LL-1 Cover_- 4/9/21 10:00 AM Page 1 TRAILBLAZER London LOOP 1 EDN ‘...the Trailblazer series stands head, LondonLondon LOOPLOOP shoulders, waist and ankles above the rest. They are particularly strong on mapping...’ LONDONLONDON OUTEROUTER ORBITALORBITAL PATHPATH THE SUNDAY TIMES 48 large-scale walking maps (1:20,000) & route guide With comprehensive bus, train Chipping LONDON PLANNING – PLACES TO STAY – PLACES TO EAT and tube information for each Barnet LOOP of the 24 stages, this guide is Purfleet-on- IncludesIncludes fullfull publicpublic transporttransport informationinformation LONDON ideal for day walks Thames Erith forfor dayday walkerswalkers Kingston- 20km upon- o Includes 48 detailed walking maps: the Thames 10 miles largest-scale maps available – At just The London Outer Orbital HENRY STEDMAN under 1:20,000 (8cm or 31/8 inches to 1 mile) Path (LOOP) is a 150¾-mile LONDON these are bigger than even the most detailed (242.6km) circuit around the walking maps currently available in the shops. perimeter of Greater London. o Unique mapping features – walking The official start is Erith, the times, directions, tricky junctions, places to end at Purfleet and the trail stays within the M25, stick- stay, places to eat, points of interest. These OUTER are not general-purpose maps but fully ing mainly to the metropoli- edited maps drawn by walkers for walkers. tan green belt. One of the big surprises is o Itineraries for all walkers – whether how much easily accessible hiking the entire route or sampling high- green space there is around ORBITAL lights on day walks or short breaks London. For much of the time you’ll be walking through o Detailed public transport information fields, farms and parkland. Buses, trains and taxis for all access points Indeed, it’s only when you o Practical information for all budgets look at a satellite image of the PATH What to see; where to stay; where to eat walk that you realise you’re (cafés, takeaways, pubs and restaurants) actually always pretty close to civilisation. Yet often it o Includes downloadable GPS waypoints simply doesn’t feel like it. trailblazer-guides.com 51995 > DISTRIBUTED IN UK & IRELAND BY HEARTWOOD PUBLISHING heartwoodpublishing.co.uk Price in UK UK£12.99 DISTRIBUTED IN USA BY NBN % 1-800-462-6420 nbnbooks.com 1 Price in USA US$19.95 EDN ISBN 978-1-912716-21-0 7819129 716210 1st edition 2104015_Cover_CC2018.indd 1 2021/4/15 02:05 LOOP-1 00 Colour pages_Prelims Template 4/8/21 11:08 AM Page 1 Born in Chatham, Kent, HENRY STEDMAN has been writing guidebooks for 25 years and is the author or co- author of over a dozen Trailblazer titles including Kilimanjaro, Coast to Coast Path, Dales Way and all three books in the South-West Coast Path series. On most walks he’s accompanied by Daisy. Two parts trouble to one part Parson’s Jack Russell, Daisy has completed ten national trails as well as the Coast to Coast path and Dales Way. When not travelling or writing, Henry lives in Battle, East Sussex, editing and also arranging climbs on Africa’s highest mountain through his company, Kilimanjaro Experts. Author LOOP-1 00 Colour pages_Prelims Template 4/8/21 11:08 AM Page 2 London LOOP First edition: 2021 Publisher Trailblazer Publications The Old Manse, Tower Rd, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6SU, UK [email protected], : trailblazer-guides.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-912716-21-0 © Trailblazer 2021: Text and maps Editor: Anna Jacomb-Hood Proofreading: Nicky Slade Cartography: Nick Hill Layout & Index: Anna Jacomb-Hood Photographs (flora) : © Bryn Thomas All other photographs: © Henry Stedman (unless otherwise indicated) All rights reserved. Other than brief extracts for the purposes of review no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher and copyright owner. The maps in this guide were prepared from out-of-Crown- copyright Ordnance Survey maps amended and updated by Trailblazer. Acknowledgements My heartfelt thanks to Anna and Kazuo Udagawa for re-researching the Hogsmill stretch to make sure that walkers really couldn’t follow it all the way to Kingston; and to Ian Bull for his invaluable help, insights and updates on the trail. Thanks are also due to Nick Hill for his usual sterling work designing the maps, and to Anna Jacomb-Hood once again for her forensic approach to editing and to Roderick Leslie for insights into birds and trees. Plus, of course, to Bryn Thomas of Trailblazer, for contin- uing to find projects for me to work on – I’m truly grateful. Finally, thanks to Zoe and Henry for making life in between the walking so much fun. A request The author and publisher have tried to ensure that this guide is as accurate and up to date as possible. Nevertheless, things change. If you notice any changes or omissions that should be included in the next edition of this book, please write to Trailblazer (address above) or email us at : [email protected]. A free copy of the next edition will be sent to persons making a significant contribution. Warning: long-distance walking can be dangerous Please read the notes on when to go (pp12-13) and outdoor safety (pp51-3). Every effort has been made by the author and publisher to ensure that the information contained herein is as accurate and up to date as possible. However, they are unable to accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained by anyone as a result of the advice and infor- mation given in this guide. Updated information will be available on: : trailblazer-guides.com Photos – Front cover and this page: A peaceful stretch of the Grand Union Canal between Uxbridge and Harefield West. Previous page: Treading the boards across the saturated ground of Donkey Wood. Overleaf: The City of London skyline emerges above the trees of Hainault Forest, on the way to Havering-Atte-Bower. % Printed in China; print production by D’Print ( +65-6581 3832), Singapore LOOP-1 00 Colour pages_Prelims Template 4/8/21 11:09 AM Page 4 INTRODUCTION How difficult is the LOOP? 11 How long do you need? 12 When to go 12 Highlights and day trips 14 PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK Practical information for the walker Route finding 25– Accommodation 26 – Other services 29 Budgeting 30 Itineraries Which direction? 31 – Village and town facilities table 32 Taking dogs along the LOOP 34 – Suggested itineraries 36 What to wear, what to take and how to take it What to wear on the trail 37 – If you’re tackling the LOOP in one go 38 – Online information 39 – Other equipment 39 — Money and documents 40 – Maps 40 PART 2: GETTING TO & FROM THE LOOP London Transport and the LOOP 41 – Public transport map 42 Getting around 46 – Rail services 46 – Getting to and from London 49 – Getting to Britain 50 PART 3: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING & OUTDOOR SAFETY Minimum impact walking 51 Outdoor safety Safety on the LOOP 51 – Countryside code 52 – Weather forecasts 53 – Blisters 53 – Heat exhaustion and sunburn 53 PART 4: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE Conservation Government agencies and schemes 54 Flora and fauna Mammals 56 – Reptiles 57 – Butterflies 58 – Flowers 59 – Birds 60 Trees 62 Contents LOOP-1 00 Colour pages_Prelims Template 4/8/21 11:09 AM Page 5 PART 5: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS Using this guide 63 Stage 1: Erith to Bexley 65 Stage 2: Bexley to Petts Wood 72 Stage 3: Petts Wood to Coney Hall (for Hayes station) 80 Stage 4: Coney Hall to Hamsey Green 89 Stage 5: Hamsey Green to Coulsdon South 98 Stage 6: Coulsdon South to Banstead Downs 103 Stage 7: Banstead Downs to Ewell (Bourne Hall Park) 108 Stage 8: Ewell (Bourne Hall Park) to Kingston Bridge 111 Stage 9: Kingston Bridge to the A30 (Hatton Cross stn) 117 Stage 10: (Hatton Cross station for) the A30 to Hayes 128 Stage 11: Hayes & Harlington to Uxbridge 132 Stage 12: Uxbridge to West Harefield 139 Stage 13: West Harefield to Moor Park 141 Stage 14: Moor Park to Hatch End 145 Stage 15: Hatch End to Elstree & Borehamwood 149 Stage 16: Elstree & Borehamwood to Cockfosters 157 Stage 17: Cockfosters to Enfield Lock 165 Stage 18: Enfield Lock to Chingford 173 Stage 19: Chingford to Chigwell 177 Stage 20: Chigwell to Havering-Atte-Bower 179 Stage 21: Havering-Atte-Bower to Harold Wood 185 Stage 22: Harold Wood to Upminster Bridge 189 Stage 23: Upminster Bridge to Rainham 191 Stage 24: Rainham to Purfleet-on-Thames 196 APPENDICES A: GPS waypoints 201 B: Map key 202 C: Bus services 203 D: Distance chart 212 INDEX 216 OVERVIEW MAPS & PROFILES 221 Contents LOOP-1 00 Colour pages_Prelims Template 4/8/21 11:09 AM Page 6 This guidebook contains all the information you need. The hard work has been done for you so you can plan your trip without hav- ing to consult numerous websites and other books and maps. When you’re packed and ready to go, there’s comprehensive public transport information to get you to and from the trail and detailed maps (1:20,000) to help you find your way along it. It includes: ● Answers to all your questions: when to go, degree of difficulty, what to pack, and how much the whole walk will cost. ● Walking times and GPS waypoints ● Suggested itineraries ● Accommodation section – for those not living near the LOOP who want to complete the trail over a series of days ● Cafés, pubs, tearooms, takeaways, restaurants along the way – and shops/supermarkets for buying supplies ● Rail, tube, tram and bus information for all places along the path ● Historical, cultural and geographical background information ❏ THIS BOOK AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Th is guide book was researched and written during the summer months of 2020, when the country was suffering from the effects of the COVID- 19 pandemic.