Fairlop - Claybury Woods - Ray Park - Woodford

Anthony Whiteson

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From Fairlop, the walk takes you up to Claybury Woods, once the site of one of London's orbital mental asylums. Since 1999, the area has been redeveloped and part of the deal was to create a new public park in Redbridge, allowing access to this beautiful mixture of 18th Century landscaped parkland and ancient woodland. A wide variety of flora and fauna (some of it quite rare) can be seen and heard in the woodland (woodpeckers can often be heard), while magnificent views can be seen in and from the parkland.

The linear walk then continues via a path past playing-fields and a peaceful wooded area, suddenly to confront you with a viaduct carrying the M11 slip road. The path next passes under the slip roads and takes you to the River Roding. Follow this peacefully winding river up to the crossing on the busy Chigwell Road at Woodford Bridge, then continue upriver to cross to Ray Park and on to Woodford Station.

For an Open Street Map instead of an OS map, please deselect the 1:25000 scale map option on your print-out option page.

The walk can be extended by 8km to explore further this beautiful part of the Roding by linking to Walk 6849 (see Waymarks 18 and 19 below).

England - East England - Essex - Woodland or Forest

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Nature Trail, Play Area, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, River, Toilets, Wildlife, Woodland

8/26/2024 - Martin Veasey

Lovely walk. Just to note that, as at August 2024, the bridge at Waypoint 18 is reinstated so the original walk is again working fine. We covered 4.5 miles on the route rather than 5.6 on the description (presumably due to the detour/ extension no longer being required).

3/20/2016 - Sid Marks

Lovely walk,great walk instructions.Please note at waymark 18,the bridge is now closed.Walk about 800m up the river to the next footbridge.Cross here,go up the slope into the sports ground.Follow path around the ground to the exit.Leave the sports ground,walk to the end of the road and turn left.Follow the road for about 1200m to arrive at the station on the right.