Slow Ways Routes – Enfiwal one, Enfiwalt two, Cheswal two, Chehod one
Waking up to the familiar surroundings of my son’s house in Walthamstow – today felt like a second first day. This was the first solo walk of my journey, the first day I would be camping it was like a fresh start. I left as soon as I could as I was conscious of the distance to walk 29km / 18 miles and the heat. A short walk led me to the official start of today’s walk in Walthamstow.
I just love the colours of the fruit and vegetables, and the vibe of an outdoor market.
I walked through city streets for a while.
Then it was over the brow of the hill and a gentle descent to the Lea Valley and Tottenham Marshes.
If I hadn’t have made the decision to follow Slow Ways all the way I would have just walked beside the Lea Navigation all day to my destination, it would have been easier and quicker but not for this journey. I was to meander through Enfield, Waltham Cross and Cheshunt before the end of the day. This was the first time on this journey that I mused on the difference between Slow Ways and other walking trails… Slow Ways in essence is to walk between places and that means sometimes you don’t follow the easiest or most scenic route through the countryside. Instead I head off past roads and industrial units to Enfield. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, I wanted to experience all that this country and this walk had to offer. It is possible to appreciate concrete and industry together with the wild flowers (aka weeds) which spring up and brighten the way.
The walk into Enfield town centre was through several, I suppose unremarkable neighbourhoods. Is this ever boring? Not for me it isn’t, I love looking around and getting a sense or attempting at least, to get a feel of the communities I am walking through. I passed a mother and her adult son coming out of their house. The son started speaking to me as he wondered what I was doing with a backpack and poles in their street but his mother called him away very quickly. I remember feeling a bit disappointed by this for some reason. I had other thoughts too, and I stopped at a local pharmacy on my route to stock up with blister plasters. I was getting more concerned about my feet. It wasn’t turning out to be the comfortable walk I had been planning.
I climbed over a very tall pedestrian bridge over the A10 along with many young people from the local school and thought about the idea of visiting an Oasis School which never progressed. I arrived at Enfield took a selfie to prove I was there and sat down with a dink and a couple of sausage rolls from Greggs. It was a shady spot as the temperature was rising. I was very aware of how far I still had to walk that day so on I went.. Apart from unremarkable streets there were some views which delighted the eye as the path took me behind houses and along the banks of this river.
I remember just entering a small estate and was so saddened to see some fly tipping, not in tome secluded place out of sight of anybody but just across the street from some houses. What kind of selfish person does that? I was feeling the heat as the day wore on but I did pass a significant milestone. I crossed over the M25! It felt like I had left London now. Visually it wasn’t very exciting as the M25 at that point went into a tunnel so I just walked over a patch of grass.
Waltham Cross was memorable for two things. First was the convenient Lidl where I got some supplies including a ready made salad for later. Second was the joy of walking multiple Slow Ways when you walk down a road to get to the railway station which is the end of that stage only then to retrace your steps as you start the next stage. Being a completist has its downsides in a heatwave.
More street walking to Cheshunt and I will admit my feet were hurting and what energy I had left was draining away. I took a break though I was now conscious that I still had one stage to go and time was getting on. My initial itinerary was proving to be challenging.
The last stage of my journey took me along the banks of the Lee Navigation, the canal beside the river. The heat was abating somewhat but increasingly I was just walking on auto pilot. I did my best to appreciate the beautiful scenery but I was struggling.
I arrived at the campsite I had pre-booked with just a few minutes before their reception and shop closed. It was nearly seven o’clock and I was completely knackered. I saw some cool cans of beer in the shop and before anything else I sat and rested. By the time I finished pitching my tent it was getting dark. It had been a gruelling day.
