Three consecutive Fridays and three legs of the LOOP, really starting to feel the end approaching now. Only one full leg to go but I intend to split it in two so that I can do the last section with Liz and some o my walking friends (and finish with a slap up meal!).
Old Chigwell (sounds like a Wodehouse character) is very attractive but soon you leave civilisation and head into the countryside and you really do feel like you are miles from anywhere with wheat, oats and barley in a golden carpet stretching to green hedgerows and field oaks in the distance.
A narrow path through the wheat allowed me to have a 'Gladiator' moment (no I didn't strip down to a leather thong and cover myself with oil) running my hands through the wheat as I walked watching skylarks sing and dance in the clear blue sky.
The busy Romford Road crossing leads to a badly signed and overgrown section with no obvious signage. Take the squeeze rather than the kissing gate and you will find a loop marker post just beyond the woodland edge.
If you go down to Hainault Woods today you are in for a big surprise. No kidding! In a clearing amongst the trees is a collection of wooden sculptures. All were carved with a variety of creatures - my favourite was the one with crinoids and ammonites.
A great stretch then follows as you trace the edge of the woodland with open space below (including one of the camps for the Olympic helpers). The grass here was tall and silver-gold moving in a blur thanks to a welcome gentle breeze. More confusing navigation follows. After the beacon follow the woodland round for about 100m until you see a marker post ignoring an opening in the tree line not far past the beacon.
Back amongst the fields of gold I came upon a cloud of at least a hundred sparrows feeding on the wheat rising as one as I approached to roost in the hawthorn hedges beside the path. As you climb up to the country park there are some more spectacular views followed by a long avenue of giant sequoia. I remember seeing the slice of sequoia in the Natural History museum when I was a kid. 1300 years old when it was cut down in the 19th Century with various dates written on it. These trees are much younger but very spectacular and worth a visit even if you don't do the rest of the walk.
The narrow path beside the garage in Havering-atte-Bower is muddy and crowded with tall stinging nettles reminding me again how glad I am that I didn't wear shorts! Emerging from the path into more open space I disturbed some rabbits that shot off in every direction for cover as I approached. Over to the right is a very ornate water tower looking like part of a French château. Some of the paths through the sweetcorn and sunflowers are a bit unclear but look for a fingerpost at the corner of the wood and head for that. Amongst the grass near the wood I saw my first wild snake - a grass snake I think - slithering away into the grass as I got close.
The final section following the trickle of water in its concrete channel is a bit dull and in places a bit smelly. and if you don't feel the need to be a completest hop on a bus to Harold Wood station and avoid this bit!
Apart from that this is a splendid walk and possibly one of the best sections of the LOOP.
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