On 13 November 2011 Paul Connolly intended to lead us on one of his walks into Essex, the origional plan being to begin from Manor Park and walk to Epping with lunch stop in Chingford. The lunch plan turned out OK but enginneering works required a change of plan for both the starting point and the finishing point - works on the railway meant no trains to Manor Park and works on the Underground meant no Central Line from Epping. So Paul's al;ternative plan was to begin from Leytonstone Central Line station and finish at Loughton. Happily Sheila Bravin was on hand with her i phone camera and you can scroll down to see the results.
Paul strides out on what had proved a difficult route to plan
The November sun sillouettes the photographer's shadow.
No sign of autumn colours here yet
Peaceful countryside so close to central London
Do you know if these are safe to pick and eat
Helpful map of Wlatham Forest
Jackets are dispensed with in the warm November sun
On top of the world we transverse to scenic bliss
Not all the walkers had made it though - I had somehow got separated from the group and did not meet them again until the lunch stop.
The question was "where is Tony"
A moment to dwell on the beauty of nature
Some ramblers like to hug a tree!!
An occasional stop to take count.
Paul kindly backtracked to try to find me
And there was a group photo opportunity
Note the comfortable casual warmth in November
A forest detail captured by Pauline
Pauline also snapped the group in the forest
The group approaches a lake in Epping Forest
A closer view of the lake which I believe was once a favourite venue for student nurses at Whips Cross hospital to do their reading in the open air
And then back in the "open" forest
A touching monument to a gypsy preacher
The group awaits the leader and instructions
Looks like a group yoga exercise!!
An earlier view of a forest luxury home
A pair of binoculars being used to scan for me while I was struggling through swampy ground to get to the road.
And then the whole group went to search
Our photographer captures a forest lake
A professional camera shot
Capturing the autumn light
Time to pause and contemplate peace
A reminder that winter was also approaching
Stunning views
Epping Golf Course
The winter sunshine
The lost sheep was located and meeting point near Queen's Bridge
Chingford Royal Inn
And the Royal taken from the other side with Pauline's 200 mm zoom camera
We had an excellent lunch at the Station Arms in Chingford. No photographs of the pub itself but Pauline recorded the lunch!!
Soaked and exhausted from my morning's experience I left the walk after the lunch stop. I later discovered that that the walk did not continue in the afternoon and it appears on the programme again for 5 February 2012.
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