1.6.2019 Section 15
What better condition to start one of the two remaining walks of the LL.
Bright and early I started heading to Chigwell Station.
Chigwell is a delightful little village with a one of the rural Essex churches:
weather-boarded belfry topped by a broach spare.
across the church is, conveniently located, the former "Kings Head", an imposing
timber-framed inn, with elaborately carved bargeboards and little diamond-paned windows
peeping out from an assortment of overhanging bays. Unfortunately not an inn anymore but
a restaurant called Sheesh.
Heading on along the High Road of Chigwell to the far end one finally reaches the point
where the Loop path diverts into the "countryside".
One needs to be ( permanently ! ) reminded that one is in London.
At times fantastic views of London on the horizon
Walking and indulging through this rural bliss of London one reaches Hainault Forest which unfortunately
never found the same local defenders like its neighboring Epping Forest.
Nevertheless a very pleasant walk with lots of greenery and fantastic views.
Passing through golf courses
finally the Havering Country Park is reached. where one needs to be prepared for some awesome views:
Giant redwoods ( Sequoias or Wellingtonias ). About 100 of them have been planted here. They are relativ "youngsters"
but will grow much taller, but this plantation is the second largest in England.
Walking along this avenue of giants the little village of Havering-After-Bower is reached
a charming little hilltop village where in medieval times a royal palace sprawled over much of the high ground.
The place was favoured for hunting, but unfortunately nothing of the palace is left.
Leaving this little village one gets again into rural countryside where even deer
can be seen grazing at broad daylight. Heading on one is one again blessed with fantastic view of the eastern parts of London.
Have a closer look and one can discover the pillars of the Dartford Crossing at the horizon:
Quickly the outskirts of Harold Hill are reached where the path goes alongside the "Carter's Brook" which
heads towards the Thames.
alongside a cricket field
the walk ends at the TfL-Rail Station of Horald Hill from where a convenient train service got to Stratford and then onwards
with DLR and bus home.
So this leaves me with just one more segments of the London Loop.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here and a map with todays waypoints can be found here
This concludes the 15.section: 10 ¾ miles, 13 ¼ miles still to go.
