Читать книгу Walking in London. Park, heath and waterside - 25 walks in London's green spaces онлайн

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In 500 metres turn left on to a forest ride which dips down attractively to cross the Cuckoo Brook, a tributary of the Ching. After it, note the several pollarded hornbeams, a staple of the Forest’s silva. Just before a road, turn left for 50 metres, then right to cross the road, continuing ahead on a path waymarked for the London Loop. After nearly 400 metres take the path (2) which slowly diverges to the left, keeping close to the edge of a golf course. Eventually this climbs a little to bring you to the trig point and obelisk on Pole Hill. There’s a useful bench just beyond.

Cuckoo Brook

The obelisk here dates from 1824, as a marker for the Greenwich meridian. By 1850, however, new calculations put the meridian about six metres to the east, where (within centimetres) the trig point now stands. The obelisk also commemorates TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), who lived in a hut on the hillside for a time in the 1920s.

Retrace your steps from the bench to the trig point and take the path half-right for just 25 metres, then half-left. Continue downhill and then, in a more open area, turn right. Turn right at the club house of the Royal Epping Forest golf club for Chingford station, or for the car park continue the few metres to Bury Road.