efog-blog
Perivale to Northolt Walk
Easter Saturday - 31st March 2024 - was warm and sunny, just perfect for a good walk, the latest of my hilly London walks. Having met Cathy, Richard and Lorraine at Stratford station we took the central line to Perivale where we met Louise and Ken, who were on the same train as us, and were soon joined by Laurel and Fozi. We set off heading towards the Grand Union Canal and Horsenden Hill. Crossing over the canal we turned toward Horsenden Farm and visitor centre, where we had an early refreshment break (we’d only been walking 15 minutes!) at the pop-up cafe.
Suitably refreshed we started the climb up to Horsenden Hill, with fine views of the City and surrounding area on our route. It wasn’t too muddy, but was a good climb. We reached the disc and foot golf course and edged round this to the trig point on the grass plateau at the summit of the hill offering superb panoramic views. After taking in the views we descended to an old car park and followed the path down back to where we crossed the canal and turned to walk along the towpath.
We shortly reached the turn-off to Greenford station, where Fozi left us, heading off through an enclosure housing a family of beavers recently introduced into the area, whilst we continued along the towpath. After a while I spotted a couple of cormorants sunning themselves at the top of a tree and it then turned out there was a whole row of trees, each which two or three cormorants perched at the top of them, basking in the warmth of the day, and maybe scanning the canal for their next meal.
After a couple of miles we turned off the towpath and headed towards Northolt, passing under the A40 to Northala Fields, a park opened in 2008. We headed to the cafe for some, this time, well earned refreshments. Afterwards we climbed the second highest of the 4 man-made hills, created from the rubble of the old Wembley stadium and White City shopping centre redevelopment. Whilst not as high as our first hill, the views were still pretty good. When I reccied the walk I spent ages watching a Red Kite fly between the 4 hills, but no sign of any today. We then walked over to the lakes where a couple of swans were nesting in a fenced off area.
Exiting the park, I was still looking for a Kite, but no luck. We exited the park and walked up back to Northolt station. It had only been about 5½ miles but with all our stops had taken nearly 6 hours, but it had been a very enjoyable day. As we waited at the platform, Cathy suddenly shouted at us and pointed skywards, and there flying over the station was a.......pigeon, no a Red Kite. It just shows you never know where or when something may turn up.
Trev (pathfinder) Eley
Oak Trail walk, Epping Forest
It has been raining for weeks, everything is saturated but the sky was dry when we met at Theydon Bois on Sunday 17th March for the Oak Trail walk. Trevor, Annick and Parvis joined me for the walk.
We headed off to the Great Gregories, noticing the plentiful quantity of mud as we climbed. The background noise increased as we approached the M25 and was very loud as we walked over the bridge. On towards Ivy Chimneys and the very muddy path between the houses there, we noticed that it seemed a fair number of walkers had been there before us, judging by the chewed up ground.
Into the little playground there and we couldn’t resist having a go on the zip wire. Then it was another puffing ascent as we climbed towards Bell Common where we stopped for a drink and the loo at the Forest Gate pub. Peter, Maz, Ken and Diana met us there and Ken decided to join us for the remainder of the walk.
It was pleasant walking along surfaced paths instead of mud as we went through Epping Thicks, stopping briefly to view Ambesbury Banks. Through Jacks Hill car park, we turned off at Hatgate Plain after the Ditches and headed down the track to the stream. Here we took care to get Ken across the stream but he slipped as he touched the other bank and, beautifully choreographed, Trevor stepped back into the stream, up to his knee, and Parvis fell flat on his back into the stream. Annick and I were very helpful ….. no we weren’t, we were laughing too much. No injuries so after a bit of drying off we proceeded up the hill to the deer sanctuary. No deer could be seen unfortunately so we walked on to Coppice Row and down the hill to Theydon Bois where the walk finished.
We wished we had been videoing the stream crossing!
Brian, 17th March 2024
Forty Hall Estate and Hilly Fields Walk
Saturday 24th February saw a bright and sunny morning after 2 days of almost continuous rain. Cathy, Lorraine (Cathy’s friend), Louise, Richard and I arrived at Turkey Street station, and were soon joined by Jill S. and Sue, and after a while, by Annick and Peter who had problems with the Central Line.
With all nine of us (a good turnout) now arrived, we set off from the station following the London Loop footpath, heading towards Forty Hall Estate, alongside Enfield Cemetery before crossing the A10 via the “step aerobics” bridge, and continuing on the loop to enter Forty Hall Estate. Ignoring the path to the left we continued ahead with Turkey Brook, which was flowing fast after the recent rain, to our right and woods and ponds to our left, stopping to admire some fungi which had grown on some fallen trees, like a fungi city. After a diversion to avoid a length of flooded footpath, we exited the park and crossed the road to enter Hilly Fields Park.
Entering the park, we followed the lower path beside Turkey Brook before eventually turning right to cross over the brook and heading uphill, with a grassed area to our left, to St John’s Church for our lunch break. The churchyard offered several seats, although they were well spaced throughout the garden, and was an ideal place for lunch at the halfway point of the walk.
After lunch, a brisk saunter downhill saw us briefly enter into Whitewebbs Park before retracing part of our outward walk, with Turkey Brook now on our left. After a while, we turned right towards the hall, heading uphill through the woods and some wet and muddy fields, not helped by the short shower of rain which was now falling, and passing the grazing cattle.
We soon reached the hall and headed for the cafe for a drink and some shelter from the rain. However, there was a considerable queue and we were then informed that they were running short of food and drinks, so as the rain had now stopped we headed off. We had a look at the front of the hall and the pond constructed in front of the hall, before heading downhill to rejoin the London Loop and retracing our footsteps back to the station, a total distance of about 6 miles. .
It had been a good walk, with a few wet and muddy spots, but not a bad as I had originally feared given the recent rain, and we all made it back in good spirits.
Trev “Pathfinder” Eley
Photos by Jill S.
Walking the Green London Way, from Wimbledon to Richmond Park.
Four members met on January 28th 2024 (myself, Richard, Trevor and Eileen) to continue walking the Green London Way. I’d started doing this “around London” route in 2014, but had to stop due to family circumstances in 2016. (See here for the last in that series)
It was good to pick up where we left off. The weather couldn’t have been better – an unexpectedly sunny and warm day, providing lots of promises of spring on-the-way. We began in Wimbledon itself, as we walked to Wimbledon Common, looking at the huge variety of houses reflecting the different populations which had settled there as a result of the spread of coaches, trains and trams. We passed what must be one of the oddest listed building in London – a Victorian electricity transformer, and heard about the origins of the first World Tennis Championship (in 1877) including the prophecy (by the first champion) that “Lawn tennis will never become one of the great games”.
The main part of the walk took us across Wimbledon Common, by far the largest in London. It included a visit to Cannizaro Park. As in previous walks, we discovered how we could easily have lost access to this former estate, had it not been for the persistent efforts of ‘ordinary’ people who prevented the common being sold-off and enclosed in the 1870s. Today, even in winter, the variety of natural habitats, flora and fauna was obvious. The nightingales might now be long gone, but there was no dearth of beauty everywhere we went. The Windmill – once a quite dangerous place as well as a popular duelling spot, provided a welcome break.
The last leg of the walk took us through a forested area of the common. This proved to be a bit of a challenge. Writing this, I NOW know where I went wrong! I set off from the wrong corner of the car park and the wrong entrance to a golf club (there are a lot). Sorry folks. Fortunately (especially when the leader had forgotten to put a back-up map in her rucksack), the wonderful EFOG team work came into play when I finally admitted I was definitely lost! By combining knowledge from compass and map reading sessions, similar experiences, asking passers-by, and trying to interpret different phone ‘trackers’, we finally got back on track and reached Beverley Brook. Even so, we had walked an estimated 8 miles instead of 6 (the original maximum estimate). Hopefully, that won’t put off my 3 amigos (or anyone else) from walking with me again in future? I promise I will not forget the map again – and will bring a compass as well.
The next walk in this series, from Richmond Park to Kew Bridge will be on Sunday April 14th. “Will anyone be brave enough to come?” I ask. I hope so.
Pam, 31st January 2024
Boxing Day Walk 2023 Wanstead Park
Following a rainy Christmas Day, the 26th December dawned bright and sunny and a total of 8 Efoggers turned up at Wanstead Park for a short walk, organised by Louise and Madeleine and kindly led by Ian, being the one who knows the way round the best.
We were joined by Brian, Kathy, Lynne, Frances and Parviz and enjoyed a slightly muddy walk until we reached the tea hut which was open, where we had a brief pause for hot drinks and snacks. Then we carried on, spotting a heron and a few cattle brought over to graze for the winter, and got back to our cars just as darkness started to fall, and the weather started to change. A very pleasant walk, thanks to Ian for leading, and to those who came.
Madeleine and Louise, 2nd January 2024