I had planned to spend the weekend in the West Country, but this time bad weather rather than COVID-19 changed my plans, so despite some at times ominous looking clouds I walked another section of the loop.
Walking during the time of COVID !
This section heading East from Northwood through woodlands and the occasional golf course is very rural despite starting and finishing at Stations were you oyster card is accepted !
To be honest there is not a great amount to see on this section of the route and it is mostly easy to follow, despite a farmer near Pinnerwood doing their upmost to ignore the existence of the right of way !
The route passes just to the South of Bentley Priory, famous for it’s role during the Battle of Britain, a return to visit its museum is something to add to my list of places to visit !
A short section this, as expected getting to and from the start and end points on public transport took almost as much time as walking the route. The first section from Uxbridge continued North along the banks of the Grand Central Canal although this is a beautiful rural section all the way.
Grand Union Canal at Harefield
At Harefield West the route turns right and finally starts heading East, the route leaving the Canal and passing through some proper countryside and woodlands.. this is proper country walking with the first stile of my walk !
The first Stile !
There is nice contrast on this section with open countryside and then the quite dense woodland of Bishops Wood
Bishops Wood
It’s in the woodland than the need for a map and some basic navigation skills become obvious, spot the direction marker in the picture below.. Miss it and you are heading off in the wrong direction !
Look very carefully the direction sign is at the centre of this image..
Just before entering the wood I came accross the walk’s most interesting / unexpected sight… I pointed out the route was heading East but I did not expect to see a Chinese Police Car parked on a farm track!
The London Loop Part 1 : Teddington to Hatton Cross
Time for another quest, the scope limited in the current COVID-19 world, so no Globe Trotting hunting Concorde, instead a longish walk.
I have been walking a lot since COVID has become part of our lives, usually in the evening around the neighbourhood, my Fitbit tells me that since March that’s an average of 21,000 steps per day !
Much as I love this part of South West London, I wanted a challenge and was vaguely away of the London Loop, a walking route around London of some 150 Miles ( 242 km) which happens to pass through Bushy Park very close to my home in Teddington.
The only real question was which way… Clockwise of course!
The Beginning and hopefully the end – Chestnut Avenue, Bushy Park
The route is signed although not very well in places and although the trusty OS Explorer map can be vague in places, it really is required – it may not be hiking up Snowdon but without one you will get lost !
1:25,000 Ordnance Survey – Old School but very necessary!
Today was Part 1 an easy 10 miles or so from the starting line of the Chestnut Avenue in Bushy Park, following the River Crane to Hatton Cross close to Heathrow Airport, actually remarkably rural as you case see from the pictures below..
Interesting sight on this part of the route is the Shot Tower in Crane Park, built in 1826 to manufacture lead shot.
Crane Park Shot Tower
Essentially a lighthouse with a heating chamber rather than a light at the top. Lead was heated until molten, then poured through a copper sieve. The size of the shot determined by the size of the holes in the sieve. As the drops of molten lead fell through the air surface tension formed them into spherical balls. At the bottom of the tower the lead shot was caught in a water-filled basin.
