Walking the Ching - 29th December 2013

The River Ching is a small but important tributary of the Lea, with its source in Epping Forest and its final above-ground presence - at least as far as accessibility is concerned - near to Morrison's supermarket in the south of Chingford. The name of “Chingford” might seem to have originated from a dwelling place where there was a ford crossing the Ching, but in fact the river took its name from the settlement. How the settlement got its name is not so certain : Ching is an Old English word for King – so possibly “King's Ford”, but the accepted version is “Shingly Ford”.

By Walthamstow Greyound StadiumAnyway, fourteen of us began the walk at Morrison's car park at 11am on a lovely sunny day. Adjacent to the south edge of the store was our first view of the river. The Ching runs in a muddy channel through an overgrown corridor of vegetation including some large willow trees before disappearing into culverts which carry it under the North Circular Road, past the Banbury Reservoir and into the Lea. The corridor could be attractive enough, but for the dumped rubbish hereabouts. Eastwards from here, the river flows alongside a public footpath, again tree-and-shrub lined and even waymarked “The Ching Way”. After a few hundred meters the footpath reaches Chingford Road, directly opposite the old greyhound stadium. Pam told us about the residential development of almost 300 homes that is taking place on the site, in which it is hoped that the main structure of the Grade 2 listed building will be retained.

Some of the group spotted what may have been a mink in a small open space by the stadium, where the river runs behind the gardens of houses, making it inaccessible to us walkers. We were soon able to walk by the river again by means of a foot/cycle path at the east end of the stadium, where sports fields and public open areas give something of a sense of open-ness to the surroundings. More street walking, with the river behind houses, then again river-side as it A peaceful view of the River Ching in winter...and we passed under the Liverpool Street to Chingford railway line. The route then took us behind houses, with the river to the left, in a slightly overgrown corridor near Hale End, and along Vincent Road to emerge into a more open and kempt area where the river-side features had become more appreciated and landscaped. Here too were allotments - sensible use of a flood-plain it would seem – and Val told us how she used to walk up the Ching itself, in the water, all the way to its source! Now there is an idea for really walking the Ching!

We reached Highams Park Lake, which Humphrey Repton formed by damming the Ching with stones from the old London Bridge. The river itself was diverted to flow to the west of the lake, and we walked alongside the diverted course where the first real mud was encountered. In the bright sunshine, with the ground covered in reddish leaves, the wood was more autumnal-looking than wintery. Emerging from the trees – leaving the woodpeckers, nuthatch and parakeets behind – we crossed Chingford Lane and walked in sunshine that was even warm, on grass that was sodden and in places still frosted, down towards the roundabout at Chingford Hatch, under which the Ching flows. Chingdale Road, below Friday Hill, was the last of the streets that separated us from the river; beyond that it is a forest walk to the source, with just two roads to cross.

...somewhat less peaceful now that EFOG have arrived?Between Chingdale Road and Whitehall Plain, the wood is an attractive part of the forest which is, perhaps, less familiar to most of us than other parts. It is relatively open woodland with a mix of oaks and hornbeam through which the Ching runs in a series of wonderful meanders. We discussed the formation of meanders and even where the word comes from (the River Menderez), and even had a moment to reflect on the idea of Psychogeography. Now you don't get that on many walks!

Whitehall Plain was effectively a bog, into which none of us – luckily – were sucked into oblivion, although a few came close. The Ching is accessible here, but we stuck to a clear path a little above it to emerge at Rangers Road. Crossing this, in a short way we turned right along an accessible path, to cross the Cuckoo Brook just as it meets the Ching, then walked sharply up-slope to reach Connaught Water, from which – of course – the Ching flows.

Half of EFOG's Ching walkers near the sourceHalf of the group by this time had had enough of the incredibly fast pace that I'd kept up (you know me!) or possibly of the mud or the sunshine, and made their way to the Royal Forest Hotel. The rest gamely circumnavigated the lake – which was pretty much iced-over – but we paused at the far end to think about the source of the River Ching. When I'd walked it previously I investigated one or two streams – or perhaps ditches – that flow into the lake. One, to the east, is pretty-much un-followable due to blackthorn. The other heading north shows on maps to originate somewhere up on Whitehouse Plain. Perhaps it is sufficient to say that drainage into what is now Connaught Water from a variety of sources from higher ground constitute the sources of the river itself. It may well be possible to wade/walk it for much of the length that we covered if water levels are low, but it is a significant little river, spoilt in places simply by disrespect in the form mainly of rubbish-dumping or just neglect, or cut off from view by means of houses.

In Dagenham, the Mayes Brook – which originates near Chadwell Heath and reaches the River Lea at Barking Creek – ran in an ugly and overgrown artificial channel through Mayes Park. Over the last few years the opening-up and re-landscaping of the brook has resulted in a 45 hectare park which is now a showcase of how a public green space can help cope with the risks of flooding from climate change, enhance wildlife and present a much more aesthetic and accessible water-side area. We should be treasuring our rivers and streams, not abusing them or loosing them. The Ching – considering its location – is still pretty good; it could be better with a bit of love.

Most of us finished off the day's walk by having a meal at the Royal Forest Hotel before catching a bus back to near our starting point. Thanks to Amina, Fred, Ken, Madeleine, Marilyn, Pam, Sue S., Susan B., Val, Mick and June, Jenny and Garry for accompanying me on this 5-or-so mile walk, and I won't apologise for the mud because I told you there was some Forest-walking!

Paul Ferris   30th December 2013

Railways and Regeneration in Kings Cross-St. Pancras Walk

Jacky suggested joining a walk on Monday 9^th December which was to look at railways and regeneration in the Kings Cross area.

This was in addition to our programme of events, and on a weekday which is not so usual for EFOG members due to work and other commitments unless it be of an evening. However, some of us are relatively free, and the prospect of looking in more detail at an area that I was familiar with as a child (train-spotting – when there were real trains), and to a certain extent because I worked there from time-to-time, appealed to me. Detail from "The Meeting Place" at St PancrasThus it was that Jackie, Marian, Fred and myself as EFOG representatives, plus about 15 others from as far afield as Folkstone and Southend, met at St Pancras Station to be guided by David Williams.

In an area that once had something of a sinister reputation, one of Europe’s biggest re-development programmes is taking shape. For the first time since the early 1970's, Kings Cross Station's Victorian – and Grade 1 listed – frontage is now visible. St Pancras Station – which has a magnificent single span train shed (the cover over the platforms) as well as its wonderful Gothic frontage – is now the terminus for Eurostar trains.

On meeting our guide, he told us about statue known as The Meeting Place, which is underneath the clock. You can only really see the clock if you are coming off a train or are further down the western edge of the train shed, for example near the statue of Sir John Betjemen, his coat askew, as he peers upwards towards the roof of the shed.

Sir John Betjeman at St PancrasHaving left St Pancras and Kings Cross Stations we passed the Scala Cinema and went into Keystone Crescent. As with Pam's walk along the course of the Westbourne, it only takes a few steps off a busy main road to find yourself in a quiet mews or street, and in this case we were in the only double-fronted crescent street in Europe, which is to say that it has houses on both sides of the road. We moved on to Battle Bridge Basin, just across from the Canal Museum which the Group visited a while ago, then made our way up to an observation tower from which grand views of the regeneration project as well as the hills of North London are visible. Just below the tower is Granary Square, once the site of gas-holders and now a wide open area in which a series of fountains do some amazing manoeuvres whilst making some rather clever sounds.

View from Camley Street Nature ParkWe popped into Camley Street Nature Park, which is a bit of wildness sheltered between two major sets of railways lines as well as a canal, then made our way to St. Pancras Churchyard.

We'd visited this churchyard on Pam's River Fleet walk, but Fred and I were slightly disappointed this time that we didn't get free fruit in the church. We did, however, get a wonderful description of the conditions under which people confined to the Victorian workhouses lived. Those workhouses are still there, right by the graveyard. Sir John Soane Memorial in St Pancras Churchyard As well, we took a look at the tomb of Sir John Soane which provided the inspiration for the design of London's red telephone boxes, and here too is the memorial to Angela Burdett-Coutts who in 1837 became the wealthiest woman in England. It is said that she had proposed to the Duke of Wellington, despite the fact that he was vastly older than her, and that when she eventually married at the age of 67 her husband was 29. She certainly wasn't age-ist.

I have skimmed the details of where we walked, what we saw and what David told us about, but it was a most enjoyable outing and well-worth the £5 fee that such a knowledgeable and professional guide charged. I'd thoroughly recommend another such walk to EFOG members, if such is offered.

Paul Ferris, 12 December 2013

New Needles in a Rodings Rally Checkpoint

I write as a new participant in helping out at the annual EFOG Rodings Rally in which, last Saturday, about 260 brave souls attempted to find ten needles in a haystack called Epping Forest – in the dark. We, David and I, were one of the needles, and our checkpoint was Number 4 – Bury Wood. From our viewpoint, as complete novices, we would like to pass on some lessons learned:

1. If you are interested in the idea of spending 12 hours in the dark in a flimsy tent in cold, foggy weather with a real possibility of rain, wind, frost, sleet, snow, thunder and lightening, to name but a few, the first and most important rule is – find somebody else to do it! If you require help with this skill, we recommend Paul – one of the organizers - we were putty in his hands!

2. Have a good look at your tent (put it up in advance) – was its previous owner Baden Powell, are half its ‘bits’ missing, and would it just about accommodate Grumpy and Dopey? If the answer to these questions is yes, take your own. Experience has taught us that, if you wish to make your tent difficult to find, choose a nice bright scarlet-coloured specimen. In our case, only less than 50% of the contestants found us – a record for the night.

3. Assuming you don’t have a degree in civil engineering, and are possessed of average hamfistedness, get to your site early (7pm) to erect your tent. Do not use guys (they trip over them, and, unless it is windy, they are unnecessary). It is difficult to hold or support a torch in a way that is remotely helpful and, if your colleague is of a puritanical persuasion, you will need to learn to swear under your breath.

4. If you do not wish to suffer the fate of Scott of the Antarctic, take something that would have got him there before Amundsen – a duvet. Also something to lie on – preferably inflatable as you have to be able to walk 12 hours later.

5. Make full use of the ‘bathroom’ before you leave.

6. Make sure your colleague lies on the side near the door (nudge! nudge! wink! wink!).

7. You need a big, digital time readout on your phone.

As to the experience itself – here goes!

Lying, tense with nervous expectation in a tangible silence – waiting – waiting. Then a distant snap of a branch, then silence and we let out our held breath. Then another – was it nearer? And another. A bird starts noisily. “Was that a voice?” I whisper. “I didn’t hear anything”. “You never hear anything! There – surely you heard that - pause - even you must have heard that!”. “Yes I can hear them now – they’re getting closer”. Lights begin to flicker, get nearer, flash on the tent. Cracking and snapping of branches and “Where are you Felicity?” “Over here Archibald!”

Some of the voices must have been audible half a mile away, while others were half whispered as they closed in on us. We froze as they got nearer with that nasty feeling of being hunted down. Soon the silhouettes of adjacent trees became sharp before the blazing headlights on the tent and David (who was nearest to the door!!) scrambled over to respond to the muffled “Hello!”. Zipping open the door, all we could see was big muddy boots and a hand with a card. It could have been the Mad Axe Man of Epping Forest for all we knew. David entered the time, signed the card, completed the time sheet and wished them luck. They vanished like phantoms into the night and all became still again. The pace increased towards midnight, and from 3 o’clockish - till awoken by a phone call from a warm, comfortable, breakfasted Paul at 7.30 - we got some sleep. Naturally, we lost our ourselves on the way back – but that’s another story!!

Would we do it again? Well may you ask! The day before the event, David was grumpily asking what possessed us to volunteer. And I was sure we had to be slightly mad. Both of us blamed Paul and the sob story he sold us! After the event however, we both – rather shamefacedly – had to admit that we had thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. We felt that our souls had been purified by sacrifice and suffering and – if asked by those very nice people at EFOG to do it again – yes, we would!

Roger Snook, 22 November 2013

Walking the River Westbourne - Sunday 11th November

The River Westbourne is one of the “hidden” rivers of London, about the same size and length as the River Fleet. Pam had led us on a walk from the mouth of the Fleet to its source on Hampstead Heath in October 2012. This time we followed the Westbourne, downstream from Paddington to the Thames.

Fifteen EFOG members plus two guests assembled in front of the Hilton Hotel in Paddington in time for the two minutes silence – it being Remembrance Sunday. The traffic also paused - including a poppy-bedecked bus. Pam then introduced us to the the Westbourne River, telling us how it rises on Hampstead Heath, flows through Kilburn – where it was once called the Cyl-Burn – and all of the way underground.

Crossing the road, we turned left into Spring Street – the first of numerous street names that reminded us of the river's course – then into one of a number of pretty mews that we were to pass through. I suspect that they're pretty expensive, too.

Crossing Bayswater Road we entered Kensington Gardens, at which point there is an ornate Italian-style garden. In the 1730s the Westbourne had been used to form the Long Water and the Serpentine; now these two lakes are fed by pumping spring-water from the aquifer below this part of London. We followed the north banks of the lakes, past a statue by Henry Moore, to the southern end of the lakes where we had a break for a snack in lovely Autumn sunshine. The Westbourne, meanwhile, continued its underground course via a system of water pipes somewhat away from its original course, to be joined with overflow from the Serpentine close to the area known as the Dell.

Through Knightsbridge then, to walk along Pont Street (Knightsbridgian for Bridge Street, of course) and southwards towards Sloane Square. At Sloane Square – curiously – one can glimpse the course of the underground river as it flows above the Underground Station. It is easier to do this from the station platform, but we left that until the end...

Unfortunately we were not able to follow the river's course beneath the grounds of the the Royal Chelsea Hospital, as there is no through-route at the moment, so instead we walked past the vast area soon-to-be-development-site of the old Chelsea Barracks to reach another new development – Grosvenor Waterside. Here we looked at the Grosvenor Canal – or the little that remains of what has ever only been a short canal. At its maximum extent it reached what is now the bus station outside of Victoria Station. Here too is the chimney-stack that once conducted the smoke from the boilers that powered pumping-engines to lift sewage into Bazalgette's wonderful system, to transport it from here across London to join that from elsewhere to reach the Thames at Beckton. The system is still in use, although the adjoining engine-house now uses electric pumps to do the same job.

Crossing the road just onto Chelsea Bridge, we had our first view of the River Westbourne itself – the only view, as even the waters of the Serpentine are no longer sourced from the Westbourne. Looking westwards along the embankment of the Thames, in the distance can be seen the arch from which the Westbourne exits for its final few metres into the Thames. We walked along the embankment to this point, almost opposite the main gates of the Chelsea Royal Hospital grounds. We were just above the arch here, and the Westbourne flowed below us.

Retracing our steps to Chelsea Bridge, we crossed into Battersea Park – again viewing the Westbourne's exit from its subterranean passage. Through Battersea Park then, viewing the rather magnificent fountain display at 3pm, then across the Albert Bridge – ensuring that we broke step as instructed – and along Royal Hospital Road, past the Physic Gardens, to stop for a snack in the National Army Museum.

Finally, we made our way to Sloane Square Station where as we waited for our trains home we were able to view the Westbourne from below...or at least the cast iron pipe within which it flows above the platforms.

Another excellent town-walk by Pam, accompanied by Amina, Bernie, Dave, Fozi, Fred, Jill V., Jinan, Ken, Lynne, Madeleine, Marilyn, Paul, Phil and Sue - plus John and Wendy.

Paul Ferris   11th November, 2013