Snaresbrook to Chingford

Twelve of us met at the clubhouse in Snaresbrook on a sunny Saturday 29th of July. Setting off, we passed Eagle Pond and noticed the large number of swans. Avian Flu does not seem to have had much impact here! A stop at Birch Well, an important source of water in the early 19th century, and then on past Hollow Pond.

The Birch Well, SnaresbrookCrossing the busy Woodford New Road we walked up through Canada Plain, meeting other walkers going the opposite way and, like ourselves, enjoying the weather.

There is a steep ascent on the way to the bridge over Forest Road and it was here that Fred showed his true colours, slipping on the surface and taking firm hold of Laurel as he struggled to remain upright.

Walking on the bridge over the North Circular Road only emphasises what a scar on the landscape it is and how much it has affected the forest. Couldn’t they have done a Bell Common here and put it underground?

Into Walthamstow Forest (the “waste”) roughly following the “Old Woodford Road” we crossed Oak Hill and headed up to the Bridle Path and into The Sale. A previous walk along here had come across a swing hanging from a tree and sure enough, there was a swing this time. Regrettably none of us were flexible enough to get our legs over the rather high bar and so a photo opportunity was missed.

We had been warned by Kathy that Humphrey’s café in Highams Park was shut because builders were in and we therefore stopped at the southern end of Highams Lake. There were only a couple of benches but a high wall provided amusement as some of us struggled to climb it. Kathy joining us meant that we were now 13 and sure enough, immediately after we set off again, Fred fell over, cutting his head. The group had already split up and an activity that Efoggers will recognise was taking place, namely shouting loudly to try and find the missing members. Eventually we all joined up again and Fred’s wound was dealt with.

Across Chingford Lane we now started to follow the route of the River Ching, changed from the name River Bourne in the 19th century to take the name of the surrounding are. It is normally the other way round. People were getting tired now and we left Fred at Whitehall Road to take a bus home while the rest of us climbed past Whitehall Plain to Rangers Road and our finish at The View visitor centre.

Brian U.   5th August 2023