#hainault loop

[badlypackedtraveller]

Section 5 of the London Loop

The London Outer Orbital Path, or LOOP, almost completely encircles Greater London. Nearly 150 miles are split into 24 mostly flat or gently sloping sections sections between Erith station (1) and Purfleet (24). The Loop combines beautiful open spaces like Hainault Forest Country Park and Bushy Park with historic buildings such as Hall Place and Black Jack's Lock & Mill.

The 10.2km/6.4mile Section 5 is considered one of the most picturesque walks. Notable features you pass through include:

Riddlesdown chalk grassland, ancient woodland and forested paths with the chance to spot wildflowers, birds including nesting skylarks and butterflies (rare chalkhill blue butterfly). The quarry at the foot of Riddledown is approx 200 years old and was working until 1967. The impressive railway viaduct dates from 1884 when the line from East Grinstead to Oxted opened.

Kenley Common came into the City of London's care in 1874. The Royal Flying Corps was based at Kenley Airfield during WW1 and was an RAF base for Spitfires and Hurricanes in WW2.

The stunningly beautiful Happy Valley and Farthing Downs (SSSI) are home to one of Britain's rarest plants - the yellow rattle, so called because when the plant is ready to seed it dries out and rattles. Traces of human occupation dating back to the neolithic periods 12,000 years ago can still be found. Later occupants, Anglo-Saxon communities, used the Downs as a burial ground, creating large burial mounds, known as barrows, for their most important members. From Farthing Downs links to 21st Century London are also visible with views over to the Canary Wharf and the Shard on the horizon.

[dugaodna]

carriage all to myself on the longest possible tube journey you can make :)))

[tubemapchallenge]

The Central Stumble

All the sub surface lines at Liverpool Street were closed so we had to use an entrance thats normally closed on weekends to head down to the Central Line! I visit this station every weekday so it wasn’t new to me, but was Emma first visit!

I liked this old sign on platform 4 that had North Weald and Ongar crossed off.

Second stop of the day was Bethnal Green, home to the Museum of Childhood alas there was no time for a visit today!

Mile End was next, another station Emma knows from Rail Replacement driving.

We got to Stratford and stopped off at Westfield for lunch before continuing on Our Travel Adventures on the Central Line.

At Leyton we quickly popped into TK Maxx but came out empty handed, they didn’t have any jeans I approved of...

Leytonstone station had this awesome Bus Statue outside! We were heading to Epping today so had to make sure we got on the correct train when leaving... We were gonna do the Hainault Loop another day...

Snaresbrook

South Woodford (George Lane), known previously as just George Lane until 1937.

At this point of the journey at Buckhurst Hill, we began to see the main staple of each of these stations had a car park and not much else!

Peekaboo! I see you at Loughton! We had a few minutes to kill as the training we got terminated here.

Emma loved the Old Sign at Debden station!  It broke up the monotony of car parks and roundels at this eastern end of the Central Line.

Our penultimate station was Theydon Bois, yes it had a car park

We finally got to Epping where Our Travel Adventure ended!

13 more stations bringing my current total to 81!

[hainaultbargainbuys-blog]

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