London Loop Harold Wood to Rainham 9 miles 13 June 2014

And so the penultimate journey on the less than inspiring London Loop, although at the time I did not realise I would have to make yet another return trip to complete the long distance path, but it was my choice. I decided I wanted to enjoy the last 5.5 miles alongside the River Thames rather than forcing myself to complete the trip today. I may even be able to tie in the last leg with a bus trip across the Dartford Tunnel, now that would be a bonus!

After last week's panic walk I was fortunate to be on a course on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (BCS Specialist Certificate in Change Management) so would be able to get in an early start as once I had completed the exam on Friday I would be able to leave. The exam started at 14:00 and I was away by 15:40 but not until I had suffered at the examiners cruel sense of humour. We had done the mock the day before, the lecturer told us if you had scored 14/15 you were doing very well. I scored 16 (sufficient to gain a pass) and very much out of character I felt pretty confident, so much so I did not even bother doing any revision.

Oh dear the exam was extremely difficult, the questions themselves where a struggle just to read all being over a page long. I manfully struggle through the paper and got to ten minutes to go and still had five questions to answer, 25 in total, and I had not transposed my answers to the answer sheet. I rushed through the last five without too much thought, most probably a good thing and transposed my answers and left. I don't hold out much hope of a pass to be honest, and what's more my job will be in a right two and eight when I get back on Monday!

But at least I was out early, I ended up catching the 16:07 from Liverpool Street Station arriving at Harold Wood at 17:47. It was extremely hot, with heat bouncing off the pavement, but this week I had wisely brought along a bottle of orange juice to quench my thirst. 

As it happened I quite enjoyed this walk, it started off going through Harold Wood Park and then into Pages Wood where 110,000 trees were planted in 2001, they are now quite big, should be good when fully grown. The Ingrebourne River was never far away either being on my right or left.

After Pages Wood it was a stomp along a busy road into a small housing estate and then a skirt around a large field of wheat which backed onto a School. This took me into Upminster Bridge, part of Hornchurch and further walking through housing. I took a short diversion to visit Upminster Mill 97, this is a Windmill in case your wondering. Since the guide book was written its been re-stored and very impressive it is too!

After the Windmill the route took me past Hornchurch Football Club, the last time I was here was during the 2007 - 2008 Football Season a time when AFC Wimbledon were getting out of Ryman Premier Division. I remember seeing the sign and thinking if I come back here next season I will tie in part of the Loop. Shows how long I've been doing this walk.

Soon I was entering Ingrebourne Valley, Hackton Parkway a nice stretch of greenery along side the river. Lots of people here, mainly dog walkers but there was also a number of play areas for children. This lead on to Hornchurch Country Park which is on the site of the old RFC Hornchurch aerodrome which saw much action during both the First and Second World Wars. There were a number of Pill boxes and a number of Tobruk's which I last encountered in Normandy.

The walk ended with a trip up Inglebourne Hill, all of 50 feet at the most, but as your close to the Thames you do get a remarkably good view! And then it was onto Rainham, the approach to the village was not very encouraging, duel carriage ways, flaming grill pubs, Tesco superstore and huge roundabouts. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the Village, whilst not boasting very much in the way of  shops it did have some remarkable good buildings and a number of pubs, with Essex man occupying the entrances. The two best buildings a rare example of a complete late-Norman church (St Helen and St Giles) and Rainham Hall were unfortunately under wraps undergoing major repairs.

From Rainham I caught the 19:32 back home via Limehouse and Lewisham and then forget to get off at my own stop - durr!

Short video of the walk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkSQb6JNW90

London Loop - Chigwell to Harold Wood - Friday 6th June 2014

Almost took off more than I could chew with this section. Having left work at 17:00 I did not arrive at Chigwell until 18:00 I then had an 11 mile walk. Given that I had a 9 mile walk last week and I finished at just gone 9:15 I would be pushing it to finish at a similar time and when it got to 20:45 and I had only covered 6 miles I had visions of floundering around the countryside in the dark and missing the last train home!

But first back to the beginning, the tube journey from Liverpool Street to Chigwell was the journey from hell, the tube was so busy, to think that people have to travel this way every single day of their working lives is beyond belief, I've got it easy on SouthEastern Trains, I get a seat everyday unless there's a cancellation.

Formerly know as The Kings Head

St Mary's Chigwell

Having arrived at Chigwell I retraced my steps and walked up the hill I to Chigwell Village with its delightful church, St Mary's and what my walk guide describe as 'everyone's image of an ancient inn' The Kings Head, unfortunately whilst it's a delightful building, timber framed with leaded light windows it now appears to be an Indian Restuarant called Sheesh. Chigwell village proved to be one of the few highlights of this walk, little did I know at the time.

Leaving Chigwell I cut across country with the hum of cars in the distance or the screams of children from local housing. I then arrived at one of those spots all so common on this trail, a path pushed up against a metal fence edging onto some industrial site, in this case a water treatment centre. This has been a common feature of this whole route, and I like a it of industrial landscape but not like this.

I'm on a downer, I need something to pick me up, unfortunately there is isn't very much, some woods, a large open expanse of grass which could have had a good view over London but for the haze, and then of course I stumbled on to a golf course. I did last week and I expect I will next week. I always get the feeling walkers are unwelcome, but of course we are. In this case I was directed through a strip of woodland.

Woodhenge Owl

Lake in the Park

However things were soon to pick up temporarially, whilst walking through some trees there's a five way sign, one points to Woodhenge, no idea what this is, no mention of this in my out of date guide book but a few steps on and to my right are a number of carved wooden pillers, ah Woodhenge. There's one particular branched trunk that's been carved into an owl. 

Next highlight did not arrive until I had gone through pikeyville. The route took me through Havering Country Park and here there are some 100 Giant Redwood (Sequoia) trees which line a track that used to lead to a mansion house here, and were they impressive, yes they were and they stil have a lot of growing to go. A short burst of the lumberjack song was called for! I must add that Jack Woods were I live also has a couple of giant redwoods!

Giant Redwoods

Sun sets through Pyrgo Park gateposts

The track leads me to Havering-atte-Bower and it was at this point I realised I had covered six miles and it was alreay 20:45, 28 minutes to sunset, drastic action was called for and I had to speed up, I even run parts of the way. Actually running is a bit of an exaggeration maybe jog, anyway it did the trick as I managed the last five miles in slightly over an hour.

Some of the views on this section with the sun setting were quite good but I did not have time to enjoy them and the last couple of miles took me through a housing estate along a number of joined up parks, not very inspiring.

I arrived at Harold Wood station and as I stepped onto the platform my train arrived (21:52) to take me back into London.

A final sunset over the Essex countryside

Overall impressions of this walk, not so good, last week's was nicer, good highlights but generally disappointing, but hey the weather was good. Saw more people this week mainly dog walkers with those rather aggressive looking dogs, just the type of Dogs you need in this part of London no doubt.

Short video of today's walk

http://youtu.be/rx0THdHuF2g