London Loop: Section 10: Moor Park to Elstree

Weather: Hot (25C) and sunny
The journey to Moor Park took me through Harrow on the Hill station on the Metropolitan line. This is a very evocative station with all is 1930's buildings and multiple long platforms. It reminded me of my old train set that I sold in my teens and replaced with Scalextric with which I wasted most of my youth until computers came along. Had a fabulous four lane track in a large garden shed (thanks Dad for letting me use most of the space relegating you to a little shed on the side!). Pinner station which I passed through later in the journey had very nice flower beds - nice to see the station staff making an effort in this area.
Anyway back to the walk - only 64km to go according to the guide - which starts at Moor Park where you have to go through the station and then back again - very odd - before joining the walk. Instead of going back down hill through the wood and then over a golf course I took a short cut along the residential road heading east. Some very nice houses along here and soon open fields with masses of cow parsley in the hedgerows and cows with calves in the fields themselves. The reason for this, as you are probably aware, I have had some run-ins with golfers in previous walks and with the prospect of more courses ahead on this walk I decided to give that stretch a miss.

Finding the gap in the houses after you have walked through a fine open space is a bit troublesome but once found and you've meandered through the small urban pocket you start to climb through Oxhey Woods. This is a lovely place - and provides welcome shade. There are plenty of old trees and the last of the wild garlic going over but still scenting the air.

Tree in Oxhey Woods

When you reach the end of the woods take care. The footpath sign (at point G on the guidebook's map) has been twisted round and seems to be pointing the wrong way. The map and the description suggest you should drop down following the hedge/fence line but the sign points east. Following the fence leads you down hill to a farm where you find that the guideposts are hidden and gates tied up - something tells me the farmer doesn't welcome walkers! The narrow path out of the farm is also well hidden but once found you emerge onto a drive and track. More confusion reigns where you find at a junction a sign with three directions all indicated as London Loop. Follow the main track and you will come to the path leading off to the left as described.

After the open section with houses to your left you come to a narrow path with open fields on one side and houses on the other. This path is extremely overgrown with brambles and stinging nettles - it was at this point that I was glad I hadn't worn shorts and had put on a long sleeved shirt. It can be quite disconcerting as it is not clear that this is actually a path for some sections but eventually you come to a sign and all is well again.

The next section after a short road walk (and a busy road junction) is another golf course - this one is quite clearly marked and then you return to more woodland and another slightly hard to find junction as the Grim's Dyke stone is easily missed. Lots more yellow and lilac rhododendrons here as you go through the wild gardens of W. S. Gilbert's old house. Lots f fine specimen trees as well including a fine sequoia.

The section that follows that loops around Bentley Priory is very nice with splendid views towards the city with masses of hawthorn blossom and gorse flower.

The navigation around Stanmore Ponds is very confusing as it appears that the signs are missing. I entertained a group of Polish fishermen who were camping there as I wondered backwards and forwards around the ponds until I found the way. You then have to force your way along a very narrow and overgrown path beside the hospital - again lots of nettles and brambles out to catch the unwary.

Then the path emerges onto a open meadow and vanishes. Completely vanishes.

There's a path there somewhere!

There is a sign pointing out over a sea of waist high grass that vaguely indicates the direction. Peering into the bright sunshine I could just make out the glint of a CCTV camera that might indicate that this is where the promised underpass under the M1. Girding my loins I set off across the meadow which rises gently as the grass got longer. It was like walking through deep water and very tiring in the hot sunshine. However having such a wild place with the M1 barely a few hundred metres away was very special.

Eventually a sign and the underpass comes into view and you step out of the wilds into a rather drab and depressing section of road walking that starts under the M1 then follows a busy road. You pass a couple of pubs and later on I would be wishing I had paused at one of them as the heat did not abate and I got quite thirsty!

Footpath near Elstree

After walking beside a fine reservoir you walk across a field of grain with cleared paths and views up Elstree church before crossing another golf course - this one with rather jollier female golfers who apologised for nearly hitting me with a ball (and I was in hedge at the time so I couldn't be blamed!). The route then wends its way to the station and the journey home.

All in all a good walk with some excellent sections but also some less pleasant parts.