Finsbury Park and Woodberry Wetlands

On Saturday 13th July 2024, on a typical British summer day, eleven of us met at Finsbury Park Station for a 5 mile walk.

Mr. Toad by the New RiverIgnoring the temptation to join the throngs heading for the Wireless Festival, we entered Finsbury Park by the Stroud Green Road entrance and skirted round the festival barricades. We paused briefly by the lake where there was a grey heron, then passed the café before heading through the McKenzie Gardens. We then followed a short stretch of the London Ring as we headed for The New River. Probably because of the many new flats developments in the area, the path is well maintained and in some parts even landscaped.

Castle Climbing Centre, Clissold ParkAs we meandered along the river we spotted swans with their cygnets and coots and ducks with their young. There was also a small seating area near one of the newish flats developments where there were wood sculptures of Mole and Mr Toad from 'The Wind in the Willows'. A short distance further on we turned left over a wooden bridge and into the Woodberry Wetlands area, where there is the Coal House Café. This was an excellent place to stop for lunch, overlooking the East Reservoir.

Suitably refreshed, we then completed a circuit of the reservoir (on the recce the previous week I’d seen plenty of swifts flying in and out of the reeds, but they weren’t in evidence today) and rejoined the New River Path. We continued along past the West Reservoir until we came to the Castle Climbing Centre (a possible EFOG activity?) then turned right up Green Lanes. We then went along the road to the junction where there is Manor House Station. Two members decided to catch the tube there, and the others crossed over to walk through Finsbury Park and back to the station with the festival music (?) playing beside us. We saw the steam from a steam train going under the footbridge but were too far away at the time to see the actual train – a quick Google search at home suggests it was the locomotive 'Blue Peter' hauling a train on a special run from Kings Cross to Doncaster.

Also, due to the festival, there was a minor diversion via the roads back to the station.

Richard.  13th July 2024

Romford to Havering Park Walk

Sunday June 23rd and another hilly London walk. Having explored south, north and west London it was about time to have one on our home patch, east London. So it was that I arrived at Romford station just before 11 a.m. and was soon joined by Sue, Jill V and Nigel, as well and Francesca and Elliot from my 18 Plus group.

Leaving the station we headed along Eastern Road continuing to reach the entrance to Lodge Farm Park, the first of the five parks that the walk would take us through. Sadly, the park’s miniature railway, which is open two Sundays a month in the summer, was not working, although it was when I trialled the walk. Exiting the park we crossed over the main road and entered Raphael Park. We followed the path by the lake with its fountain, and came to the statues of Percy the Park Keeper and his animal friends. Percy is the star of the children’s books by local author Nick Butterworth, and also an animated TV series. Give yourself a point if you know who voiced Percy in the series (answer later).

Leaving Percy and friends we exited the park, continued to and crossed over the A12 and soon entered Rise Park, following the “Thomas England Walk” around the edge of the park, passing a fitness trail and a small brook to reach Lower Bedford Road. We entered Bedfords Park, and climbed to the summit of Foxes Hill, with some good views over the Thames Valley and beyond including the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. We then continued through the park, spotting buzzards and hobbies on route to the visitor centre for our lunch stop and more great views.

Suitably refreshed, we had a look at the resident herd of Red Deer, then continued past the car park, through woods and along a grassy plain with Havering Water Tower ahead. We left the park and turned left reaching Havering-atte-Bower cricket ground, which surely has some of the finest views of any cricket ground. Continuing, we soon reached the top of Orange Tree Hill, one of the highest in London. We crossed the village green and entered our fifth and final park, Havering Country Park, where we headed downhill through an avenue of impressive Wellingtonia or Giant Redwood trees before exiting onto a lane with more glorious views over London, and from here we made our way back to some houses to catch a bus back to Romford.

The walk was about 6 miles with some good views, a variety of terrain and things to see and learn about, all virtually on our doorstep, but I certainly wasn’t aware of all this until recently!. And the answer to the quiz – the voice of Percy the Park Keeper in the TV series was provided by Jim Broadbent, well done if you knew that. .

Trev Eley  2nd July 2024

Clacton Holiday Weekend 2024

The last weekend in April was Andrea and Eileen’s Clacton weekend break. I was sharing a caravan with Eileen, Fozi and Louise at Weeley, just outside Clacton, and arriving first, set off to explore the small village of Weeley, which didn’t take long! Getting ready to go out, I realised we didn’t have any hot water, and told the site reception, who sent an engineer to fix the problem. Fozi and Louise weren’t going to the Thai restaurant, where we were going with Andrea, Sarah, Cathy and Richard, so Eileen and I set off, whilst they stayed at the caravan. However, the engineer couldn’t fix the problem, so we were upgraded to another caravan, moving some of our stuff overnight and the rest in the morning.

Saturday saw an early start. We all met at Andrea’s house at 10 a.m. and were soon joined by Annick, Frances, Peter and Parviz, who were also on the caravan site. The plan was for a country walk visiting a gin distillery, the backwaters for lunch and return to Thorpe-Le-Soken, about 6 miles. We arrived early at the nearby East Coast Distillery site and were given an entertaining talk on how the gin is produced and flavoured and, more importantly, sample some of the products. Whilst I’m no gin drinker, it was still very good visit. .

After the tour we set off to the nearby backwaters for a waterside lunch, and after lunch headed off on the waterside footpath which should lead us back to Thorpe. After about 10 minutes, I was beginning to have doubts. We should have been heading inland, but instead the water was widening (considerably) which didn’t bode well. Checking the map confirmed that we were on the right footpath, but heading in the wrong direction. A quick about turn and having checked with a local we were now going the right way, we had a pleasant river/ countryside walk back to Thorpe.

In the evening we all had a meal in Clacton, followed by a show at one of the local theatres. It was an 80’s music evening, with the group performing many 1980’s electro-pop songs, by bans like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode and other synthesizer based bands. Personally, I loved all that type of music, so thought it was a good evening.

On Sunday, we all went to Holland-on-Sea and enjoyed a bracing walk along the sea-front, although it was too cold for a paddle. We then went to Brightlingsea for lunch, a warming cafe and a visit to the local museum with a walk along the river-front and around town. Returning to the cars, Eileen asked whether she needed to use Sat-Nav or if I was confident to navigate the 10 mile journey back, which obviously I was. After about an hour, as we were approaching Birmingham, I was beginning to have doubts (no only joking! – we were good, although my constant comments of “blimey I’m good” every time we passed something in vaguely the right place, were probably beginning to grate).

In the evening we all went for a curry at a restaurant in Thorpe-Le-Soken, which was very nice, and a fabulous way to round off the weekend, after which we said our farewells to everyone and headed back to the caravan for a final night.

I would like to thank Andrea and Eileen for organising the weekend, sorting out the accommodation, and arranging some excellent walks (and visits) and good places to eat.

Trev Eley,  20th May 2024

Norfolk Broads Holiday 2024

Arriving at the boat yard at Potter Heigham, via train, bus, a mile walk and a lift from a kind local couple, I checked in and boarded our boat for the weekend and was soon joined by Peter, Annick and Fozi. Having had the boat tour with a member of the boatyard staff, we loaded up the boat with considerable luggage, bought some ships provisions, and cast off for our destination for the evening.

On leaving the boatyard we headed south turning into the River Bure, passing through Horning and reached and moored up at Salhouse Broad after a couple of hours cruising. We then headed to the pub about a mile away for our evening meal, before returning to the boat in the dark afterwards, with our torches lighting the way through the wooded pathway to the Broad.

On Sunday we cast off, with Annick at the helm doing a good job steering the boat. We rejoined the main river, heading back past Horning, hoping to moor at Ranworth for lunch. To my surprise, there were a couple of spaces available so we moored up and had lunch. We then headed to the nearby nature reserve, where one of the few remaining wherries was moored up and open to visitors, so we had a look around it as well as the nature reserve.

Returning to our boat, we cast off and then headed up the River Ant to Stalham, passing under the low and narrow bridge at Ludham Bridge and crossing the exposed expanse of water at Barton Broad. As we neared Stalham, a kingfisher flew down the river passing by the side of the boat. At Stalham we moored up in the boatyard for the evening before handing off into the town for our meal.

On Monday morning, we departed the busy boatyard and headed back along the River Ant, passing close by another kingfisher perched on a branch, to moor at How Hill, where we had a walk round the wildlife trial walk, and spotted a deer, and visited the “secret” garden. Returning to the boat we had lunch, and I heard the low pitched boom of a bittern from the reed beds across the river. We left to continue down the River Ant, retracing our route, back under the little bridge, to moor up at Ludham for the final evening. After a couple of hours we arrived at Ludham and moored up in glorious sunshine. .

Tuesday morning saw an early start, and after a short cruise of about 40 minutes, we arrived back at our home boatyard, where we moored up amidst all the other boats, before unloading and heading back home. It had been a good weekend with everyone back safe and sound, no-one falling in the water or any other mishaps, and the weather had been good all weekend. Thanks to Peter, Annick and Fozi for their help with the moorings and keeping us supplied with teas, lunches, etc. I think I’m getting the hang of this lark.

Trev Eley.  15th May 2024