A Wanstead walk on Sunday 6th November

The beginning of November saw Epping Forest becoming quite muddy in places, so Ian Greer's proposed cycle ride in the Forest was changed to a walk. Not only would this make it a bit easier on those taking part - and their bikes - but it would do just a tiny bit to help the strain on the forest tracks these days!

The walk started at the Group's "headquarters" the ROVSCO scout hut in Snaresbrook where we meet each Thursday. It wasn't a bad day - a bit overcast and with just a slight chill compared to the fairly-recent mildness - so it was a bit of a surprise that only six people joined Ian for his walk. A bit disappointing, too, as Ian is a new member and it is particularly important, I think, to show support for what new members in particular offer the Group.

Just a small group set out on the walkNevertheless, the walk proved a most enjoyable one, albeit over familiar territory to most of us, this offered the opportunity to not be under any stress to complete it before nightfall and the known reward of a good snack stop and facilities everywhere for a meal afterwards, if required!

We walked up Hollybush Hill, with Snaresbrook Crown Court to our right, passing some of the grander houses in the area - one of which has some magnificent palm-like plants in the front garden. This wasn't aimed at being a wildlife walk (which as most of you will know is a bit of an interest of mine), but we did stop to wonder at a very large plane tree in one of the front gardens with a particularly huge and gnarled lower trunk. A bit of research on returning home (with a photo to help) proved it to be not the usual London Plane but an Oriental Plane.

Crossing onto the edge of Leyton Flats, we had a look at the Leyton Stone - that from which Leytonstone derives its name. This a little-noticed milestone set at the junction of Hollybush Hill and New Wanstead. The main pillar is somewhat recent, and one can just make out the destination and distance text, indicating the route to Epping to the left and the route to Abridge to the right. Examining the Leyton StoneWhy the stone is important is that this newer marker is set upon a Roman milestone. By the side of the road on the grassy verge were a couple of examples of an attractive pink-flowered plant which neither Duncan or I could identify with certainty. It had something of the look of a mallow, and something of a geranium. Again, photographic evidence later proved it to be Musk Mallow, which is rare in these parts. We then traversed the Green Man roundabout system by means of the well-designed underpass, which gives plenty of room for pedestrians, cyclists and horses (and cattle - if there were any) to pass without conflict. The middle of this system is a rather attractive grassy and broomy area which attracts nesting birds in the Spring and is a colourful area for flowers in the summer. Indeed, there were a surprising number in flower, including Chicory and Tufted Vetch.

We reached Bush Wood beyond the Green Man and discussed the age of the wall which surrounds the burial grounds of the Society of Friends. The grounds used to be the practise area of an archery club, and now contains amongst the other headstones one to Elizabeth Fry, the Quaker prison reformer. She is not actually buried here, but the stone was moved from a somewhat insecure position in Barking.

Crossing from Bush Wood into Reservoir Wood, we could not help looking once again at the Repton Oak - a magnificent multi-stemmed oak planted in the style of Humphrey Repton who devised a method by which a tight bundle of sapling were planted together to give the pillared effect seen here. We also looked at the remnants of the east embankment of the reservoir from which the wood we'd passed through gets it's name. One of the many swans on the Shoulder of Mutton Pond was distinctly aggrieved at not getting any offerings from us after it had exited the pond for that reason, but our reason was that we were making for the kiosk in Wanstead park for refreshments.

The Grotto in Wanstead ParkThen we met Ken, coming the other way. He'd got to our meeting point at 10am rather than 11, whether because of all the talk of double summer-time or for whstever reason I don't know - but he'd done his part of the walk, so left us there.

As usual, the kiosk facility in the Park got us refreshed and underway again, together with Wren Group member Kathy, who'd come over to take photographs of a Wren Group practical work task nearby. We also saw our Chairman Jim at the kiosk - evidently having decided that the physical attractions of bramble-bashing were more relevant to his day than a walk in the park. Things do clash - and really, as the site that was being worked on is very much "my patch", I should have been there too.

We walked around the Ornamental Waters as far as the Grotto. This has been stabilised over the last year, so is now much more visible than it had been. Ian, being an Epping Forest Keeper, was able to let us in to the grounds of the Grotto - with appropriate warnings on care and safety - so we had a very privileged access to these historic remains. We then visited another significant building in Wanstead Park - the Temple.Ian acting as grave-watcher This is open to the public at weekends, and at present has an exhibition on astronomy on its ground floor. Of course, being EFOG, we got as much pleasure out of playing with the old-style wooden toys, hats and hair-pieces as looking at anything historic or of interest.

But, making our way back towards Wanstead Station, we did look at the magnificient Georgian St. Mary's Church, where we saw the floor of the much older previous church in the grounds, as well as the watchman's shelter - a somewhat sentry-box-like structure from which a watchman would keep an eye out for grave-robbers. Our very final historic-interest object was right at the finish, by Wanstead Station, and is a pillar box. It is a very rare example of it's type, though it doesn't perhaps look much different from the norm. Have a look if you don't know it, and see if you can decide what is so unusual.

A few of us decide on a meal (decent roast for me) in the George, after - of course - we had thanked Ian for such a good and interesting 5.5 mile walk.

 Paul Ferris, 8th November 2011