efog-blog
Recent outings and activities...
Arkesden to Clavering Walk
Strangely, I’d first done this walk on 25th April 2015, but had then also done a recce a couple of weeks before today. So it was that on a beautiful sunny April 25th 2026 that 14 of us (12 current EFOGers and 2 former ones) assembled outside The Axe and Compasses in Arkesden at 11.30 (EFOG time) to traverse the hills and fields to Clavering, a distance of about 5 miles. This included a path called Coleshill Road, which wasn’t anything like a road, but where we were passed by 3 motorcyclists. En route we spotted a couple of red kites and a rabbit’s foot (obviously not the lucky one).
At Clavering we stopped for lunch by the crenellated 14/15th Century church of St Mary & St Clement. We also had a look at the site of Clavering Castle, next to the church. It was an old Motte & Bailey castle, now more motte than bailey. Some EFOGers also found ‘The Cake Shed’ a short way down the road.
After rounding everyone up, we then headed past thatched Tudor cottages, through a ford (or over a bridge for those who preferred), and up a narrow footpath to the rolling Essex fields, through Stickling Green around a copse where I’m not sure who was startled the most, but we saw two groups of fallow deer which went bounding through the crop of oats.
We then arrived back at Arkesden for a welcome and refreshing drink at the pub.
It was a shame that the stream in Arkesden had dried up as it is a pretty village with thatched cottages/houses, some accessed by bridges across the stream.
Richard, 28th April 2026
Clavering Ford, crossing the River Stort
The village sign at Clavering
The 'Cake Shed'
At the Axe and Compasses in Arkesden
Through Epping Forest from Theydon Bois to Loughton
Nine members of the Epping Forest Outdoor Group - Trevor, Jill V, Cathy, Parviz, Lynne, Nigel, Louise, Marion and myself - met at Theydon Bois Station for this walk on 12th April.
Heading up to enter Epping Forest via Theydon Plain, we took the main path up through Genesis Slade, taking a right onto Wormleyton Pits Ride and a left to the Four Wantz. These names always amaze me - I just call it ‘The Theydon Loop’. We then took another left, walking past Ambresbury Banks. Passing by the Thames Valley Bog, the path becomes The Green Ride for a short section before crossing over Coppice Row at Jacks Hill and becoming The Ditches Ride. On taking a right fork, the path turns back to being called The Green Path. Crossing over Goldings Hill we continued on The Green Path unil we took a right turn just before Sandpit Plain, towards Mount Pleasant, crossing the Epping New Road and on through to High Beech for a lunch stop. Luckily no one wanted oysters, as the queue for the oyster shack was very long.
After lunch we dropped into the Epping Forest Visitors Centre before retracing our steps back to Sandpit Plain and rejoined The Green Path down the ‘big hill’ (that’s what I call it). At the bottom, we left the main path to take a forest path down to Loughton Brook and through to the Reservoir, leaving the forest at Staples Road and into Forest Road to head to Loughton Station for the end of the walk.
According to my step counter It was a 7 mile walk (apologies to Louise, as I only put 6 miles!). It was a lovely day, with a chill wind at the start but sunny most of the time, and the April showers held off. The forest looked splendid with lots of new green growth coming through.
Sue S. 12th April 2026
West Drayton to Hanwell by the Grand Union Canal
April 4th 2026 - Easter Saturday - and I arrived at West Drayton Station bang on time, and who do I find waiting for me? Well - no-one! Perhaps they’re in the tea-shop next to the station, I thought, but nope, no-one. This didn’t bode well, but then I spied a Costa at the far end of the road and heading towards it I received a text message saying that is where they all were. Hurrah, it’s not going to be a “Billy No-mates” walk after all. In the shop I met up with Cathy, Richard, Louise, Lynne, Madeleine and Sue.
After enjoying our refreshments, we departed and crossed over the road to join the Grand Union Canal and turn left onto the footpath heading eastwards. As far as directions go, this is a very simple walk, basically follow the canal for about 6 miles until you reach the turning off. We passed West Drayton Station, where on the recce, I’d seen a Red Kite flying overhead, but it wasn’t there today, possibly as it was raining lightly, not the lovely weather I’d said it would be, but not too bad and it did clear up soon after.
We walked along the canal, passing moored narrowboats, and riverside housing and office developments. Much of the area used to be brick-fields, where the bricks were loaded on to the working barges for transport. We passed a very pretty section of bank which was a mass of blue and white Bluebells, and after about 3 miles we reached Bulls Bridge where the Paddington Arm of the canal joins the main canal (13 miles to Paddington). Ignoring this turning, we continued to a canal-side park where we stopped to have lunch.
After lunch we continued along the canal, passing some goslings resting on the footpath and a couple of Mandarin Ducks, with the male looking very colourful in his bright plumage. We reached a couple of locks, the first we had come across, with a boat going through the lock. Rather then picking up his crew, the skipper continued leaving them stranded. However, as he reached a winding point (where there is space to turn the boat), he turned it round, and I assume collected them on the way back, but we didn’t wait to find out, they might still be there!
We soon reached Three Bridges, where a road crosses the canal, which together with an adjacent footpath cross over a railway line beneath, designed by Brunel. We continued to the Hanwell Lock flight of 6 locks. At the bottom lock, there was a boat about to enter, so we watched it pass through the lock, before we left the canal, taking a footpath next to the River Brent. As we neared the end of the path, we saw a couple of crows mobbing a Red Kite. That’s why, we didn’t see it earlier, it had decided to greet us at the end!
We soon reached Hanwell Station for the train back home. The walk was about 6½ miles, all on level ground and we even had a bit of sunshine to accompany us. A very pleasant waterside walk.
Trev (Pathfinder) Eley, April 2026
Hendon Central to Preston Road (Welsh Harp)
Saturday 21st March 2026, and despite the Elizabeth Line not running this weekend, seven of us, Cathy, Richard, Louise, Lynne, Madeleine, Audrey and myself, met up in the coffee shop next to Hendon Central Station.
Setting off, we crossed over the train line and headed into Hendon Park, passing tennis courts before crossing back over the train line and following the Capital Ring footpath, before crossing a main road and then heading downhill, with the Wembley Arch in the distance. After a short while we crossed over the Brent Reservoir, and turned left to walk along the bank of the reservoir, known locally as the Welsh Harp, named after a nearby pub which was demolished in the 1970’s. The reservoir is a popular location for sailing, with a couple of sailing clubs using it.
Nearing the far end of the reservoir, we found a couple of benches overlooking the water, ideal for a lunch break, from where we watched the yachts sailing on the water and saw a red kite flying directly overhead. After lunch we headed onwards, with several people making a detour to a local garden centre and its facilities, before continuing through St Andrew’s church-yard.
There are actually two churches in the church-yard, the old St Andrew’s, which dates back to the twelfth century, and the new church, an impressive building, which was originally built in the heart of the west end, and was moved stone by stone and rebuilt in Kingsbury in the 1930’s.
Leaving the churchyard we zig-zagged between houses to arrive at Fryent Country Park, following the Capital Ring downhill and then climbing to reach the summit of Gotfords Hill, with some good views of Harrow on the Hill and the Wembley arch. We then crossed a road to access the west side of the park, continuing through trees to reach a green open space with the underground line at the end. We followed the path downhill and then parallel to the underground line, before emerging between houses and then followed local roads to Preston Road underground station, and handily, another coffee shop about two doors away from the station.
The total length of the walk was about 6 miles, the weather had been ideal (as I said it would be!) with some good views over the local area, and relatively little mud. All in all, a great little walk!
Trev (Pathfinder) Eley, 24th March 2026