Saturday, 30 May 2015

The London Loop

Harold Wood → Purfleet

rainham.jpg Distance: 14.32 miles
Ascent: 111 metres
Duration: 4 hours 34 minutes

Havering
« Not walked | Not walked »

And so to our final walk on the LOOP. I've been suffering with a leg problem for a few weeks, but managed to keep going.

Early in we passed Harold Wood Park "Teenage Area". We have no idea what such a place is, but were warned to use the area at our own risk while wearing appropriate clothing and footwear.

tilda-rice.jpgAfter following the River Ingrebourne to Rainham we picked up a path I knew from my coast walk: a final trudge through post-industrial wasteland to the Thames followed by a last few miles towards the sea.

loop-sign.jpgLooking back at it, I'm not sure I'd recommend the LOOP. Of course it's been good to explore parts of London previously unknown to us, and I'm pleased to have completed this the outermost of three circuits of the city. It's a somehow unsatisfactory affair: disjointed, inconsistent and in places frankly unwelcoming. But maybe you could level the same accusation against London itself.

Posted by pab at 13:07 | Comments will be back one day. Please email me instead!