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!