Louchi two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Louchi here.

A pleasant walk. Highlight was the River Roding and surroundings, plus some good walking on quiet roads. Low point was walking uphill close to noisy constant traffic on the A113 (Chigwell High Road).

Started from Chigwell. First km or so was unremitting traffic, although there are some nice things to look at. It was very tempting to take an early left down one of several leafy turnoffs, but sadly they are all private and inaccessible. The actual turn off is Grange Farm Lane which didn't look promising but improved quickly. It's not a through road, and was ok to walk along and quiet too compared to other roads in the area but not actually free from traffic until maybe the last 300m or so. Some Private Road signage was slightly off putting but this is an access lane to several green public spaces, and the Essex Wildlife Trust HQ. They are trying to warn away vehicles parking on the road and fly tipping, not walkers, although it might be a permissive rather than public right of way.

The lane eventually crosses the M25, ending at a fortress-like but unlocked gate with a cheaply laminated You Are Entering The Roding Valley Meadows sign. Next comes the good bit: first an unmade and slightly muddy track between trees, then across the River Roding flood meadows. And they were soggy in places but given how high the water was (looking from the bridge) the waterlogging was quite slight. The last bit was along some quiet residential roads, a few paths and alleys and comes out right at the station entrance, although the alleys at the end were a bit disorienting, odd there was no sign at the junction just before the station.

I wonder if there might be another alternative that also uses the Roding Meadows paths but avoids the A113? There is supposedly a footbridge over the Chigwell Brook between Barnaby Way and Brook Way (west from Chigwell Station). Could that linked to the final part of this route (after the M25) via the B170 and the Roding Meadows (access behind the Football Academy / David Lloyd health club) Something to think about in drier times.

Photos are out of order because there was a temporary issue with the uploads. And some are in the wrong place in the map, not sure why that is.

I walked from Chigwell to Loughton.
From Chigwell Tube Station there is a dip past the shops then a long uphill (about 1km at 10%) following the London Loop signs. At the top you are rewarded by quaint houses and a lovely church in Chigwell village. Turning left there is a quiet road past a building site down past a stables where the quiet road turns into a quieter track, over the M11 on a foot bridge to a woodland path. This path opens onto Rodding Valley Meadows. The meadows are essentially the River Rodding's flood plain and the ground was very waterlogged, much easier to walk after dry weather. The bridge over the Rodding is steep but very short and has cycle barriers. The recreation ground is a big grassy field, head towards the tennis courts to the park exit, there is a big kissing gate, but buggies could get through (see picture). Then thorough the outskirts of Loughton and along pedestrian passageways to Loughton tube station.
This is a good walk with more green and less traffic than Louchi one. But it is less easy to walk, especially in wet weather, a lot is unlit, and the bridge would exclude wheels.

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