tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post5146459276997701740..comments2024-03-15T22:41:23.325+00:00Comments on London underfoot: London Countryway 15b: Brentwood - West HorndonDes de Moorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-33951599086002555472023-09-05T11:42:49.492+01:002023-09-05T11:42:49.492+01:00Hi Dee Dee and glad you're finding this useful...Hi Dee Dee and glad you're finding this useful. Shame about the overgrown path, seem to remember that's the one through the trees on the main road embankment. Unfortunately busy roads and overgrown paths are the bane of walks like this.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-3481177540087362212023-08-29T21:58:14.564+01:002023-08-29T21:58:14.564+01:00Hi Des, thanks so much for all this info and to ev...Hi Des, thanks so much for all this info and to everyone for the warnings about the terrifying road crossing. We did the walk yesterday and really enjoyed it. Just wanted to tell anyone planning to do it that the path from the church is extremely overgrown at the moment and not really passable. It’s worth the detour to have a look but you might need to walk back to the road. Dee Deenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-86196106567373525732018-10-02T12:07:24.480+01:002018-10-02T12:07:24.480+01:00Whoops! Thanks for picking up on the sliproad mist...Whoops! Thanks for picking up on the sliproad mistake, LCS, now corrected.Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-1576442538804041242018-09-21T14:56:43.582+01:002018-09-21T14:56:43.582+01:00Short but sweet - a very enjoyable walk. It is ama...Short but sweet - a very enjoyable walk. It is amazing to find so much woodland and open space south of Brentwood. The route is very easy to follow. The paths are well maintained and not overgrown at the moment.<br /><br />I failed to identify Obelisk Seat. If it is where I now think it is, there were certainly no Country Park South signs left onto a narrower path through woodland. I stayed on the broad gravel track following signs to the Country Park South at junctions until I entered the park at the south end of the lake - so clearly I did not follow the intended route - but the walking was fine with good views.<br /><br />Many thanks for the warning and advice about crossing the A127. I walked vie East Horndon Church as now recommended. On a fine, clear day the views of the City and Docklands from the churchyard were rather magnificent. Note that in the red paragraph of the walk description the instruction should be to cross and turn right (not left) along the descending slip road to merge with the A127. There is a good pavement and the distance along the main road to the footpath sign is really not very long. It would have been quite impossible this morning to survive an attempted crossing of the A127 direct as in the original. London City of Sciencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18061618574747754457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-87210136735305512392017-11-10T22:07:03.183+00:002017-11-10T22:07:03.183+00:00Thanks for the feedback, Ann. Following the commen...Thanks for the feedback, Ann. Following the comments from Leonard and yourself I've now edited the route description to suggest the roundabout as an alternative, and made some amendments in the commentary too. At some point I will go down there and look at it again -- I have plans to rewalk the whole route. I'm glad you enjoyed the route and any additional comments are always welcome. The blog now includes coverage of the London Loop in similar detail and I'm shortly starting on the Capital Ring!Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-3620104227614263992017-11-04T16:20:17.351+00:002017-11-04T16:20:17.351+00:00Hi Des, we did this section yesterday and, having ...Hi Des, we did this section yesterday and, having read Leonard's comments before we set off, when we descended to the A127 from the church we turned left instead of right. It was easy to cross the first slip road up to the roundabout and there was a pavement the other side. This took us round the roundabout and then about halfway down the slip road on the far side. Here we had a clear view to cross the slip road but had to be a bit quicker as the traffic was gathering speed. There was then a pavement all the way to the 'official' crossing. At 2.30 on a Friday there was no break in the traffic on the east bound side of the A127 and we were glad we'd used the roundabout. We also met another walker who told us there was a footbridge over the A127 about '5 minutes' further east from the roundabout which may be another option. <br /><br />we have now walked most of the London Countryway taking your walk description plus a printed version of your blog on each walk. We started in February at Gravesend and have only the last section to do which, owing to the nights drawing in, we are going to split into two. I've been meaning to add comments to your blog all the way round and now I've started, perhaps I'll go back and do it in retrospect. We've thoroughly enjoyed the walk and can't thank you enough for this site. Your blogs have added enjoyment by pointing out things we'd otherwise miss - mind you, my husband makes me read the 'history bits' to myself!Ann Starrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-64706689419688329992017-08-15T09:15:19.041+01:002017-08-15T09:15:19.041+01:00Thanks for this, Leonard. I'm sorry you had pr...Thanks for this, Leonard. I'm sorry you had problems crossing the A127. I say in the post it's one of the worst crossings on the whole route and yes I think the time would have made a difference. The reason why I kept it in there is because it's part of the original route and there would have been quite a lot of road walking otherwise, via the route you suggest, but I did think twice about it. If the London Countryway was more of an official route that might add impetus to improve the crossing.<br /><br />I haven't walked the route for a while now but as I recall the Essex sections were particularly bad for overgrown and difficult paths along mean and narrow field edges. Partly I think as they are a long way from any other promoted walking trails and aren't particularly well-walked other than by locals making short journeys, walking dogs etc. I'm hoping you'll find things get better on that front from now on. Des de Moorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533475300522834830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666872559007076569.post-28027155292680849642017-08-05T11:31:42.005+01:002017-08-05T11:31:42.005+01:00I walked this section on Tuesday 1st August 2017. ...I walked this section on Tuesday 1st August 2017. A pleasant walk, until a major problem at the end: the A127 is impossible to cross safely, with a steady stream of fast traffic in both directions. The sign to traffic "Pedestrians crossing ahead" is quite insufficient to allow anyone to cross. This was at 5.30pm - there might be a better chance at other times.<br /><br />According to the map there were other paths and roads intersecting the A127 to the west, so I walked in that direction, only to find that the crossings were just as dangerous. I had to walk 4km to the bridge at Great Warley Hall, and then down the B186 and B187 (also quite busy with traffic) - as that took me as near to Upminster as to West Horndon, I went there instead, 9.5km from the Halfway House instead of the 1.8km that the route should have taken. I think it would be advisable to turn left rather than right after coming down from the church, and cross the A127 on the bridge - there seem to be footpaths on the slip roads, as far as I can see with Google streetview. Then follow Tilbury Road and Station Road to West Horndon.<br /><br />I am enjoying the London Countryway, though some of the field paths are overgrown and a bit difficult. I started with the sections nearest me, and have now walked from Broxbourne to Tilbury, so looking forward to the rest.Leonard Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283316521314252242noreply@blogger.com