efog-blog
Roding Riverside Walk
A not-so-hot-as-it-has-been Saturday August 1st, 2026, and Trevor had advised a 10.30am departure from Redbridge Station for a riverside walk in my local area.
As this walk would be in familiar territory along a familiar river and familiarly near home – if not family – I decided that I would ignore complaints from my ankles and join the group. A simple bus ride to Wanstead was followed by a not-at-all simple descent down the 99 stairs at Wanstead Station to the platform, which is 29 metres below the surface. It would have been fine if I had been coming out of the station, because the escalator was working in the up-mode, but not down.
Anyway, it was nice to get off the train at Redbridge at almost the exact point at which Trevor was sitting in the cool, as we were early and there is not much shade up top and outside.
We met some others off subsequent trains heading eastwards. There were a lot of trains heading eastwards even in the short time we were sitting there, so there would doubtless be a large collection at Hainault, as there seemed few coming back.
There are only 39 steps to the surface at Redbridge Station ('Only 39 Steps' could make a good title for a book?), so that was alright, and we emerged into the sunshine and warmth of the above ground.,Some more EFOG members were basking in the sunshine there, ready for the walk, so we had a total of 12 ready for the adventure.
At precisely 10.30, or maybe a little later, we were led off – having missed the bus to Stanstead which we had not intended to take anyway. Using a pedestrian tunnel to cross the Redbridge Roundabout system (any other means is foolish) we soon entered onto the unpaved foot-and-cycle path that – after paralleling the northbound A406 for a while – leads to the famous River Roding. Trevor confused at least one northerner who was with us and unfamiliar with local rivers, geography, or Trevor's and my senses of reality, by saying that it was actually the source of the Thames.
The riverside walk by the Roding at this point is realistic as a fact, but the fact is not really supported visually, ‘cos it’s difficult to know that it is even there. It’s to do with intervening vegetation. I bored almost everybody by pointing out at one point (where we actually could see the river) that across the river was Wanstead Park. Most of the group – if not all – knew that, but what perhaps most did not know was that behind us was also Wanstead Park. This is a small area called Whiskers Island, which is not really an island and for some anomalous reason is part of the park, even though it is on the ‘wrong’ bank. A bit like North Woolwich being in Kent until it was moved.
We did have a lovely view of the Roding from the bridge that does cross it, where lots of flowery and sedgy vegetation has been allowed to grow in and by the river. Butterflies and damselflies enhanced the view, and a couple of group photos were taken to prove that we’d been there.
I kept quiet about the glories and historical relevance of ‘The Old Sewage Works’ that we passed through before entering Wanstead Park proper. If I had been leading the walk people would have been bored silly long before halfway through.
We admired a corner of the Ornamental Waters - which is a silly name because it is now waterless - then continued our journey through Wanstead Park, walking along the north side of Perch Pond. At the east end of Perch Pond, near the tea hut, we had a quick look for Roman tesserae at a spot where I have found them in previous (but non-Roman) times. This is near where it is believed a Roman villa was situated (back in Roman times). We didn’t find any tesserae, so we continued the walk.
Leaving the nearby tea hut until later, we walked the length of the Heronry Pond and had a look at the Shoulder of Mutton Pond – which is the first in the succession of lakes that form the water features of Wanstead Park. At least we did see a couple of Herons there. We returned to the tea hut, having mostly circumnavigated Heronry Pond – where we didn’t see any Herons but did see a duck with a single (late) duckling, the rest of her brood likely having been eaten by Black-backed Gulls.
The tea hut, of course, proved popular with the group, and we sat at various tables and benches to avail ourselves of refreshments. On such a fine day – not really too hot considering what we have been through recently – it was a bit of a surprise to me that there were so few other people around. It is often so busy – the tea hut being open 365 days a year, and very reasonably priced.
Trevor’s plan was to continue around more of the park, and then on to Wanstead Station, but my ankles were complaining a bit and to keep them quiet I left the group there to walk home – home being more that side of the park than Wanstead.
Thanks you Trevor, for leading the walk, and thanks to the rest of the walkers for the company.
Paul Ferris, 1st August 2026
River Roding and Wanstead Park
The first day of August 2026, and it’s a very local walk, from Redbridge Station to Wanstead. Arriving early, I sought shelter from the sun by waiting down on the platform, in the cool rather than in the sunshine outside. Having met with some of group on the platform we ventured outside into the light to meet the others.
There were 12 of us in all, and after applying sun-cream as needed, we headed off towards the roundabout, before turning down a road beside the A406 exit slip road and turning right down a track to meet up with the River Roding. We then turned left to walk along the river bank, with the river on our right and the trees providing some welcome shade.
After about a mile or so, we crossed over the river, pausing on the bridge for photos, before turning right to enter Wanstead Park.
We then walked around two of the ponds in the park, stopping at one of them, where it is thought that there was once a Roman villa. Evidence of this seems to have been the discovery of relics including bits of Roman mosaic, pottery, ring pulls and coins dated 20 B.C. But to my mind the clincher is that it’s near to the tea hut, so Julius and his friends wouldn’t have to walk far for a tea and cakes (or teaus and cakeius as it would have been called in those days!).
Anyway, after walking around the two ponds, pausing at Shoulder of Mutton Pond - where Richard spotted a couple of herons - we arrived back at the tea hut, where we met Ian and had some much deserved refreshments. Afterwards, Paul headed off while we continued back to the River Roding and walked along the other bank of the river, following it round with the sad looking dried out Ornamental Water (or lack of) on our left. We passed the spots where you can access the river, when it’s not too high, before taking the slope up the hill to Warren Road, from where we followed the roads to Wanstead Station.
The walk had been about 5 miles long and mostly in the shade to avoid the most intense of the sun’s heat and we had kept fairly cool on another hot day. Well done to everyone for coming and making it an enjoyable wander.
Trev Eley, 3rd August 2026
Epping Forest Circular Walk
Nine EFOG members met at Loughton Station on 25th July 2026 for a circular walk in Epping Forest. After enjoying one of the ‘Lions on the Loose’ Art Trail sculptures currently on offer around Loughton for St Clare Hospice, we joined the forest from The Stubbles, visiting Strawberry Hill Pond where the water level was well down but still had a few ducks on it.
We made our way through the forest, over the Epping New Road and through to Connaught Waters where we met up with Kathy & Brian for a circular walk around lake. Louise left us at this stage and went with Kathy & Brian back to Chingford, leaving eight of us to continue the days walk. We cut through the forest from Connaught Water to join up with Green Ride, taking this path all the way through to cross over at Cross Roads, where due to the heat we unanimously decided to forgo the ‘ups and downs’ and all decided to take the flatter route through the forest to the back of the Epping Forest Field Centre. When we got there we found four benches set out perfectly for a very nice quite lunch spot before heading over to the Ice Cream van at High Beech for suitable refreshment.
After dropping into the Visitors Centre, we continued our walk via the Mount Pleasant ride, crossing back over Epping New Road and joining up with the Green ride where at Sandpit Plain we continued down the big hill before cutting into the forest to see the dried up Loughton Brook and the empty Staples Pond/Loughton Reservoir, due to the current drought. We then cut through to Forest Road and the group then made their way back to Loughton Station. By my step counter the route was just under 7miles, the weather was lovely if a tad warm, but the forest gave lots of shade in places and it was a joy to be walking and enjoying good company and the forest
Sue S. 26th July 2026
Forest Gate Garden Open Day
For those EFOG members that were unable to attend the Forest Gate garden open day on Sunday 19th, here are some of the comments left in the visitors book:
Beautiful and bountiful. A wonderful treat every year.
Awesome! First time visitors, but we will be back.
Brilliant – as always.
Fabulous & inspiring.
A gloriously colourful and cornucopic garden. Breathtaking.
Absolutely amazing – spectacular. Wow! Thank you for the privilege.
Breathtaking – such talent and superb plant husbandry.
The garden appears to be more colourful than ever. Such huge tomatoes!
Should be R.H.S.! Better than Hidicote!
Amazing space! Thanks for all your hard work making such an oasis.
We had about 140 visitors in the 5 hours it was open – many having been on numerous previous ‘open days’. The funds raised on these days are always for charities, this one for a variety of charities, and organised by the National Garden Scheme (https://ngs.org.uk/). I think that only two EFOG members visited – and one of these was myself, as I was collecting the entrance fees (£4.00).
There were lots of lovely cakes, as well as tea and coffee available. The cakes are made by Jan – the owner of the garden – and neighbours. There were lots of plants for sale, many grown by Jan and some gifted by neighbours. Most of these plants tend to do very well, as they are grown locally and lovingly, and so are used to local conditions.
Altogether we raised £1290 for the charities – not bad for what seems like a day’s work but in fact has been days, weeks and months of work for Jan, and lots of hours put in by all who helped on the day.
Next time that you get the opportunity to visit this amazing garden, do try to do so. You will help the charities and might be a little bit surprised by this garden in a terraced house in Forest Gate.
For photos and more information, see below:
https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/20433/42_latimer_road
Paul Ferris 20th July 2026
Olympic and Victoria Parks Walk
A warm sunny morning, Saturday 11th July, and we’re meeting at Stratford station at the slightly earlier time of 10.30 due to: (a) the hot weather, (b) tonight’s quiz having been brought forward an hour due to a certain football competition (well, that worked out well didn’t it, what is it with England and semi-finals!) and (c) the Wimbledon ladies’ tennis final.
Anyway, nine of us met up at the station entrance and we headed off through Westfield towards the Olympic Park. We crossed the bridge over the River Lea and turned right down the slope just before the football stadium to reach Carpenter’s Lock, where there was an information board. We crossed over the river and then walked along the river to the Great British Garden, which was designed by various gardeners for the Olympic Development.
Rejoining the road, we then took a riverside path to Old Ford Lock, where we spotted a terrapin basking on a stone. We then headed north along the Lee Navigation and crossed the waterway before turning to walk along the Hertford Union Canal, which connects the Lee Navigation with the Regents Canal. It’s a very short canal but does have three locks and there’s also a link to the country’s first railway murder.
Upon reaching the Regents Canal, we walked along it for a brief while to the next lock, where we left the canal for the delights of Victoria Park, walking alongside the West Lake before turning right by the sunken gardens and an avenue of trees which provided a suitable shaded area for lunch.
Having refuelled, we continued along the driveway to Grove Road, where a couple of people departed, whilst we continued back through the park, passing East Lake before heading back to the Hertford Union Canal, rejoining it at the top lock and then retracing our steps to the Lee Navigation.
From here we continued on Carpenters Road to a road bridge where we turned right up a slope and headed back to Westfield with the River Lea now below us to our left side, before crossing over the bridge from paragraph 2 above (which is what I’ll now call the bridge, until I get fed up with it’s stupid new name!) and heading back into the joys(!) of the Westfield shopping centre, where some of us headed to the café in a large well-known department store for a refreshing drink and cake.
The walk had been just over 5 miles long, mostly by rivers and canals or shaded areas of the park. Well done to those who braved the heat and six of us completed the full walk. A very enjoyable waterside jaunt.
Trev (Pathfinder) Eley, 17th July 2026
Epping Forest Outdoor Group - 70th Birthday Party
The Group celebrated its 70th birthday on Saturday 20th June with a party at our regular meeting place in the ROVSCO Scout hall at Snaresbrook.
Our group, which enjoys a wide range of social events, including walks, cycle rides, theatre visits and sports events as well as a weekly Thursday night social evening, was started in 1956 in Walthamstow, and has been going successfully for 70 years. Originally affiliated to the Youth Hostel Association, it is now run by and for its members. The group’s current program has something on every week and most weekends, as well as midweek events.
The party was from 2pm until 5pm, and about 40 current and former members met up to celebrate and reminisce, with food and entertainment provided by the group and its members. Group vice-chairman Peter Gamble - who was a member from the early days of the group - said, “It was a very enjoyable party and was good to catch up with former members and old friends.”
