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Gordon Hill (Enfield) Circular Walk (10 miles)This walk begins and finishes at Gordon Hill (National Rail - TfL Zone 5) Station, one stop after Enfield Chase on the line from central London to Hertford North. The route operates from King’s Cross at weekends and from Moorgate on Mondays to Fridays. It is often easier to take the Tube to Finsbury Park (Piccadilly and Victoria Lines) and change to a Hertford North bound train there. The walk quickly enters real countryside and encompasses some wide views. It penetrates some way into Hertfordshire until the old centre of Cheshunt is reached, then uses the New River to take the walker back into Greater London. The extensive grounds of Forty Hall, where there are refreshment opportunities, are visited and the route finally goes via Hillyfields Park back to Gordon Hill. Much of this walk is in real countryside where mud can be encountered, especially after rain. For this reason, stout footware is essential. A number of moderate hills are negotiated and there is a steep flight of steps to use the outward bound footbridge over the M25 motorway. 1. From the station, cross Lavender Hill and a patch of grass, then turn left into Lavender Gardens, following this until the entrance to Lavender Hill Cemetery is reached by the lodge gates. Enter and turn right to the chapel, passing to its left, then forking left to the T-junction (Bosenquet Memorial). Turn right here for 40 metres, then sharp left at the next path (Short Family Vault). In just 20 metres, take the narrow path on the right, following this all the way to an exit at Cooks Hole Road. The cemetery is pleasantly landscaped and there are good views out into the surrounding countryside. Should the route through the cemetery not be available (NB: dogs not allowed here), then continue along the length of Cedar Road, passing an estate of tall flats to take the second left, Cooks Hole Road, rejoining the route coming out of the cemetery after about 150 metres. 2. Continue downhill, then just as the lane rises again, turn right on a surfaced footpath to enter Hillyfields Park. At the bottom of the slope, cross the Turkey Brook and continue uphill with a hedge on the right and playing fields on the left. We have momentarily joined the London Loop, a circular 241km (150-mile) long-distance footpath around London, and will explore a further part of this towards the end of the walk. 3. The path emerges by St John the Baptist’s Church (1857) at Strayfield Road. Bear right and cross the end of Theobalds Park Road to enter Flash Lane. Note the white weatherboarded Fallow Buck pub to the right, which dates from the sixteenth century. Follow Flash Lane, a fine view towards Whitewebbs Wood soon appearing. Ignore a footpath off to the left and go through a metal gate. The lane’s surface soon becomes rougher as we wend our way into the wood. Before long an interesting industrial monument appears - the Cuffley Brook Aqueduct, built in 1820. This carried a now-bypassed section of the New River over the brook; an information panel here explains its history.
4. Continue through the wood, ignoring side paths into Whitewebbs Nature Trail. Just before reaching Whitewebbs Road, turn right to closely follow it on a track just inside the wood. On coming to the entrance to Whitewebbs Park, turn right for 50 metres, then left on a narrow path by rhododendron bushes to a pond. Don’t curve around with the pond, but go forward 15 metres to the road, then turn left (keeping an eye out for cars), to reach the bridleway again, where turn right, still in proximity to Whitewebbs Road. Follow the path, keeping by the fence, soon reaching the back of the King and Tinker pub. Recommended pub: The King and Tinker takes its name from a supposed encounter between King James I and a local tinker, after the king had become lost in the woods while hunting and sought refuge in this alehouse. As is usual in these royalty-meets-commoner stories, an equable time is had by both, the tinker not realising the identity of his royal companion. A framed narrative of the occasion is displayed in the porch. The pub itself is 16th or 17th century, has a large garden and a children’s play area. Food and real ale are available. 5. Go through the pub’s carpark to a point where Whitewebbs Road becomes Whitewebbs Lane and cross with care. Go over the stile, signposted to Cheshunt, and skirt stables. Go over two more stiles into a field and bear left, following a field boundary, then cross into another field left of a hedgerow in front of you. Maintain direction, following the fence line, the pylon ahead being a useful marker. Descend to a bridge over a stream, then up the field to the tall bridge crossing the M25 motorway ahead. This is a steep climb so, once at the top, pause for a moment to enjoy the views back into central London, with the skyscrapers of the City of London and the Canary Wharf complex both clearly visible. The M25 forms the county boundary here with Hertfordshire. 6. Carry on, between a wood and a field, climbing gently uphill. After the wood ends, pass between two fields to metal gates — the buildings over to the right are Theobald’s Stud Farm. Cross into the lane (Oldpark Ride). There is a fine Queen Anne style house just off to the right here — Theobalds Manor. Our way, however, is to turn left along the lane then, after 50 metres, turn right through a gate at the corner of Home Wood to follow its right edge, the path swinging to follow the wood’s edge. Where this ends, turn right along a field edge, following a hedgerow left. On approaching a dividing hedgerow, turn left through a double gate to descend into a valley, crossing into a second field and making for the gate ahead. 7. Go forward and take a now-rising track, skirting right to pass between the buildings of Broadfield Farm and a main road. Once past the farm, continue along a concrete track towards glasshouses. On reaching a road (Barrow Lane), turn right to take a bridge over the main road. Once over, turn right again to keep parallel with the main road, reversing your previous direction, and coming to Cheshunt Cemetery on the left. At its corner, turn left to continue to follow its edge until, after some way, a housing estate is reached (Woodside). Turn left, then right, to follow the estate road, dropping on a short footpath at its end to Bury Green Road. 8. Ignore the continuation of Bury Green Road on the right, and continue along Dark Lane between two parts of the cemetery. There are toilets on the right behind the chapel if required. Continue along this straight road for 700 metres, passing Cromwell and Franklin Avenues until arriving at Goff’s Lane. Turn right here, walking between a dipped verge and playing fields. When a children’s play area is reached, go half-right across grass to cross a culvert between a pavilion and a line of trees. Continue forward to the path ahead, where turn right, passing a row of beech trees, then continue between fences to arrive at the parish church. St Mary’s Church is medieval and, although subject to much Victorian restoration, still retains several interesting monuments. Building can be dated between 1418 and 1448, The church stands at the heart of the old town of Cheshunt, although the focal point of the town has now shifted some distance to the east towards the railway. Drop-out point: Bus 242 from Churchgate can take you to Cuffley Station, which is two railway stops from Gordon Hill Station. Please note that both Cheshunt and Cuffley are outside the Transport for London Area, so extra fares may have to be paid. 9. Walk the length of the churchyard, where there are some old tombs, and cross Churchgate to the Green Dragon, a coaching inn dating from the 16th century. Food and real ale are available here. Turn right, past council offices and around a left bend into College Road. Cross this, soon finding an entrance to the New River Path on the righthand side of the bridge. As is often remarked, the New River is neither new nor a river. It was constructed between 1609 and 1613 by Sir Hugh Myddelton to supply London with drinking water, originating from springs at Great Amwell. It still fulfills this purpose and is now under the ownership of Thames Water. The river was originally constructed as a contoured waterway with a fall of about five inches per mile. Later changes straightened parts of the river and some of the original course was bypassed, as we saw at Cuffley Brook Aqueduct earlier in this walk, and we meet the old course again later on. 10. The next section of the walk is very straightforward as we follow the New River for the next two miles (3.5km), ignoring all side paths. Initially the river is on our left. After passing the copious playing fields of a new school, the river changes bank and goes under the main road we passed over earlier, and then across a drive. New roads and buildings are a bit of a distraction — the Travelodge and News International obtrude, but these soon merge into the background, and there are good views beyond towards Epping Forest. 11. Eventually we approach the M25 motorway again, where the river is taken over in a concrete trough, with our path above. On the other side, we are back in Greater London. The river, back on our left, twists to the right, and an entrance to the 12-hectare Capel Manor Gardens (admission charge) is reached. Carry on (unless visiting the gardens), soon leaving the river to cross Bullsmoor Lane, then rejoin it on the other side. There is a straight-ish stretch now, with playing fields on the right.
13. Continue between metal fences, back on the London Loop. Ignore the next turning left, but continue through barriers between wire fences. On coming to a road, Forty Hill, turn left opposite the school, immediately crossing the road to take a narrow footpath over a stile. Go forward half-left to join an earthen footpath following the Turkey Brook, running in a deep gully. This is a pretty stretch, with the brook on your right, and a gently rising meadow and a fine selection of trees on your left. 14. Towards the end of the meadow, just as the waterside path dips and becomes more secluded, keep an eye on the left for Forty Hall sitting on the crown of the hill. Walk towards it along a wide grassy slope running between two double avenues of lime trees. These were cruelly affected by the 1987 hurricane, but the losses have been made good with new plantings. Pass through the gates slightly to the left ahead and, on reaching the lake, skirt left around it to reach the Hall. If time is pressing and you don’t want to visit Forty Hall, just continue beside the brook until Point 16 is reached.
Please note that the museum and café at Forty Hall are currently (April 2011) closed for building works. They are expected to reopen in Spring 2012. The garden and toilets are not affected and the walk route as described is still fully accessible. 15. Returning to the lake, turn left towards Forty Hall Farm, past a small car-parking area. Follow the exit road over humps past a couple of houses, then go through a gate with fancy ironwork into the field ahead. Keep forward, slightly downhill on a broad grassy track through parkland. Ignore a crossing grass path and go forward into woods, bearing left with the path. We soon find ourselves on the edge of a large lake on the right — the Fishing Lake. Keep close to this and, where the lake ends, turn right to follow it, crossing over a stream with a landing-stage nearby, soon reaching a broad path alongside the Turkey Brook. Turn left here, rejoining the London Loop, and follow the brook, ignoring any side paths. 16. Go past a footbridge where the Mile and a Quarter footpath comes in from the right. Ignore this and go through barriers, still following the brook. A field is now on your left. Ignore the path coming in over the next footbridge; although this runs parallel to us, we are on the better surface. The path now twists about, generally following the brook. Eventually more barriers are reached and a third footbridge (ignored). Go up steps to cross the old course of the New River — now little more than a ditch. Ignore the two side paths and walk forward down a dip. On coming into the open, go forward along the length of the clearing, keeping to the lower path. The path emerges at Clay Hill, by the Rose and Crown pub. 17. Cross this busy road with care (it might be best to cross at the bollards, left) and enter Hillyfields Park, forking right after 60 metres. Carry on right along the path, ignoring the cross-path (and the continuation of the London Loop) at the top of the next hill. Just before reaching Phipps Hatch Lane, turn right for 60 metres just inside the park boundary, then cross over the road and turn right towards the high flats. Successively cross Brigadier Hill, an estate road and Blossom Lane, then turn left down Rendlesham Road to Gordon Hill Station. © Mike Biggs, Ramblers (Inner London Area), 2010. If you have any comments about this walk, or notice that it needs updating to take account of changes on the route, then please contact Mike at mike.biggs@o2.co.uk. |
