It's time for July's "here's a journey I made exactly a year ago but didn't blog about at the time."
On 16th July 2019 I visited the National Trust's new exhibition at Rainham Hall, which I told you about, but then went for a lovely long walk up the Ingrebourne valley. I didn't go into detail because Rainham to Upminster Bridge is section 23 of the London Loop, and I'd blogged that before in 2012. But in the absence of any other rural strolls this summer I thought I'd write about it now. I just wish I'd taken more photos at the time.
WALK LONDON The London Loop[section 23]
Rainham to Upminster Bridge (4 miles)
Two things before I set off. Firstly to follow the route I took my original edition London Loop leaflet with me, circa 2007, rather than printing out a pdf or faffing around with a scrolling file on my phone. Electronic instructions may be cheaper to deliver but a folded piece of large paper is invariably more practical for making decisions en route. Secondly I did this walk in shorts. 16th July was a 27° kind of a day, so I decided this was the ideal time for the annual uncovering of my knees. "If I remember rightly, " I thought, "there won't be any deep undergrowth".
Rainham is a quintessentially atypical London village, set adrift in the Thames marshes. Around its rim are industrial estates, council estates and a sprawling Tesco, but its historic heart is a delight, with a 13th century parish church, a Queen Anne mansion and a stunted clocktower. When I dropped by last year the London in Bloom judges were due, and local resident Sue Ospreay was attempting to drum up some green-fingered civic pride. I'm delighted to say that Rainham ultimately earned a Gold award for Small London Village, as did Ham and Petersham and a corner of Chelsea, although they were all beaten to the ultimate accolade by 'Walthamstow Village in Bloom'.
Escaping to the riverside path isn't as pleasant as it should be, the most obvious route across the meadows being blocked by an arterial road. But eventually there is access, just past the Albion Flaming Grill, and it's time to enter a delightful reclaimed rubbish dump. Ingrebourne Hill is a Forestry Commission project, one of several in the outer reaches of Havering, comprising a landscaped former quarry and various chunks of 21st century woodland. At its heart is a 22m summit plied by mountain bike trails, but also quiet footpaths... not officially part of the London Loop because they were laid after the orbital circuit was devised. I hiked to the top anyway.
22m isn't much but is still noticeably higher than the surroundings so the view is marvellous. From the top I enjoyed a 300° panorama, including clouds scudding above the Thames estuary, acres of buzzing grassland and a wind turbine spinning in front of the distantskyline of the City. Had anyone else been present they'd have loved it too, but thankfully I had the place to myself... which is one advantage of a hot midweek afternoon on a peripheral hilltop just before the schools break up.
Rather than retracing my steps to the official line of the Loop I stepped out across open country between buzzing flowers and the occasional dragonfly. Other parts of the capital were reporting Flying Ant Day but my exposed legs were thankfully uninvolved. It wasn't a lengthy descent, maybe five minutes, but quite the best part of the entire walk. Oh to get back out and enjoy it again.
Eventually I rejoined the official path, a sturdier surfaced track weaving between lakes and woodland (and busier too because it was nearer the car park). The River Ingrebourne was never far away but generally invisible, being a braided thread of lakes and marshy channels behind a screen of trees. This valley is unusual in that no roads cross it for 2½ miles, and only a couple of footpaths too, essentially because hardly anybody lives on the far side. One of the lakes had an information board depicting the birds I might have been able to see, except all the water had evaporated in last summer's heat. My decision not to wear jeans today was proving a wise one.
Hornchurch Country Park is a former RAF airfield, which explains the pill boxes and Tett Turrets that intermittently appear a short distance off the track. It also explains the fibreglass Spitfire that comprises part of the adventure playground further on, and the military tinge to the Ingrebourne Visitor Centre. This building was new to me, having been knocked up since my last wander in 2012, and provides a useful focus for those in need of caffeinated refreshment or sanitation. Spot on for Havering, I thought, particularly as somewhere for the retired to gather (or to entertain their grandchildren).
Walk further and the river finally emerges, and you even get to walk alongside it. The channel's not especially wide, which makes its existence as a transport barrier somewhat inexplicable, but the lack of roads allows the Ingrebourne to meander relatively unspoiled. Eventually a housing estate appears, its outermost residents fortunate enough to face a broad sweep of green flecked with teasels and reeds. There's also a set of outdoor gym equipment here, should that be more their thing. And here's that first road in 2½ miles, Hacton Lane, gateway to one of the remotest corners of Greater London. Not today.
The last stretch of river is a little more urbanised, a watery wedge between two estates... and also the first time a footbridge has allowed the Loop to cross to the eastern bank. The appearance of a group of secondary schoolchildren holding court on some treetrunks reminded me that it was almost four o'clock and I needed to hurry up if I was going to make the off-peak cut-off on the tube. But the path wasn't playing ball, forcing me to divert round the wrong side of Hornchurch FC's minor stadium, and I reached Upminster Bridge (dammit) four minutes too late. It would have been three if I hadn't paused in the ticket hall to snap the obligatoryswastika.
In summary London Loop section 23 is an unexpectedly pleasant hour and a half's walk, mostly on an all-weather surface but still with the feeling of being way out in the wilds. It runs from one zone 6 station to another, so is easily accessed, and showcases some of the mysteries of Havering, possibly London's least understood borough. Wearing shorts is not obligatory.
