Chirom two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Chirom here.

Not a bad route (bar seasonal wetness) but only just scraped 4/5. Nothing lifted it up for me, perhaps brighter weather would have done it. It was easy to follow and made good use of off road paths and green spaces as well as having transport links and resting points including a small park with picnic benches in Marks Gate. I started from Romford and encountered a lot of queueing traffic on Mawney Rd, I checked a parallel route via Mildmay Rd, much quieter, but not worth a new route. Crossing the A12 was easier than anticipated, there must be lights or something in both directions. All the road walking has pavements.
There are a few physical obstacles, two narrow squeezes between metal posts - width estimate under 40cm, and a mid-thigh metal bar/gate you have to step over by the A12. Sometimes the footpath signs were lacking. I think between Marks Gate and Hainault was even wetter with more extensive puddles than in Strider's photos . But not impassable, and other recent SW Essex walks had been soggier and stickier.

Good description of this route by Strider in his review. Also, ChiRom 1 is very similar and Carla's April 2022 review there describes positive features which I missed, and it sounds much drier. She also mentions that on Thursdays there is an enormous car boot sale on the route between Marks Gate and the A12.

I walked from Romford to Chigwell.
Starting at Romford station you pass through the pedestrianised shopping precinct (coffee!) then past houses to a subway under the ring road. More pavement walking to a cul-de-sac with a gate at the end. It is a bit of a squeeze to get around the gate into a field beside woods to the A12. Walk a short way along the road to a crossing place. There must be traffic lights beyond sight as the traffic comes in gobs with large gaps between which makes crossing not as difficult as it looks. Another narrow gap by a gate turn up into a field on the South side of the ditch, the vies improve as you climb. The path is muddy by the farm. More suburban walking through Marks Gate then more open fields with views of London to the west. It got very muddy close to the works with particularly sticky mud, this will be fine in dry weather rather than mid-Winter. A short walk alongside a busy road to a roundabout with a crossing refuge in the middle of the road. There is an opening through the hedge with bollard (again narrow) by the roundabout taking you across Hainault Recreation Ground and Playing fields, you may need to walk around the pitches if games are being played. There is a bench near the bowling green. Another busy road takes you past Hainault Station and the through a quiet housing estate, yes, there really is a school in Grange Hill! There’s bridge over a road through a green space the more suburban streets to Chigwell tube station.
A good walk with some nice views across open fields. Very narrow in parts and muddy when wet. Better in dry weather. Generally uphill to Chigwell, downhill to Romford.

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