Day 9 Petts Wood to Hayes

Yes, I have leapt forward and I will be going back. I was hoping to meet up with a friend and this was the scheduled day for the section. Alas, it was not to be. There are worse days to be caught walking in the rain, I suppose. I started out late what with the weather changing necessitating different footwear, change of handbag etc etc and then trying to work out how to get to Petts Wood more quickly than the train in 29.5 minutes as I've just missed one.

The preciptiation never got bad enough for me to do up the front of my jacket! My book was in my waterproof map pouch and my camera in my armpit under the invincible Berghaus (I had to open the vents as it was still warm) but, ever prepared, a tech t-shirt and tech trousers occasionally got damp and then dried out. I wore my walking boots instead of Merrells for the first time which seemed risky but again, that paid off, I could squelch and splosh with the best three year olds.

Farnborough seemed interesting, plenty of coaching inns and old stuff really. The church, St Giles the Abbott was rebuilt in the 1640s and is impressive - from the outside. There are many WWI memorials built into a wall in the grounds which are very moving.

St Giles the Abbott Farnborough

Memorials

To me, the word 'Bromley' doesn't promise too much so it was quite pleasant to discover all these villages and patches of green in south east London. As I'd got out so late, I decided to take a break at the Green Roof Cafe at BEECHE in High Elms Country Park. The cafe was nice and would be absolutely lovely in the sun but my cream tea (coffee) was ok, but nothing to write home about. It was dry.

Much more interesting was the Eton Fives Court nearby. This was once part of the High Elms estate of which the mansion burned down in 1967. There are also some ornate gardens remaining although it's a little early to catch them in their full glory.

Eton Fives Court

Garden

Garden with some topiary

Now you know

This was an interesting day with lots of things to see. Next up was a farmhouse with a Victorian clocktower. The bell was rung to tell th farm workers when their lunch break started and finished. I'm thinking of getting an alarm version for the back of my house.....

Clockhouse Farm

The world round here has undulations, and up a hill was one of those houses you know you want to wander around for hours - Holwood.

Holwood House

This place is full of history. Designed by Decimus Burton for John Ward and built between 1823 - 1826, it replaced an earlier house owned by William Pitt the Younger. The grounds contain the remains of an Iron Age for known as "Caesar's Camp". It was Pitt who asked Humphrey Repton to do something with the gardens. It was under an oak tree here, that William Wilberforce, after a chat with Pitt, "... resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave-trade". The oak has long-since died off, its successor stricken by the great storm of 1987 and now a grandchild sapling is in place, fenced off. There is a concrete bench to commemorate the momentous conversation and decision by Wilberforce, also fenced off. Are we not celebrating freedom here?

The bench

Wombling along, I came to Caesar's Well which hosts the source of the Ravensbourne. The 'well' is now a brick-lined area with pebbles, presumably to stop it becoming a betrodden swamp. The water flows into Keston Ponds which were a delight. Quite visually pleasing, I was called back by the sound of a lot of watery noise. There were massive fish at the surface creating great waves and rushing about. I don't know if it's frisky fish season or what but it was fun to see. Not so good to try and catch in a photo. I may, one day, conquer using the camera for video and then how to download it all for your delectation. Bet you can't wait, videos of fish.

Try zooming in

 There were pretty ducks too :-)

Mandarin

Onwards and finally to Hayes station. Another day done. Sorry you had to wait.

Day 8 Harold Wood to Purfleet

It's amazing how on a Sunday they seem to be able to take away so much stuff that makes a station work and then the next day it's all working again. Yesterday, Harold Wood was a building site and I had to get the bus to Hornchurch. Today, no worries, straight to Harold Wood all put back together again. I was pleased the weather wasn't quite as hot as the hottest day of the year so far and made my way.

The first hour or so was fine, but nothing to report really. Pootling along, next to the Ingrebourne generally speaking bar the odd bit of footpath maintenance (thank you to the worker who pointed out the shortcut as opposed to the long way). Then eventually, some humour arrived with a garden containing two goats, a pony and a teddy tied up in a tree. Thank you, Havering!

 

The grass is always greener

Why shouldn't a goat sit on a table?

I have to live with two goats

Onwards, to the south past Upminster Bridge station and the sails of a windmill are visible up the hill. Slightly off route, but hey ho, it's a Grade II* listed smock mill so I popped up to take a look.

I'm sure it'll be finished soon

Anyway, back downhill again and return to the Ingrebourne Valley having to go "through the gates of Hornchurch Stadium, home to the football club that calls itself AFC Hornchurch". Yes, those are the words from the book I'm following. I liked their gardening skills :-)

Hornchurch Stadium home to AFC Hornchurch

The whole area from here on is really developing into parkland, conservation areas, and so on.There are children's play areas, lots of tracks, information boards and an excellent new visitor centre for the Ingrebourne Valley. And less litter than yesterday.

I found a quite demanding swan. He gave me that look which said "You have got food, haven't you?". So I sacrificed one of my porridge oat flapjacks and Sir liked it. So much so that he was rather agressive to any other waterfowl that came within beak distance. I didn't put my fingers anywhere near the situation!

Peckish swan

The path took a detour through Rainham, which used to be a lot nearer the river than it is now. Up until the 19th century, Rainham Creek was navigable for sailing barges and some of the profits were used to build Rainham Hall in 1729 next to St Helen and St Giles a late Norman church. While I was taking some pictures of the Hall, a local gent stopped by to chat and tell me some of its history. "It's open tomorrow", he said.

St Helen and St Giles Church

Rainham Hall

Eventually, I found the River Thames. It's rather wide hereabouts and silky smooth to start with.  First thing of any note was a plaque to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the ferry between Rainham and Erith in 1199. Not quite sure when it stopped.

Pilgrim Ferry

After that some concrete barges with some history of having been involved in the Battle of Britain, seems that way with a lot of things round here. They're now parked and unloved except by birds. However, just beyond was something that looked likethe head of a Dr Who cyborg appearing out of the water! It's a sculpture called The Diver by John Kaufman. It's 4.6m tall, made of galvanised steel bands on a steel frame, and partially submerged by every high tide and totally submerged by spring and neap tides. I love it!

The Diver

Shortly afterwards, it started to rain. I put my camera away so I can't show you the esoteric RSPB centre, complete with drawbridge or the impressive brick building which is Magazine Number 5, part of what was once the Royal Gunpowder Magazines. It's now part of the Purfleet Heritage Museum.

I finally got to Purfleet station, slightly soggy and bought a coffee. This would be the end point, if only I'd started at the beginning!

Day 7 Chigwell to Harold Wood

It was hot hot hot! I did find Chigwell station this time although it took a while, you need to know the inner secrets of the Central Line timetable. Nice toilets too. Chigwell was an old settlement before it got a tube station, so there are some picturesque buildings, lanes and greens.

Ye Old King's Head

This place used to host the Verderer's Court - enforcing the forest laws. It's one of those buildings that makes you wish the saying 'if walls had ears' could be true. It's a restaurant now and looking at their website it seems they've restored it sympathetically internally and externally, it is Grade * listed.

It's still hilly around here, and it was hot so it was slow going, especially with the odd blister or two now sneaking in. There was plenty of scenery - it's amazing how much you can find within reach of the outer tube stations yes in Oyster territory! I saw some sheep  on Day 6 I think it was but then we get them quite near home. I found some new bovine friends. This one looked at me and didn't move a step, which made a change from a whole bloody herd following me last year. Twice.

See, friendly cow

It was the hottest day of the year so far, which meant lots of families out enjoying themselves and the weather, having picnics, boating on the lakes, playings games, leaving litter. It seems odd that, when so much is the same - facilities, great open spaces, number of people using things and so on - some places stay in much better condition and demeanour than others. The closer I got to Harold Wood the worse it got. There were plenty of good moments but the edge sure gets taken off by all the sh1t.

Looks small from over here

In Havering Country Park is a plantation of giant redwood, the second largest in London. I know they probably need some management but they've already cut down a couple. Seems to defeat the purpose of having these trees really....

Giant sequoia

There is a myth behind the name of Havering- atte-Bower which you'll have to look up but the current flint Victorian church takes a lovely picture on a sunny day. I tend not to go into churches on Sundays (!) as I'm sure they're busy doing something that I don't want to interrupt.

St John the Evangelist Havering-atte-Bower

I didn't see any, they were lying

Near the end of the afternoon, I turned to follow Carter's Brook "here flowing in a steep-sided sylvan dell, quite unexpected in its urban setting". This apparently is to be the way generally speaking to the Thames for the next day or so. Sylvan dell to me conjures up some nice thoughts of sun breaking through the leaves as the brook meanders through but guess what? LITTER Why not go dahn the sylvan dell wiv yer mates an a few cans an spliffs and munchies? And leave all the crap there? And the council isn't much better, with industrial waste, road barriers and other stuff that simply shouldn't be there. This area could be so nice. I wouldn't want to take any small child down there to play by the water waiting to see if there were any live ducks. Squirrels are quite tough though.

Squirrel

Day 6 - part 2 Enfield Lock to it should have been Chigwell

As soon as my new friend had gone, I decided to stop my gadgets for part 1 and start again for part 2 of the day's efforts. That way nothing would tell me how long I'd really been walking for!

This walk took to familiar territory of my youth - days out as a child, school trips, places my school friends used to live etc. Even the wedding of one of my cousins was in Enfield and her Dad managed Enfield FC for a while. The first place of interest was the lock itself, slightly scruffy but it looked like the lock-keeper's cottage is being refurbished so better times ahead maybe.

Not sure if they'll fix that slant though

The lock was about to be operated

The name Enfield isn't associated just wtih old motorbikes there's also the rifle that took over from the muskets that the British Army had used for a long time. There are some old buildings around the lock which reflect this history. The lock is on the Lee Navigation which is a canalised river incorporating the River Lea. No problems with the spelling then. This is reservoir territory too, the nearby King George's and William Girling reservoirs supply over 25% of London's water (if you don't buy it in a bottle grrr).

Distant reservoirs

I did sit down in one of the parks to have my lunch. No-one passed at all and I wasn't even pestered by any wildlife for crumbs! This is a part of London that has history and interest. The route went through Gilwell Park which is the international centre for the Scout movement. The adult toilets were very clean as you'd hope, and free. I thought there might be a statue of Baden-Powell somewhere but he may have been hiding. There was this scout by Robert Tait McKenzie, presented to Gilwell Park by the Philadelphia Council Boy Scouts of America as a Symbol of International Brotherhood May 7th 1966.

The Boy Scout

Nearby was this non-tree. Lovely daughter didn't know what I meant when I quizzed her on the picture.

Can you tell what it is yet?

More wandering along and I came across a circus on Chingford Plain. Wow, not seen one of those for years, and not been to one for decades! I wonder who goes to them and what the performances include these days? I remember being quite young and going to a circus on Lea Bridge Road and having my photo taken with a lion cub. Makes you think now.

Russells International Circus

Shortly after, a real highlight of the week so far - Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge. Please g**gle it. I don't think it was open when I was young but it's been renovated and turned into a museum. It's one of the few places we would go to as a family on a Sunday afternoon for an outing. We would run around in the woods of Epping Forest and there was this magical, tudor building still standing there. The building was used for the Queen to be able to watch the hunting in the forest below, the two upper floors used to be open. Legend has it that she would ride her horse up the stairs. I dived inside for a quick look and was not disappointed.

The floors are all enclosed now

Tudor fire extinguishers

Not sure how the deer got in

A lot of the stairs are original

It all went a bit downhill after that, I'll blame it on being tired. I managed to make an error of 180 degrees which meant I ended up at Buckhurst Hill station instead of Chigwell. Not the end of the world, but not the plan. Slight better position on the Central Line too!

Day 6 - part 1 Cockfosters to Enfield Lock

Obviously, this seemed a good idea at the time I did my preparation. It was the day after the fire at Vauxhall and South West Trains said it was all ok again. And it was! So, back to Cockfosters but via a faster route than the one I had to use to get home yesterday. I put in a formal complaint about the cleanliness of the ladies toilet, I feel it's my duty, especially if I've had to pay 20p.

There are a lot of parks, country parks and the inevitable golf courses are around here, and hills, so it's very leafy and open and good for walking. They like obelisks too.

Seemingly a garden orrnament but bigger than the neighbour's

I think you can London from up here

When I tell people what I'm doing for my holiday, the first reaction, because I work for a charity, is often "Oh are you being sponsored", and the second is "Who are you doing it with?" Folk don't seem to understand the simple joy of just getting out there under your own steam and seeing stuff. Although, just occasionally, it would be handy to have someone with me and there was one of those moments today. Some of you will know about my vertigo issues, have even witnessed it. I'd come across a chap who was also LOOPing and he was slightly ahead of me as we approached this bridge. No way was I going to ask him to help me. So, up I went and strangely it was the up that was the worst. I almost, almost, resorted to crawling up the steps. I took a breather at top of the descent and I lived. Again.

Nasty eh?

To be fair to my fellow LOOPer, we did have a chat after the bridge, he was doing the circuit as and when having started in February. He'd started at Erith which is conventional, mostly because you can't get directly from the previous section in Purfleet very directly or easily unless you have a helicopter. This meant he didn't have much left to do. We wished each other well and he departed to go to Enfield Lock station. He expressed admiration that I was planning to go on to Chigwell and thought it was 4 miles. If only.

Not many photos, it was all woods and green stuff and you've probably seen quite a bit of that already.

Day 5 Photos for you finally

Elstree did seem a nice place although the traffic flows near the station need to be sorted. This bit of London is hilly too, but I don't suppose the council can do much about that. There are various display boards commemorating the 'British Hollywood' - not sure what Ealing thinks about that - and a pretty good mural at the station.

Shame about the doorway

I was curious about this and its friend, but found out that they're natty air shafts for the Elstree rail tunnel.

Could have been anything!

Big creatures shall not pass; small ones quite easily

Scratchwood - not just a services on the M1

Some gorgeous houses in Monken Hadley

Always good to have somewhere to keep your Stag

The graffiti made me laugh!

Day 5 Elstree to Cockfosters

Two more places I'd not visited before yesterday (for Elstree). The station toilet had been cleaned since yesterday afternoon, so that was nice. I must admit that I'm tired. This thing of doing miles and miles each day without a support team, no massage of an evening, writing your own blog, taking your own photos, even having to cook sometimes (not always I know I know) and having to fight your way through Oyster land at the beginning and end of each day, it's not easy you know (especially when they set fire to Vauxhall station). I even have to remember if I've got enough of my favourite socks clean and ready. Don't feel sorry, I know it's self inflicted :-) A side effect of the lassitude is that there will be no pictures here today but I'll try to make up for it tomorrow. You can always look me up on twitter @runningwomble where there are some photos from today's meanderings.

The weather was glorious yet again but thankfully not too hot. I ditched the jacket again but carried a light fleece for the journey home, and took a camelbak bladder for the first time to up my fluid intake (orange juice 50:50 with water and a pinch of salt is isotonic and cheap).

Elstree is very pretty and I realised that this trip is starting to serve as a tour of other possible places I could live if they're cheaper than KT/TW/SW. This region is looking jolly nice which probably means it's expensive. Better buy some more lottery tickets, I did have some luck with Ernie this week though. They seem to like their topiary; I found a few excellent examples, perhaps it's the soil or a local club?

More friendly people showed their faces as ever. All this nonsense about Londoners being unfriendly is rubbish. I haven't seen a gun, knife or golf ball as yet. Had a chat with chap who had an aged Belgian Shepherd bitch that he was grooming in Woodcock Woods - to keep the mess out of his house but also because the birds take the fur for their nests. He told me a little bit of the history of the area.

Today's mishap of route-finding was not me getting lost but me not keeping on the right page in the book so royally confusing myself! I managed to keep en route and finally worked out what I'd done. It was then a bit deja vu when I had to cover the pages I thought I'd already done.

There were not as many golf courses as yesterday, thank goodness. Lots of woods and nature reserves and beautiful historic towns and villages. Monken Hadley is definitely in win on rollover week territory. Compared to the first couple of days of this walk though, there's definitely a different attitude to litter and how places are kept. I found some polite graffiti, possibly the first and only! It says "Welcome" spray painted over the arch of a bridge over a stream!

The journey home was interesting. I haven't got to planning these as I know the end of each day is at a station and I exercise my right as a Londoner to be able to get back to my gaff by public transport. Finding out yesterday Elstree was on Thameslink was a slight shock. Planning the trip home today without using South West Trains was a nuisance. Sitting on the Piccadilly line I looked up at the map and realised that, already, I'd been to each of the three extremities since I started this walk! That's if you count Hatton Cross as near enough to Heathrow, and I finished Day 2 in Uxbridge. My mind then boggled at how far apart they looked. I know the maps are diagrammatic, but.

Back to Cockfosters tomorrow. SWT is supposed to have fixed Vauxhall and it'll all be fine again.