London Loop Section 17 Page 1 LONDON LOOP

London Loop section 17 page 1 LONDON LOOP

Section 17 of 24 Cockfosters to Enﬁeld Lock

Section start: Cockfosters Nearest station to start: Cockfosters (Piccadilly Line)

Section ﬁnish: Enﬁeld Lock

Nearest station to ﬁnish: Enﬁeld Lock (Rail)

Section distance 8.6 miles plus 0.2 miles of station links Total = 8.8 miles (14.0 km)

Introduction This is a rural section through an area alive with history that provides newcomers with an excellent introduction to the Loop. It goes through Trent Park, once the home of the Sassoon family, and continues through the farmland of Enﬁeld Chase, Hilly Fields Park and the Forty Hall Estate.

There are several gentle ups and downs. There is also one high-stepped footbridge - but it can be avoided. The walk is mostly on rough and sometimes muddy paths, tracks and grassland. There is one stile. Some sections are suitable for the less mobile and for pushchairs, including part of Trent Park, Forty Hall and Albany Park.

There are pubs and cafés at Trent Park, Forty Hall, Clay Hill, Hertford Road and Enﬁeld Lock. There are public toilets by the café and car park in Trent Park and also at Forty Hall.

There is a National Rail station at Turkey Street. The Loop crosses bus routes at Clay Hill, Great Cambridge Road and Hertford Road. At the moment his section ends in Albany Park with a temporary route to Enﬁeld Lock station - not at Enﬁeld Lock itself.

This version by members of the Ramblers for Transport for London In this format: text © Ramblers 2021, maps © OpenStreetMap Downloaded from: https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/loop Published: May 2021

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Walking directions Leave Cockfosters station by the main exit on Cockfosters Road, turn right Did you know? then immediately right again, and go through the green metal gate to the This area was once left of the station car park passing a Loop signpost. Follow the wide path Enfield Chase, a 12th century royal hunting between the car park and the cemetery. Cross the drive leading to the forest. Enfield's cemetery extension on your right. woodland was described in the Go through the gap in the bushes into an open field, then after about 25 Domesday Book as yards turn left. There is no waymark here or at the next junction. Cross the providing food for four thousand swine. ditch and go across the top of a field into Church Wood. At the T-junction of paths turn left and exit the wood across another, probably muddy ditch with plank bridge.

The path now bears right between a small new plantation and the edge of the old wood, and leads on to a ﬁeld. The well-worn part of the path then bears right but the Loop goes straight ahead, up a small slope to meet the main drive into Trent Park. There is a signpost by a gap in the railings at this point.

Turn right along the drive, then fork left past the little obelisk. There are toilets beside the main car park to your right and a Go Ape Tree Top Adventure. A café is to your left. Straight ahead are Enﬁeld Council and Loop information boards.

At the information boards take the path to the left between bollards into the pleasant area of mixed woodland known as

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Oak Wood. This area is Trent Country Park. The park has country walks, Did you know? Camlet Moat is a small bird watching and nature study. Follow the path as it gradually descends moated island and and curves right just before a ditch. Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is thought The path leaves the wood across the ditch on a plank bridge. The gravel to have been the seat of path then runs alongside a boundary fence to the left. At the T-junction of Geoffrey de Mandeville during the reign of paths (not currently signposted), do not go through the gate into the William the Conqueror. woods, but turn left onto a broad path that soon curves to the right close to Excavations carried out a lake. After a few hundred yards, there is a view to the right of Trent by Sir Philip Sassoon in House which is being converted to provide flats and a small museum, the 1920s discovered stone foundations, oak commemorating its use for housing German officers during WW2. beams thought to be from the drawbridge Passing two wooden signposts, keep in the direction of Hadley Road to and Roman shoes and curve left on the main path up the hill with woods to your right and a field daggers. on the left. Enter the woods and after about 100 yards, fork left at the Did you know? waymarker. As the Loop path curves to the left, with another main path The obelisk was moved leading off to the right, the enclosed area of Camlet Moat on the right to Trent Park from Wrest Park in 1934. The become visible. date 1702 in the inscription is wrong. Follow the path to the edge of the wood and then take the small right fork George Grey, Earl of which is waymarked. Go through the open gate about 20 yards along. Look Harold was born in left along the woodland edge from the gate to see a tall obelisk. 1733 and died in infancy. It is worth making the short detour Turn left at the road and walk for about 100 yards. Cross at the lay-by and left at the top of the go through the kissing gate by a Loop signpost. Head off down the hill on wood to enjoy the fine the Jubilee Path. At the bottom of the hill, where there is a bench seat, turn view of the course and right and follow Salmon's Brook. grounds from the obelisk.

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The route is now close to the brook for over a mile. Keep following the Note A major Enfield Chase footpath, which can be very muddy when wet or rutted when dry. At a improvement project is corner, go right with the path and shortly left through a gap to continue with underway in this area in the brook on the left and fields on the right. 2021. There has already been extensive The path bends left to a bridge over the brook. Cross over Salmon's Brook tree planting. A new path for walking and then turn immediately right through the kissing gate by a wooden signpost cycling is under with Loop waymark. construction. The bridge is due for repair or Keep following the field edge with the brook close by now on the right. The replacement. Some path leads through two more gates and through several fields passing gates may be replaced or disappear and the occasional waymarks. After passing an unused stile, the path comes to a waymarking may well corner with a signpost. Here bear round to the left to follow the fence line change. The Loop will up the hill, with the mature trees of Brooke Memorial Wood on the right and remain open and these a new plantation on the left. changes should make walking easier. Go through the kissing gate on the right just before reaching the road along the brow of the hill. There is a bench seat near the gate. Follow the path through trees towards the road. Come out of the wood through another Note gate. Continue along the left side of a field, with a fine view to the right, The new walking and until you reach the only stile on the route at the bottom of a slight dip. cycle way will, in time, allow you to go straight ahead from a new Go over the stile and carefully cross the road (The Ridgeway). Turn right pedestrian road continuing along pavement on the other side of the road. Note that from crossing of the here to Enfield Lock station, the route follows the National Cycle Network Ridgeway, through route NCN 12. This route is clearly marked with blue stickers on lamp more planted trees, to meet the Turkey Brook posts. at the bottom of Rectory Farm Road. Break point A few hundred yards further on is a bus stop for route 313 which goes to Did you know? Enfield or Potters Bar. This part of London was once a mass of Turn left down Rectory Farm Road just beyond the Royal Chace Hotel and glasshouses that produced huge immediately opposite the bus stop on the other side of the road. (Note that quantities of tomatoes the hotel facilities are only available to guests.) The Enfield Greenways and cucumbers for all signpost points towards the Forty Hall and Lee Valley parks. the country. The glasshouses by Follow the drive to the sheds, bear right behind them and continue Strayfield Road are the few left. They now crossing the bridge over Turkey Brook. Follow the track up the hill, passing produce water plants for between bollards and then under the railway bridge. Turn right at the T- gardens. junction still following the Enfield Greenways.

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After some glasshouses on the right, continue ahead along the road (Strayﬁeld Road) until you reach the church on the left. Opposite the church turn right between a barrier and a low wooden posts with a waymark. Join the surfaced path to Hilly Fields Park that is shared between walkers and cyclists and signed as part of the Enﬁeld Greenways. Keep ahead on this path which goes down the hill to cross Turkey Brook.

Alternative route The route described in the previous paragraph is the one waymarked if walking towards Enﬁeld Lock (clockwise round the Loop). Coming in the opposite direction waymarking directs you on a different route as shown by the anticlockwise route on the map above. This was the original off-road route that is still preferred by some walkers. Now that some of the waymarks have gone it can be a bit tricky to follow in the clockwise direction.

After the glasshouses on the right, enter the path into Hilly Fields Park, ignoring the waymark pointing left along the road. Follow the winding path through the woodland. Go left at the ﬁrst fork and left again at the next junction to reach the edge of a cricket ground. Here keep right along the edge of the wood. Just after passing a plank bridge on your left, bear right to come out of the wood. Walk along the top of the open, grassy area. On the far side, turn right down the gravel track and follow the path downhill to cross Turkey Brook. You are now back on the main route.

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After crossing the Turkey Brook, fork left to follow the main gravel track by the brook through Hilly Fields. Did you know? Break point The New River was You can end the walk at Gordon Hill station by taking the path ahead after created between 1609 crossing the Turkey Brook. Turn left to walk along Cook’s Hole Road. Turn and 1612 as an artificial right at the crossroads along Cedar Road. Take the second road left along watercourse to supply London with clean Rendlesham Road to reach the station across Lavender Hill at the end. drinking water. The Loop continues through the park beside the brook. Follow the path Originally the river wound its way along the past the bandstand to barrier posts, with waymark, at the edge of the park. 100 ft contour with the Come out to a road (Clay Hill Road) with the Rose & Crown pub opposite - water flowing under which offers a good lunch on Sundays. gravity. The river was straightened to shorten Break point its route in the mid 19th There is a limited bus service from Clay Hill Road to Enfield (route W10). century. Did you know? The traffic can move fast here, so cross the road with with great care. Take The open fields near the path ahead just right of the pub, then fork right keeping open grass on Forty Hall were the site the right and the Turkey Brook close on the left. The path has a humped of the Elsynge Palace, a favourite haunt of crossing over the former course of the New River. Follow the sign, saying Queen Elizabeth when Mile & a Quarter Footpath, leading to Forty Hall, down a small slope. she wanted to be out of the city. The ponds may Keep straight ahead and use Turkey Brook on the left as a guide. Passing well have kept the a barrier and fingerpost, keep ahead towards Forty Hall. Fork left to follow palace supplied with fish. a long fishing pond on the right with rhododendrons lining the path.

Just beyond the ponds, up to the right, is the 17th century Forty Hall, which now includes a museum. The house and gardens are worth a visit. There is Did you know? Just to the left along the also a café and toilets. Reach the hall by turning right at the end of the ﬁsh road outside the park is ponds and following the lime tree avenue up the hill. The detour to Forty Maidens Bridge. Local Hall will add about three quarters of a mile to the walk. legend says that at this spot Sir Walter Raleigh spread his cloak over a The Loop continues beside the brook and comes out into a more open puddle so the Queen area. Continue along the gravel path, then keep ahead at a crossing path could cross without to leave the park through a barrier. getting her feet wet. This dramatic act of Go over the road, using the crossing just to the right, turning left on the gallantry suggested that he had completely lost other side and immediately right to join a tarmac path to the left of the his head over her; school car park. Carry on following the tarmac path through some unfortunately for scrubland. The path here crosses the present course of the New River, as Raleigh he later did - he was beheaded!. indicated on the footpath signs for the New River Path.

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Once at the main road (Great Cambridge Road, A 10) use the metal footbridge on your left to cross. As an alternative to the steps and bridge, there is a subway about 200 yards to the south (right).

Break point For buses towards Waltham Cross, Enﬁeld or Turnpike Lane Tube station use the bus stops to the south (right) on each side of the dual carriageway, near the entrance to Enﬁeld Crematorium.

To continue on the Loop, turn left on the other side of the footbridge, then right after a few paces to follow the tarmac path that runs parallel to the cemetery. At the road, keep ahead under the railway bridge, then turn left at a T-junction, into Winnington Road which leads to Turkey Street.

Break point Turkey Street Station is left at this junction (note – there is no signpost to the Loop). There is a convenience shop next to the station.

The main route goes right into Turkey Street and follows it to meet Hertford Road at the end. For most of this section the Turkey Brook will be immediately on your left.

In Hertford Road there are many shops and cafes, and there's a public house to the left of the junction with Turkey Street. There is a small paved space, with seats, by the junction.

Break point For buses to Waltham Cross, Enﬁeld or Edmonton, there are bus stops In Hertford Road on either side of the road junction with Turkey Street.

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Cross Hertford Road at the island a few paces to the right, turn right, and then take the ﬁrst left down St. Stephen's Road, which curves around to the right.

Immediately after the bend in the road, go left through a barrier onto the footpath (Prince of Wales path). Once again the Loop follows Turkey Brook.

Keep following the brook to Albany Park where this section now stops short of the start of Section 18. Note The restoration and Until late 2021, a section of the Loop route through the park has been flood alleviation scheme in Albany Park involves closed because major flood alleviation works are in progress. Follow the construction of a new path diversion left onto a footbridge over the brook into Beaconsfield Road. watercourse, a flood Over the bridge, turn right along Beaconsfield Road and take the third left storage area and a into Chesterfield Road. Turn right at the end, at the T-junction with combined footpath- cycleway. Excavation Ordnance Road. Just before the level crossing, there is a small parade of works has created a shops and a public house on the right. new river channel and wetland basins. Next steps Enfield Lock station is at the end of the temporary diversion at the level crossing.

Continue along Ordnance Road, past the end of Bradley Road for a bus stop where bus 121 takes you to Enﬁeld and Oakwood stations.

To reach the start of Section 18, walk over the level crossing, pass the Railway Inn and take the ﬁrst right into Bradley Road. Walk to the end of the road to meet the Turkey Brook. Turn left onto the brook path before the bridge, as indicated by the waymark, to start the section.