Walk Report

Escape from Romford, Friday 28th September 2018
10 walkers, 15 miles - leader Ron Williamson
Another visit to Romford, where each year we seem more desperate to escape further from its busy cosmopolitan centre. Our voyage into the unknown initially led us northwards through various familiar splendid town parks across the busy A12 into Bedfords Country Park and the heights of Havering Atte Bower.
Then followed this year's additional 5-mile loop into uncharted territory required careful navigating along paths that showed little signs of previous walkers especially when crossing the many recently ploughed fields encountered on route.
A bonus at an impromptu lunch stop at Stapleford Abbot's somewhat isolated parish church of St Mary the Virgin, was picnic chairs for all and a portaloo but even these attractions could not prevent a desperate trio seeking refreshment at a nearby hostelry.
Across Stapleford aerodrome to briefly follow the Three Forests Way through Lambourne Woods and back to well-known territory as we traversed the resplendent Hainault Forest. Then came the highlight of the day as we witnessed Gavin's successful solo ascent, without oxygen, of the 29.029ft Mount Fairlop; only the second LDWA member to claim this summit (see November 2017 photos of the first climb). An achievement which was celebrated at a convenient meeting house in the centre of Fairlop
All in all a good walk in dry sunny conditions but would have been a mud bath if the ground had been wet.
Photograph by Keith Lane; Photographs by Gavin Fuller are on the group Facebook Page

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