Tracking The Tube: Central Line: Leg 7: Loughton to Epping

 

---

Weather: Very warm and sunny
Distance Walked:  20.2km
Distance By Tube: 7.9km
Stations Visited: 4
Fantastic Place: Farmland between Debden and Theydon Bois

---

The stupidly hot weather in May has continued into June and July! We've not had any rain for over a month and the landscape through which I walked was dry and parched, more akin to the Mediterranean rather than London. To be honest this was the least Londony walk I have done. Apart from the small regions around each of the stations, I saw very few people and 80% of my walk was either through open farmland or forest. It felt more like a walk I would do on holiday, apart from having to cross the M11 a couple of times!

The Four Stations On This Leg

The walk started as most do with a bit of suburbia before entering a park with tennis courts and parched grasses. The path led down to a pretty stream and then some light woodland before emerging into a road with some light industrial units just north of the M11. This could have been anywhere on one of my walks in east, west, north or south London!

Debden station is rather nondescript and led into a narrow path beside the track with lots of buddleia in flower which had attracted dozens of butterflies of at least four different types. 

 

The next section of the walk was the least inspiring as I wound my way through an ugly industrial estate before passing a large building surrounded with tall chain link fences with coils of barbed wire on top and more security cameras than you could shake a stick at. Large scary signs advising "no parking" and "no photography" meant I hurried on in case I be mistaken for a wrong-un! It appears that this is part of the Bank of England. Bank notes are printed here and when they reach end of life, stored and shredded here as well. 

Bank of England Building (not my photo!)

 Historic photos of construction of the Debden site. 

After leaving the industrial landscape behind I entered my first patch of farmland. Here only stubble remained but it was still a bit of a surprise so close to the factories before and the roar of the M11 to my left. I soon had to climb up to a bridge over the motorway that allowed a farm track to cross. On the other side the track continued with farmland on either side and no sign of other walkers or people of any sort to be seen. Eventually the track reached a farm building and a proper surfaced road that became busier as I approached the village of Abridge. Quite a pretty place with at least 3 pubs, a florist, bistro and a funeral parlour. An odd mix!

I got a bit lost as I missed the footpath turning off the road just before the bridge as it was overgrown with nettles and brambles. The next couple of hours of walking was through open fields and gentle rolling hills, small streams and patches of woodland. This was so unexpected and also very relaxing walking. Most of the walks have been stop start as you cross roads, dodge lime bikes, and pedestrians while this section I could get into a good rhythm just checking every 15 minutes or so which way to go at field junctions. Apart from the odd bramble patch where the paths crossed tracks and minor roads, the path was clear and way-marks were fairly well maintained. This is not always the case on some of my wilder rambles. Wheat was waiting to be harvested and the smell of hot straw and the sound of birds and crickets was everywhere.

 

This time the path went under the M11 via a busy road with limited sight lines making it a bit tricky to cross. The the path climbed up to a ridge, the first proper climb for a while but it was worth it with a stunning view across to the towers of the city and docklands on the horizon. 

 

The path then returned to civilisation including crossing the tube line via a footbridge and soon entered the village of Theydon Bois. Probably the most interesting fact is that it has no street lighting. It does have a very nice bagel shop where I refuelled with a cracking salt-beef bagel with lashings of mustard and pickles before heading off to the final stop on the journey.

After a short stretch of road walking I plunged off road into Epping Forest. This was pleasantly shady and cool after the baking sun of the open farmland of the previous leg. A wide clear, level track meant I could relax and just walk. In town I tend to have my ear buds in, listening to music while I walk to take away the noise of traffic, but on this walk I just had the sound of birds and the breeze, and the occasional dog having fun chasing balls and sticks, to keep me company. There were a few more people in this section but still not busy.

The M25 runs through a tunnel in this section and you can hear the roar of the traffic a short distance away as it enters the tunnel. Before long I was walking through Epping and the terminus of the line, though of course before 1994 the line continued to North Weald and Ongar. Perhaps I might walk that section on another day.