efog-blog
St. Clare's Hospice Quiz
On Saturday 15th October, 14 members of the group formed two tables of 7 at a quiz in aid of St Clare's Hospice, at the Village Hall in Theydon Bois. We reigned supreme, with both teams taking 1st and 2nd place.
Well done to all involved, and thanks to Sue Sellwood for inviting us, and hope a good sum was raised at an enjoyable evening.
Madeleine, 17th October 2022
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Two EFOG teams entered for the quiz on behalf of St Clare’s Hospice, held at Theydon Bois village hall on 15th October. One team had won it’s last two quizzes and was hoping to make it a hat trick. They played their joker on the first round (history) which with hindsight was not their best round but it gave them the lead and they never relinquished it. Some teams came close in their pursuit but the lead was never less than 4 points (2 points per question so closer than it sounds). The interval round was scored at the end so EFOG was not sure if it held the lead in fact.
The raffle was held at the end while the scores were being checked and we noticed that our numbers never came up. Feeling disgruntled, our mood lifted as the results were read out, lowest score first, and we were delighted not only that we had won again but our other table was second. Will the organisers let us enter next year?
Brian U. 19th October 2022
Early October walk in the Forest
A long weekend in Ironbridge
At the end of July 2022, six Efoggers travelled to Ironbridge for a long weekend, staying at the Coalport YHA. Negotiating the dreadful motorway service stations (Warwick for Brian and Cherwell for Eileen) Brian’s group stopped at Kinver Edge, a NT property. Here, houses are built into the rock. After a tour, and tea at the café on top, we climbed the adjacent hill to the top where there were remains of a hill fort and glorious views.
That evening we decided to walk from Coalport to Ironbridge, which was longer than expected. A meal later – no, we won’t give a good review for the White Hart Inn – and we decided a taxi back would be preferable.
On Saturday we walked up Silkin Way to Blist’s Hill Victorian World and bought annual passes covering all the sites around Ironbridge. A bargain. Several hours later we walked back to the YHA and popped into the adjacent China museum. We went to the Shakespeare pub near the YHA in the evening. The food was good but the clientele that night was noisy, shriekingly so. Ears deafened, we staggered back to bed.
On Sunday we visited the Darby houses, where some of us dressed up in Victorian costume, the Museum of Iron and the Enginuity museum, all very close to each other. Enginuity was designed for kids so we had a wonderful time. In the afternoon we visited the Tar Tunnel, a tunnel in a tar seam. Stomachs straining after a weekend of eating out, we had a modest meal at the YHA in the evening watching the England women winning the Euro final.
On Monday we set off home, visiting another NT property, Basildon Park, on the way to have lunch and break up the journey.
Brian U. 4th October 2022
Cold Christmas on a Sunny June Day
Several months ago at programme planning, I volunteered to organise a walk for Saturday 25th June, calling it the “6 months to Christmas Walk”. Now I needed to find a walk with a Christmas connection.
So, a few months later, we met at Stratford Station on Sunday 26th June (put back by a day due to the train strike). First to arrive were Cathy and me, soon followed by Madeline, Jill V. and Sue S. and Marian. Train tickets purchased, we boarded the train to Ware arriving at 11 a.m. and set off, crossing over the river Lea.
However, Marian had lost her phone and so retraced her steps to see if she could find it whilst we pushed on without her. We’d lost 1 person within 5 minutes, not a great start. The first mile and half were through Ware, a historic town, to the pretty little village of Thundridge, along roads, but getting the uphill walking done early on.
Reaching Thundridge we turned off the road into a wooded track next to the river Rib, passing fields filled with poppies, before turning left to St Mary’s Church. The church is better known as
Cold Christmas Church. I say church, all that remains now is the Tower, the rest of the church having been demolished. The church is reputed to be haunted and according to legend was a focus point for witches and devil worshipers, although on a bright sunny day it felt quite tranquil Pushing on, we rejoined the River Rib at a small ford across the river, where we had lunch. Checking my phone, I had a message from Marian saying that she had found her phone.
After lunch we continued alongside the river, catching a great view of a Red Kite over the fields and woods. After ten minutes we turned away right heading up a small hill to the tiny hamlet of Cold Christmas. Topicality was never my strong point, but I’d excelled myself here I think. Posing to have our photos by the village sign we disturbed a mouse/vole like small furry creature which quickly scuttled away down the lane. We continued across fields, between Diamond Jubilee woods, reaching a road and heading back to Ware, where we found a nice cafe for waffle/pancakes and ice-creams before boarding the train back home.
We’d walked about 6.5 to 7 miles, seen some lovely countryside, enjoyed sunshine, and seen quite a bit of wildlife. Anyone up for a walk to Summer Bay in December?
Trev (pathfinder) Eley. 3rd July 2022
Wanstead Garden Patch Trundle.
On Thursday 26th May 15 horticulturally enthusiastic EFOGers gathered under the Snaresbrook train bridge for a trundle around some of the unofficial garden patches created by the Wanstead Community Gardeners.
The afore mentioned group (gardeners not EFOGers) have been out of control around Wanstead for some years. No unloved patch of public soil is safe from their depredations. The more inaccessible, the more attractive it is to them.
First off the blocks for the EFOGers were the Hanging Gardens of Wanstead around Snaresbrook Station, then a quick trundle to the Wanstead Clinic Garden, ith its collection of ceramic animals, most of them missing an ear or a leg or some such. These materialised out of nowhere soon after the gardeners created the garden. We suspect they might be hoping the clinic would be a good place to get missing limbs replaced. Overly optimistic, I reckon.
From there to the Corner House Garden on the High Street to look especially at the back garden now alive with huge oriental poppies and a wonderful selection of bearded irises. At this time of year especially it serves the same role as a photographer’s studio in Victorian times. People in their Sunday bests would pose against a painted background of a garden to have their likenesses captured for posterity. Not sure that Posterity ever really appreciated their efforts but the same is going on now in the back garden of the Corner House. Selfies are taken against a background of real flowers. Perhaps Posterity will be equally unimpressed.
Love the idea of selfies. Maybe for people who don’t know what they look like or perhaps have an identity problem. Anyway, it’s all happening in Wanstead.
From the Corner House it was a quick step to the George. I was not for one moment fooled by EFOGers horticultural enthusiasm. I knew they were only there for the beer.
Marian T. May 2022