Loop Walk – Chigwell Row to Harold Wood
Sunday 12th April @ 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Continuing the LOOP* this SUNDAY, picking up from where we left at Chigwell Row, and continuing on through the pleasantly undulating Essex countryside with two spectacular views into the City and Docklands area (looking rather like the Emerald City in Wiz of Oz!). We pass historical remains and sites and walk through an avenue of Victorian-times planted Wellingtonia trees (Sequoia) which will make you think you are in California! The ground is drying up nicely – so my spies tell me – so there’s no need to bring a boat along with you. Just as you think we seem to be heading east for a long time, we will lurch southwards at last to follow river/river valleys which will eventually lead us back to the Thames later this year…
There’s an opportunity to leave or join after about 4 miles by being directed to a bus service to Romford rail stn – anyone seriously wanting to JOIN at this point should speak to me privately and should know how to follow a map please (as I’m sure you all do!).
NOW FOR AN IMPORTANT ASPECT, deciding how far to walk this time. If we go all the way to Harold Wood rail stn the distance is reckoned to be around 10 miles or so. But it can be reduced to around 8 miles if we stop at a well-serviced bus stop on Noak Hill Road (taking a bus to Harold Wood stn). By some pleasant happenstance there is a nice looking pub called the Deer’s Rest (listed on the internet as being in Romford, but is really on the outskirts of Harold Wood!) at this bus stop, so – “just saying” – one could stop there for whatever comes to mind. I don’t mind what we do and will keep going till I’m the last person walking…sunset is at 6.51pm, so that’s no problem and the last bit is on streets, anyway. Whatever we don’t do this time we will do next time and it’ll all work out fine in the end, and there are possible advantages to each decision, as with much of life…
So, I would like you to think about how far you want to go on the LOOP this time: stop at Noak Hill Road, or go all the way to Harold Wood rail stn, which will be quite a plod? You can make your comments to me, either generally or in secret. I realise, of course, that much may depend on how things go on the day.
Food and Beverages
Please bring food and beverage, but along the way there is a part-time kiosk on a golf course, another part-time kiosk in Central Park, Harold Wood (if we get that far this time), a pub called the Royal Oak recently opened under new management at Havering-atte-Bower which does breakfast all day (!)…and, of course the Deer’s Rest, as mentioned above. Apart from the two pubs, there are no ‘official’ toilets on the route (possibly some in the parks at the end, if still open) BUT if you are busting we could arrange for people to make a diversion while we wait to toilets in Hainault Forest Country Park, which we go through part of quite early on (map will be supplied for toilets!).
Whatever happens, this will be a long day, so no Tina Turner concerts, Lectures or Candle-Lit Dinners with Mrs Bucket to get back to please…[that should be “Bouquet”, if you please!]
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS (in case you thought I’d forgotten!):
Please catch the 9.33am train from East Croydon which arrives at London Bridge for 09:50
(IMPORTANT NOTE: I cannot get to E Croy for the meet-up, so will intercept you along the route, phoning up people I think may be on the walk (so switch your phone off if you’re staying in bed!!). If you want to make a private arrangement to meet anybody at E Croy, to go to Chigwell Row with company, then please do so directly with them.
Suggested meeting time for those travelling from East Croydon is 09: 17.
You may use the toilets at London Bridge if you must as I don’t believe there are any official toilets for some time, changing as swiftly as you can please onto the Jubilee Line to Stratford, and then as swiftly as possible onto the Central Line to Hainault (slight possibility of having to change trains at Newbury Park, just stay on same platform). At Hainault come out of the station, turn right down the main road, cross road at ped crossing and catch the 150 bus to Chigwell Row, getting off at the LAST STOP please as it makes it easier to cross this busy road at ped lights, and so begin our LOOPy journey…
*The LOOP (London Outer Orbital Path) is a 150-mile long foot trail around the outskirts of Greater London, linking together rivers, floods, woodland, meadowland, parkland, previous dwellings of Queen Elizabeth I, suburban streets, Wetherspoons, and occasional flocks of deer.
Paul N
07968 223589