Gilston Park to Harlow Circular 19th February 2021

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On Friday the 19th February 2021, I drove to Gilston Park and parked up by St Marys Church.

The church lies at the end of a lane which peters out into a farm track, with only two cottages for company, but this timeless setting is threatened with imminent destruction by short-sighted planners. The government intends to drop 10,000 houses on the parish in the near future.

The church is locked, but there is a notice in the porch, and the key is at the end cottage opposite. 

The small church set behind hedges was rebuilt in the thirteenth century and the deeply recessed west door is of the Early English style.

I leave the church and walk down the Lane to the two cottages and shortly afterwards take the footpath on my right.

The first Snowdrops I've seen this year, Springs not far off!

Along this track/path (Gilston Park) are some lovely properties and a giant Pudsey Bear!

I follow the path into the grounds of Gilston Park House.

Gilston Park House is an outstanding Victorian Country House designed by Phillip Hardwick, the building was originally constructed in 1852 in a Tudor style with Gothic touches, subsequently altered and extended in 1903 and now converted into private homes.

A 3 bed apartment currently on the market for £575,000.

I follow the footpath out of the grounds into farmland.

Look back to Gilston Park House

I follow the path across more muddy fields, huge clumps on my boots.

I walk out onto the road turning right and follow it up to the junction at Pye Corner and The Plume of Feathers Pub, really hope the pubs open again soon once out of lockdown.

Once a 17th century house now a pub.

On the opposite corner is the village War Memorial.

I follow the Eastwick Road for a way alongside the Fiddlers Brook, passing the Village Hall.

Up ahead I take a footpath on my left pass a Log place and follow the Fiddlers Brook. As I near The Stort Navigation, the path is flooded and with no clear way around, I walk through standing on clumps of grass to minimise the depth but still its halfway up my walking boots.

I make it through and only felt one small speck of water get through, I turn left and follow the Stort Navigation.

With the growth of the malt trade in Bishop's Stortford in the early eighteenth century, attention turned to providing better transport facilities. The River Stort joined the River Lea, and the malt trade at Ware had benefitted from improvements made on that river. A similar solution was therefore sought for the Stort, and a public meeting was held on 11 December 1758. The chief promoter seems to have been Thomas Adderley. A bill was duly submitted to parliament, and became an Act of Parliament in March 1759. It was entitled An Act for making the River Stort navigable, in the counties of Hertford and Essex, from the New Bridge, in the town of Bishop Stortford, into the River Lea, near a Place called the Rye, in the county of Hertford. Commissioners were appointed to oversee the work and to raise the capital to fund the project. They failed in this duty, and the powers of the first act lapsed, as it imposed time limits during which the work had to be completed.

A second Act of Parliament was sought after three men proposed to the Commissioners that they would fund the scheme in return for the tolls. This met with the Commissioners' approval, and the new Act was obtained on 30 March 1766. It was entitled An Act for making and continuing navigable the River Stort, in the counties of Hertford and Essex, and it empowered Charles Dingley, George Jackson and William Masterson to build the Navigation and to collect tolls. They had five years to complete the work, and the powers of the first Act were repealed by the second. Work began on 24 September, under the direction of Thomas Yeoman, who was also the surveyor for the Lee Navigation, and was completed in autumn 1769. The navigation, which included fifteen locks, was officially opened on 24 October 1769.

I pass Latton Lock and walk on up, I can see an industrial unit and a concrete factory beyond the far bank.

A weir overflowing into the River Stort that runs alongside.

I cross the Navigation by a bridge, across another over the river into Templefields Industrial Estate.

After a short walk I reach Redchurch Brewery, where I enter the shop to buy some beers to take home.

Redchurch was started back in 2011 when Gary switched from his career as a solicitor to pursue his then brewing hobby.

I walk back the way I came back over the bridges and follow the Navigation once again.

Just before the lovely narrowboat with smoke billowing from its chimney I turn left onto a footpath and head uphill.

At the top I turn right and follow Redricks Lane, passing the Affinity Water Office and taking a path just after.

Now its just bleak Muddy fields for some way!

I emerge out onto High Wych Road and turn left, care needed here. Very busy road with fast traffic hurtling towards you!

After a distance on that horrible road its a relief to take the path through Sayes Park Shooting School.

I could see and hear someone shooting clay pigeons back down towards the farm.

First daffodils of the year

I eventually make my way past some gorgeous properties and back out onto the road back to the church and my car.

 

Back at the car at just under 6.5 miles. A nice walk!

Roydon/Nazeing Circular Walk 24th March 2018

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On Saturday the 24th March 2018 I drove up to Matthews Plants in Roydon Hamlet on Tylers Road CM19 5LJ for some plant shopping. I decided I could fit in a walk in the area. So with permission from the owner of Matthews Plants, I parked my car there and set off down the lane.

I then turned right onto Tylers Lane.

I walk along a busy and fast road, having to jump up onto the verge a few times.

I reach the junction of Reeves lane, I continue past then taking a footpath on my right a short way after.

I take the path that forms part of The Three Forests Way and Stort Valley Way.

As is numerous in the area I pass a plant nursery.

I walk along the path through fields before, getting a vista from the top of the hill down to the Hoddesdon area. Sure the view would look better in the sun.

I leave the fields out onto Low Hill Road where I find the first of many fly tips in the area. Shame people feel the need to ruin our lovely lanes!

Just a few hundred metres and I take a path on my left and back into fields.

Now finally after much field walking I'm heading downhill and down to the Stort Navigation.

I now follow the Tow Path, always a delight to walk beside our canals and their beautiful boats.

The River Stort is a river in Essex and Hertfordshire. It is 24 miles (38 km) long and flows from just south of the village of Langley to the River Lea at Hoddesdon.

The Stort rises north of Langley according to OS Explorer map 194 (GR 425358). From Langley, the Stort flows in a generally southerly direction through the villages of Clavering and Manuden and the market town of Bishop's Stortford.
It then flows past Sawbridgeworth, before it changes direction and flows west past Harlow and Roydon. It finally empties into the Lea at Feildes Weir, Hoddesdon. This 14-mile (22-km) long section was canalised in the 18th century as the Stort Navigation.

Canal boat complete with floating garden in tow

Now I reach Feildes Weir where The Stort Navigation meets The River Lea.

I follow the river path and alongside is a large lake (Glen Faba).

Glen Faba is a mature gravel pit of 67 acres in size. The lake is a maze of gravel bars, islands, points and bays with silty depths of 25 to over 30ft in many places, hence location is the key to catching and currently there are no designated swims.

Once located the fish are not always difficult to catch. However this lake has never been officially stocked and the exceptionally low stock levels in such a naturally rich waterhas led to high growth rates. 

Glen Faba holds a small number of Carp, however these are predominantly in the 30 - 40lb+ size range.

I cross the River Lea by bridge and follow the path on the other bank.

Tufted Ducks

I follow the River Lee for some way and after crossing the road at Dobbs Weir I now walk alongside Nazeing Mead.

hree large settlement lagoons for the Lee Flood Relief system totalling 125 acres plus Brackens Pool, a small enclosed gravel pit of 2.5 acres. Both the main lagoons and Brackens Pool are typical gravel pits containing numerous underwater features.
The main lagoons hold specimen Carp to over 46lbs, specimen Bream over 17lbs, plus large Tench, Chub, Eels and double figure Pike. Brackens Pool is well stocked with Carp ranging from low doubles to 38lbs. A good percentage of the specimens are over 20lb.

I  now walk alongside The Lea Navigation.

On the far bank I can see camping pods and a sign for Almost Wild Campsite.

Embrace Mother Nature in this rugged, natural setting nestled among mature woodland and a grassy glade surrounded by water on three sides. With limited facilities and none of the trappings of more commercial campsites, you’ll be able camp out under the stars, hang a hammock from the trees and enjoy an open fire in a fire pit.

What we mean by almost wild camping...

• Solar powered, motion sensor lights around the toilets limit light pollution
• Composting toilets
• Cold water tap

A Cormorant drying its wings

A Cormorant drying its wings

I reach Carthagena Lock, I have walked up a little too far and have to track back down to find my path across.

I follow a path alongside two lakes full of carp anglers.

I cross a footbridge and pass sailing club on my left and see a few yachts out on the water.

Now leaving the water behind, I get to the not so pleasant part of the walk, you really can't tell what an area is like from the map until you walk it!

I leave the grotty industrial like path behind and join a road and turn right and walk a way.

Here at J&W Fencing in Nazeing I take a path to the left of it and across a muddy ad churned up field.

I walk across Shottentons Farm and it isn't too pleasant a walk at all at the present.

I walk pass more nurseries and the path isn't well marked at all, at times you wonder just where the path is.

The path now crossed a building site where new homes are being built.

I have lost where the path went and improvise with a bit of road walking.I then find a path and head back towards Roydon Hamlet.

After walking across a few farm fields, I head up one last climb back to Tylers Lane.

I am now on Tylers Lane and walk pass The Green Spice Indian Restuarant and back to Matthew Plants where I had parked.

I arrive back at the car after just over 8 miles walked. I throw off my boots and head into Matthews Plants for some plant shopping. A favourite nursery of mine, really low prices with great customer care!