entering the footpath adjacent to the District Line, which leads to Beam Country Park.
At the entrance there was a wooden marker post which was made from timber recycled from the old Woolwich Ferry piers, which were demolished as part of the Woolwich Ferry Improvement scheme, which I worked on a few years ago, and there are quite a number of these recycled posts across the park.
We walked along the footpath, between the train and underground lines on one side and a fishing lake on the other, before crossing over the train lines via a footbridge. We continued ahead before turning left and then right between a car park and sports ground, and then right again to reach Tom Thumb Lake on our left. We stopped there shortly to look at the wildlife on the lake, ducks, gulls, Canada geese and a heron at the far end of the lake, before continuing to a surfaced path and turning right.
We passed a couple of sculptures on an art trail, these being an artistic tortoise and a barn owl, diverging from the path to eventually turn left and head slightly uphill to a convenient bench for a short break with some mince pies and other goodies from “Santa Trev”. We continued to a car park where we turned right and headed along a dirt road past a cemetery and riding school, crossing over the River Rom (as in Romford) to Upper Rainham Road, where we crossed over to enter Harrow Lodge Park.
We then headed up the left side of the park through trees and along footpaths with the lake over to our right, before reaching a car park where we turned right, heading downhill to the river Ravensbourne. We then turned right to follow the river along to the lake, which is home to a variety of birds, including a large number of swans. At the lake we stopped at the café for well-deserved refreshments, which we enjoyed sitting outside (what in December!) overlooking the lake.
Suitably refreshed, we then made our way to Elm Park station, an easy 10-minute walk, and everyone made their way home. The weather had been good beyond my expectation, sunny and warm, and the walk had been 5 miles, which is what I said it would be (blimey that’s a rarity!). A very nice pre-Christmas walk. Thanks to all those who came.
Trev Eley