Epping Forest Circular Walk

The group by Connaught Water15 members of the group meet at Loughton Station on Saturday 3rd June for a circular walk in Epping Forest. We headed into the forest at The Stubbles, with some lucky Mandarin ducklings getting fed with duck food on Strawberry Hill Pond.  We walked on to Connaught Waters, which we skirted around the north side, and then cut through the forest to pick up the Green Ride.  Seeing longhorn cattle grazing around the Three Bridges area, we continued on up through Hill Wood.  At the start of the Ups and Downs Ride, two sensible members took the flatter route to High Beech, and the rest of us got our cardio workouts on the ups and downs.  Lunch was enjoyed at High Beech in the sunshine; unfortunately the Bike Hut cafe had run out of ‘pasties’ and some disappointed members had to opt for other offerings. 

After our lunch break we continued our circular route via Mount Pleasant, passing by Loughton Camp and down the big hill. At the bottom we cut into the forest to pick up the Loughton Brook and onto the Staples Pond/Loughton Reservoir - now full of reeds and with no water currently visible, although the outlet on the other side of Staples Road was very pongy.  We finished the walk down Forest Road and Station Road to Loughton Station.  An enjoyable 6.5 mile walk by my pedometer, the weather had been splendid throughout, with sunshine and scudding clouds and a nice cool breeze - very nice for walking.

Sue S.  3rd June 2023

Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and the Thames walk

On 28th January 2023 a group of us (Peter B, Paul K, Fred, Trevor, Eileen, Marian, Richard, Cathy and Parviz) met at Stratford Station and, led by Peter Bianchi, got the Jubilee Line to Surrey Quays Station. First stop was the shopping mall, for coffees.

The Old Justice Pub, BermondseyWe then headed to Southwark Park where we walked round the lake and then headed into the art gallery, which had some interesting works. We also looked at the Old Justice pub, which has a commemorative blue plaque to Sir Paul McCartney. The inscription reads: The Old Justice. Sir Paul McCartney, MBE, musician & songwriter, used the interiors and exteriors of this public house as locations in his film "Give My Returns to Broad Street" and for the music video to his hit single "No More Lonely Nights". Looking at the commemorative plaque

Walking on, up to the Thames we saw the Ada Salter statue (she was a council member and campaigned for parks for the working classes which included Southwark Park) and her husband Dr Salter.

Part way we lost Paul Knight to the rugby – the advantage of having easy access to the stations.

We ate lunch sat on benches by the moated grounds that were once part of Edward III’s manor house, then we strolled to the Mayflower Pub. The pub dates back to 1550 and was renamed to commemorate the Pilgrims’ ship which sailed from nearby. After a lengthy coffee stop, the pub was rather busy, we moved on to the Brunel Museum which records the work and problems of the first Thames tunnel.

We walked through Stave Hill Ecological Park, and learnt that timber imported from around the world was stored submerged in the local docks to stop it drying and rotting. The docks were named after the country the timber originated from – Canada Water, Russia Dock etc.

We then strolled past Surrey Quays, and on to Canada Water Station for a train home. Quite a long, but enjoyable and educational day.

Richard, 8th May 2023

Photos by Peter Bianchi

Manor Park Station to Snaresbrook via Hollow Ponds

Having had last week’s walk unfortunately cancelled, I decided to arrange a replacement, but since there had been a lot of rain recently I needed to recce it first.

So on 15th April six of us (Trevor, Jill Voon, Paul Ferris, Laurel, Cathy and myself) set off from Manor Park Station. First stop was to be the café/toilets at the entrance to the City of London Cemetery. Sadly the popular Poppy café had changed hands a couple of years ago, then closed about 6 weeks ago, but at least the toilets were still available. We also met up with Fozi there.

We then headed across Wanstead Flats following the first part of the Epping Forest Centenary Walk.

Paul pointed out a copse of trees where Little Owls have on occasion been spotted, but we weren’t in luck. We then proceeded to Long Wood where the concrete floor of a WWII communications building is still visible and Paul also told us that the Flats were home to a camp for Italian POWs.

We carried on past an area fenced off to protect possible nesting skylarks; as well as hearing at least one, Paul and I were fortunate enough to see 3 chasing around at low level.

We then followed what is also part of The Lime Trail and headed for Bush Road and then The Green Man Roundabout where we went through the underpass to then carry on for Hollow Ponds.

This area was somewhat damp from the recent rains so there was a bit of meandering to find the best route through, but we arrived safely at the Café by Hollow Ponds where we had a welcome stop for cups of tea, cake etc. (Sadly no toilets here).

On my recce I’d heard a woodpecker in the woods just to the north side of the lake and today we saw what may have been a couple of woodpeckers fly past.

We then carried on to Eagle Pond on the final leg. Paul tried to find a spring which used to supply drinking water to the neighbourhood; unfortunately this was also the wettest and muddiest part of the walk and although we found two boundary markers, we couldn’t the spring itself amongst the undergrowth.

We carried on to our well known area of The Eagle pub and ROVSCO hall to get trains/buses back from Snaresbrook/Wanstead.

Total distance walked according to Google Maps was 4.5 miles in roughly 3 hours including the breaks, though our pedometers showed a little more mileage.

Richard,  17th April 2023

Grand Union Canal Walk – Uxbridge to Rickmansworth

Having moved the walk from Saturday 1st April to Sunday 2nd to avoid clashing with the RNLI quiz night (our teams came 2nd and 3rd, so well done smarties!) I met up with Laurel and Jinan at Liverpool Street before getting the Metropolitan Line train to Uxbridge (end of the line) where we met Eileen, via my favourite tube station (Preston Road).

Leaving Uxbridge Station we passed a golden post-box, commemorating the gold medal won by a local resident in the 2012 Paralympics games, passing a historic pub involved in civil war negotiations before turning right to join the canal tow-path and heading out into the countryside, passing a small marina and the first of several locks.

Laurel, Jinan and Eileen by the Grand Union CanalAfter a mile or so we passed an access to Denham Country Park, a large and pleasant looking park with substantial lakes, continuing along the canal towpath between the canals and the park's lakes, with some substantial flooding of the park in places (if you like water this was a cracking walk). The canal itself did not have much wildlife on it although the adjacent county park had a good selection of wildlife.

Eventually, we reached the lock-side cafe at the “just over halfway mark” for lunch and some yummy cake. Whilst taking this break we saw a Red Kite in the distance, keeping up my record of seeing one whenever I’ve done this walk.

Resuming the walk, Jinan and Laurel went ahead whilst Eileen and I helped a lone boater through the lock (good deed done for the year!). Rejoining them, we continued northward past the marine equivalent of a breakers yard and the “kayaker in the sky” to reach Rickmansworth where we saw a Mandarin duck, and then a short walk from the canal through the town to catch the Metropolitan line train back home.

It had been a very nice level walk of 7 to 8 miles, with even a bit of sunshine making an appearance at the end to add a final flourish.

Trev (pathfinder) Eley.   10th April 2023