efog-blog
Recent outings and activities...
Woodberry Wetlands and the New River
Finsbury Park to Angel
It was a cloudy but dry day when 11 of us met at Finsbury Park Station ready to set off at 11 am. We headed through the park, up towards the café and lake, then following the lake to the right headed off for the New River Path. The New River now officially finishes at Woodberry Reservoir/wetlands, where we stopped at the Coal House Café for lunch. A heron briefly graced us with it’s presence across from our table and we saw cormorants in the distance. As we left the café some of us thought we saw an otter in the stream near the bridge/walkway, though it was so quick and brief we were a little unsure.
We then carried on following the old route of the River down to the Castle Climbing Centre. We then cut through Clissold Park (with lovely crocuses) to get to Petherton Road, where the river runs under the footpath in the centre of the road. On the left I spotted a former garage – Barnes Motors (the original name board is still there with a phone number CAN 6573 dating it to pre 1970s) – which is now a restaurant, and gives new meaning to the ‘greasy spoon’.
We carried on down to Canonbury Station where 3 members opted to leave us. In places the river was previously filled in as London got built up, but some of this has then been opened up since around the 1950s with later improvements in the 1990s. In some parts the river is more of a stream and in others there are rock gardens or gardens following the route. There’s also the odd Blue Plaque, or their London forerunners, dotted around, including one for the Headquarters of the Social Democratic Federation in 1926-1937. Who knew the Social Democrats were around back then! It all makes a pleasant walk to Angel, and just beyond to Myddelton Square, named after the main architect/planner of the New River and very close to the New River Head building where the river originally finished before being filtered to supply Londoners with drinking water. We considered popping up to Islington Green to see a statue of Sir Hugh Myddelton, but the feet voted for the station and home.
The length of the walk was approximately 5.5 miles.
Richard, 23rd February 2026
In Clissold Park
Pochard and Tufted Ducks in Finsbury Park
Swan, Canada Goose and others in Finsbury Park
The Watch House on the banks of the New River
Photos by Madeleine and Trevor
Myddelton House Gardens
Some photos from a 7th February 2026 visit to the gardens of Myddelton House, near Bulls Cross, Enfield, led by Lynne.
The garden was developed by Edward Augustus Bowles, a self-taught horticulturist and one of the great gardeners of the 20th century. He became an expert on many plants, and particularly the Crocus, which led him to be dubbed “The Crocus King”.
Myddelton House was built for Henry Carrington Bowles and completed in 1818. He passed the house on to his son, who in turn passed it on to his nephew, Henry Carrington Bowles Treacher. Treacher assumed the name Bowles by Royal Licence in order to inherit the estate.
It was named Myddelton House in honour of Sir Hugh Myddelton, an engineer who created the New River, part of which flows through the grounds. The New River is an artificial waterway, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from Chadwell and Amwell Springs near Ware in Hertfordshire. It now terminates at the East Reservoir in Stoke Newington, now known as Woodberry Wetlands – a nature reserve managed by the London Wildlife Trust.
The New River Walk
(above) Photos by Jill S.
Photos by Lorraine
The New River in fast flow
a teasle head
The Rock Garden
(above) Photos by Madeleine
Three Rivers Walk - Lewisham to New Beckenham
A walk on Saturday 31st January 2026, led by Trevor and incorporating three South London rivers - the Quaggy, the Ravensbourne, and the Pool.
The last day in January and a cloudy but dry day, saw 5 of us - Richard, Fozi, Eileen, Marian and I - meet up at Stratford to catch the DLR south of the river to Lewisham. Meeting up with Kathy and Brian on route, we arrived there and were soon joined by Madeleine, Annick, Peter and Lynne.
Setting off we headed to the High Street, passing the confluence (convergence) of the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy, with its adjacent green space creating a mini oasis of nature amidst the towers of Lewisham. We crossed the road, noting a recent piece of art commemorating the “Great flood of Lewisham” in 1968, and followed the Quaggy before it disappeared into a culvert which runs along the High Street in front of the police station. I have seen grey wagtails on this short stretch of the river, but not today.
We then entered Lewisham shopping centre, pausing to buy lunch, before exiting to the right at the far end of the shopping centre, and turning left towards a roundabout, then right towards Ladywell. Crossing over Ladywell Road we entered a quiet green space, St Mary’s Garden, before crossing over the river Ravensbourne into Ladywell Fields and then turning left to follow the river through the park, passing a colourful National Cycle Network sign. We continued, crossing over the river and the railway, passing the Alex Yee Ladywell Arena (renamed in late 2024 in honour of local triathlete, Alex Yee, the 2024 World and Olympic champion).
We then stopped for lunch at a couple of handily-sited picnic tables, close to the Lewisham Dutch Elm, which is one of the few Elm trees in London to have survived the Dutch Elm disease outbreaks of last century and is considered one of the great trees of London. After lunch we continued to Catford Bridge Station, where Fozi, Annick and Peter jumped on the train home, whilst we continued southwards, through a retail park to enter the River Pool Linear Park and followed the river to its confluence with the River Pool.
From here we followed our third river of the day, the River Pool, through the park, until it departed to the left. We continued past Lower Sydenham station to rejoin the River Pool at the riverside walk in New Beckenham, crossing the road to enter Cator Park, with the river on our left. We followed the river and at a path junction turned left to follow the Green Chain Walk/ Capital Ring from the park, passing some large houses to nearby New Beckenham Station, where the train arrived at the same time as we did, which was lucky, or well planned!
The total length of the walk had been about 4½ to 5 miles, mostly on level paths and the rain had held off. What a fabulous riverside walk it had been, a hidden treasure of south-east London. Where will our next walk take us?
Trev (Pathfinder) Eley
Peter B. and two slabs from the Berlin Wall, now installed in Lewisham Shopping Centre. 
A stunning mural at the entry to one of the footpaths
The group around one of the National Cycle Network markers in Ladywell Fields
Photos by Madeleine
Hanningfield Reservoir Walk
It was a pleasant Saturday 17th January morning when we met up to head for Hanningfield Reservoir. Some met at Eagle Lane for the benefit of those without cars and some headed straight there. En route we saw a herd of deer near Brentwood and a little further on 3 Little Egrets enjoying the water in a flooded field.
A total of 16 of us then arrived at the Café on the Water for refreshments. At about 11.45 we headed out for the walk which took us through the woods to the south side of the reservoir. We passed the Essex Wildlife Trust Visitor centre and near there a few wood carvings of the Wind in the Willows characters, then popping into a couple of hides ended up back at the café for lunch. It was fairly busy so there was a bit of a wait for some of the food, but it was worth it. It probably gets even busier in summer when water sports are happening.
Unfortunately the reservoir level was very low so the wildlife wasn’t particularly near the hides, but we were told there were Widgeon visible with binoculars.
We walked a total of about 2.5 miles.
Richard, 20th January 2026
Photo by Trev.
A Walk in the Abridge area
It was a dark and stormy night. 16 EFOGERS tried to sleep, tossing and turning, concerned about the next day's marathon walk.
Thankfully, the storm passed leaving a calm but cold morning. Relieved, the intrepid 16 met their fearless leader at the start of the marathon. Penned in by high fences the feareless EFOGERS stomped joyfully onward, pleasantly surprised by the lack of mud. Over fields and through forests they travelled, finally reaching the first sanctuary: the beautiful medieval church at Lambourne End. After taking in its beauty, the quest continued - more unforgiving fields, more scary forests - until on the horizon the second refuge appeared: the watering hole known as The Blue Rooms Café, where a hearty welcome and delicious food was gleefully provided.
Fully refreshed, the EFOGERS ventured forth into the wilds once more, still surprised about the lack of mud...!!! More fields and forests were navigated, safely avoiding the many dangerous wild beasts of those parts. Eventually the intrepid wanderers returned to their waiting chariots, happy and thankful to have completed such a wonderful quest.
Lambourne End Church
The Blue Rooms Cafe
Ian. January 2026