EFOG's annual New Year Day Walk – 2014
On a day on which both the weather forecast and the clouds threatened rain, I arrived at Loughton Station to find precisely no-one else from the Group there. There was a down-and-out – pestering me for 40pence for his Oyster Card – but I have a policy and am well known to be a miserable O.G. The first part comes with practice, the second with age.
As usual at Loughton Station, I had to question myself as to whether I'd got the place right, or the time, but was pretty sure about the day: I remembered that it had been explosively noisy for a few hours during the night. Then Cliff turned up, so I was reassured that my time-and-place was correct, leaving – on such a threatening day – just my sanity in slight doubt. The latter was never confirmed one way or the other, because EFOG members to an eventual value of fourteen began arriving for the annual New Year's Day walk.
At The Stubbles car parkPeter led the quickly-straggling group through relatively familiar Loughton streets, into the Forest by way of The Stubbles car park, then across the plain to Strawberry Hill Pond, which is also known by some as Stubbles Pond. There were – as is often the case – a few wood-carved-and-painted-looking Mandarin ducks floating about, but only a few of us had any interest at all in those and I only mention it because I was one that did.
Stubbles Plain had been waterlogged, the wood beyond the pond was mudlogged, but not so bad as what was to come. Braving the traffic on the Epping New Road, we crossed to Fairmead Bottom, where one of a good many showers of rain blown in from the south got us. From there, we turned northwards towards Catacomb Corner, at which corner more waterlogging was followed by considerably more mudlogging on the ride that runs parallel with the road. Shortly after I gave up on the mud – which was a while after many had given up on it – the remaining mud-core also took to the easy road.
We reached Ann and Duncan's house at High Beech, with a long and ponderous queue at the front door as more rain fell on those at the back whilst those at the front were taking off their boots and those already inside were taking off their waterproofs. By the time I got in, most were already sitting comfortably in settees and armchairs chatting. Our hosts had invited us for teas and coffees, but in fact had gone further, with various nibbles, bread, cheese and even Christmas cake. Very nice and Thank You.
It was of course raining quite heavily after we'd overstayed our welcome, and up by the King's Oak half decided to take the pretty but muddy route back to Loughton through the Forest and the others – including me – decided to take the easy but boring route along the roads.
Now this doesn't sound the best of walks that EFOG have been on, and if I compare it to my Ching one a couple of days ago, where there was about 90% less mud and 99% more sun, then those that came on both will see that if they did complain of mud on the Ching walk then they were silly to come on the New Year Day one. In fact, I'm bloomin' glad that I did go, and that 13 others did too – because otherwise 2014 would have got off to a really miserable start.
Peter did well to offer to lead the walk, and did well in leading it. And all fourteen of us did well to turn out for it. Thanks to Peter for taking the lead and to Duncan and Ann for the victuals and shelter.
Paul Ferris, 2nd January 2014