Author: Ed Parsons

The London Loop Part 11: West Wickham to Coulsdon South

The loop so far has been rather gentle, but this section had some more challenging changes in elevation, Snowdonia it is not but the North Downs which todays walking crossed in a number of places still requires you to stop and catch your breath occasionally!

Starting back in West Wickham the path soon enters Spring Park Woods the another of the many areas of woodlands owned by the City of London Corporation in South London.

The next area of woodland Threehalfpenny Wood marks the boundary of the London Borough of Croydon and the beginning of the climb through Shirley up onto Addington Hill with it’s great view of central Croydon and the City of London and Dockands beyond.

The route now heads south for a considerable distance through Littleheath and Selsdon Woods until finally turning west once again just north of the village of Farleigh.

Walking into Hamsley Green is was lovely to cross paths with a group doing their Duke of Edinburgh Expedition walk, such a brilliant activity !

Beyond Hamsey Green the only Trig Pillar on the loop is found at Dispey Field, the route then drops rapidly into the valley carrying the A22 and East Grinstead Railway line before climbing back up again this time using steps onto Kenley Common.

At this point I’m afraid the Avgeek in me took over as I spend a very happy hour or two wondering around Kenley Aerodrome, one of the best preserved Battle of Britain airfields complete with dispersal pens and the old officers mess – and oh I might have had a pint at the Wattenden Arms to toast “The Few!”

From Kenley the route descends one again into the rather charmingly named “Happy Valley”, before once again climbing through some more woodland up onto the chalk grassland of Farthing Downs.

And from Farthing downs its all downhill into Coulsdon and the end of this section at Cousldon South Station.

The London Loop Part 10: Bexley to West Wickham

Well is was such a pleasant day, I walked for most of it covering 16 miles or more than 25km, a bit longer than usual and two sections of the loop from the official guide.

The first section continues along the banks for the River Cray, upstream now the water is remarkable clear and the highlight of this section is the Five Arch Bridge above a weir in the Foots Cray nature Reserve.

A little further on is a useful signpost informing me I have only 44 1/4 miles to go on the London Loop, so I have completed 2/3 all ready!

Passing through Foots Cray a commuter village I expect the estate agents might call it, the route crosses Sidcup Place Park and then crosses the busy A20 before entering the first of many woods to be experienced today, Scadbury Park’s Little Wood.

From Little Wood the route then enters Park Wood and eventually Petts Wood, the woodland which in this case has given it’s name to the local suburb. The bridleways here are quite difficult to cross the lack of rain for the last month or so having hardened them into a tough craggy surface and I needed my walking boots !

Walking into the town of Petts Wood the path rapidly crosses three railway lines via three footbridges, before this section of the route finishes at the edge of the Jubilee Country Park.

I continued South walking through the residential streets of the “other” Farnborough towards High Elms Country Park.

High Elms Country Park was a nice spot to take a break and grab an ice cream, walking the loop during the final stages of lockdown (hopefully) you really miss the ability to pop into a pub for lunch ! The Park was the site of a large Manor House owned by the Lubbock family which was unfortunately destroyed in a fire in 1967, the foundations of the building are still visible as is the Eton Fives court.. every house should have one!

As the route of the Loop starts to finally head West I was becoming more and more aware of the sound of aircraft operating out of Biggin Hill just a few kilometres south of the route, and was pleased to spot one of the Heritage Hangars two seat Spitfires in the circuit… (must do that one day…)

The route climbs onto the North Downs and passes the Wilberforce Oak, the site of a conversation between William Wilberforce and Prime Minister William Pitt the younger that began the process to abolish slavery in 1788.

The final section of the walk skirts the southern edge of Hayes common, finishing rather unceremoniously in Coney Hall, just a kilometre away from Hayes BR Station.

The London Loop Part 9: Erith to Bexley

And I’m back, after a COVID-19 lockdown break, back walking the London Loop, and now South of the River !

Quite a contrast to my last visit to Purleet on the other side of the River on a cold and wet November, instead a beautiful sunny April Saturday..

This is officially the first section of the walk, starting in Erith (pronounced Earith) it is not the most picturesque section of the walk but captures the fact that this is a city walk and cities are a place of work !

The first section from Erith railway section to the mouth of the River Darent, is quite industrial passing through Erith itself and then a series of breakers yards until you reach a windmill and the banks of the Thames across Crayford Marshes

The first notable feature of the walk for me was the Darent Flood Barrier part of the extensive flood defences of the Thames and I guess a little brother to the more famous Thames Barrier at Greenwich.

The walk now heads south and then west along the River Cray across more marshland, heading South and West is going to be the general direction for a while !

Crayford was like much of England waking up to it’s first Saturday following the end of the latest lockdown and looked like any other busy commuter village on the outskirts of London, this is a good thing !

The route continues west along the banks of the River Cray, passing below the busy A2 London to Dover Road and then on to Bexley.

An easy restart then covering just over 8 Miles.

The London Loop Part 7: Chigwell to Upminster Bridge

The Only Way is Essex ? Well yesterday walking this section it was and it was another long one at 16 miles!

The first section climbing up from Chigwell into the havering forrest is the poorest maintained and signposted section so far.. this signpost early on was a classic… “Do you think we might have gone a bit far with the new fence Darren ?”

This is a very rural section also and in mid October that means ploughed fields and very muddy conditions either side of the section through Hainault Forest.

As I walking on a Sunday there was also a little dodging of Golf balls on the busy Hainault Forest Golf Club which the route crosses before climbing again into Having Country Park.

As you would expect in the parks along the route, the path is generally well maintained but crossing farmland and hedgerows a little care and attention is needed, this footbridge could do with some work!

The middle section of the walk is across downland farmland before dropping down into Harold Wood and once again entering the edge on London suburbs.

The final section is relatively flat following the Ingrebourne valley and crossing the southern part of Pages Wood a new woodland recently planted, great to see so close to London !

The London Loop Part 6: Cockfosters to Chigwell

The longest section so far at just over 18 miles, with quite some contrast with arable agriculture replaced within a few minutes with industrial estates !

The first two thirds are really quite rural walking through woodlands around Trent Park and then climbing across agricultural land onto the Ridgeway. Trent Park is currently being redeveloped as residential apartments but has an interesting wartime history as an interrogation centre for captured Luftwaffe aircrew.

Descending from the Ridgeway the route follows along the banks of the Turkey Brook a tributary of the River Lea.

The section to Enfield lock is actually rather built up crossing Enfield High Street.

Passing Enfield Lock, the route briefly follows the course of the River Lea or is it Lee south along side the massive reservoirs of the Lee Valley Park. For centuries there has been argument as to the correct name, both seem to be used but there some logic – Natural features are Lea, whereas man made features such as the park or the navigation (canal) are Lee..

Climbing up the other side of the valley onto the Sewardstone Hills provides some fantastic views over the City of London and the loop actually enters the County of Essex for the first time.

The final section passes through the southern end of Epping forest into Chingford and across the M11 Motorway into Chigwell and its Tube station on the Central Line.

The London Loop Part 5: Elstree to Cockfosters

October of course it’s muddy! Good job my trusty walking boots were on my feet, despite the urban feel to the western section of the route and the dry conditions in September this is proper country walking requiring the appropriate footwear !

A full afternoons walking covered the 10 miles from Elstree to Cockfosters across many of North London’s commons.

Once again the route of the path and the rather vague green diamonds on the OS Maps did not always agree requiring a little bit of back tracking and improvisation here and there especially along the Dollis Hill Green walk section – beware !!

I had never visited the rather upmarket neighbourhoods around Hadley Common before, very smart houses and cars – it’s not often you sees a Ferrari 250 TR drive past !

This section finished at Cockfosters the northern end of the Piccadilly Line, the name of which causes much amusement to American tourists for some reason 😉 It is also a classic Charles Holden design, with lovely art deco features …

So this is roughly quarter of the route complete already, could be finished by Christmas ?

The London Loop Part 4: Northwood to Elstree

It did not rain !

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.

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 !

Another 14 miles completed !