Coastwalk

Rainham, Essex → Tilbury

Distance: 15.3 miles
Ascent: 92 metres
Duration: 4 hours 6 minutes

Finishing The Thames
« North Woolwich | Stanford le Hope »

I'll admit there was more open space on today's walk than last week's, but still the Thames mainly offers up heavy industry and an unending variety of Keep Out signs. One moment of respite was walking along the edge of the Rainham Marshes, which although not particularly scenic at least provided a view. The path here is only about ten years old, removing a long slog round the roads.

Once again much of today's walk has been accompanied by a high concrete wall, much of it covered in graffiti. At one point a young lad ducked away lest I see his new contribution in progress, but the smell of solvents when I approached it, and the rattling of the can as I passed gave the game away.

Film buffs won't be surprise to hear that the highlight of the walk was St Clement's church, West Thurrock. I've known about this place for twenty years, its setting beneath the complex chemical works of a soap factory providing the perfect location for the funeral scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral. The church is about three hundred metres away from the path, and although locked was well worth a visit if only for the obligatory photograph.

Finally, after yet more road walking around Tilbury Docks, I reached my destination just beyond the grandly named London International Cruise Terminal. Here is the less salubrious pier that hosts the Gravesend/Tilbury ferry upon which I had originally crossed the river on my coast walk back in 2000.

So having walked the 76 miles up and down the Thames between Gravesend and Tilbury via Tower Bridge, would I recommend it to others? Not necessarily. I'm glad I've done it; as ever I've come across things I would never have otherwise seen, but I've felt more nervous about personal security on the banks of this river than anywhere else and the reward frankly isn't that high.

If you are intent on walking the Thames estuary, the sections east of Tilbury/Gravesend and west of Woolwich are the best. Those in-between are best avoided unless you're a big fan of dirty, heavy industry.

Angels

Rainham Angel #2

Rainham, Kent has one, so it was a delight to find an Angel Inn here in Rainham, Essex too.

Unfortunately it's missing a pub sign or any depiction of an Angel so the text above the door will have to do.

Coastwalk

North Woolwich → Rainham, Essex

Distance: 11.7 miles
Ascent: 98 metres
Duration: 3 hours 21 minutes

Industrial
« Island Gardens | Tilbury »

The photograph above is from the largest stretch of greenery I crossed today: Barking Riverside. If you want to see it yourself, you'll have to hurry: this area's about to be redeveloped into new flats and shops too. Beyond the heathland you can make out Ford's plant at Dagenham. That's much more representative of today's walk: industry.

Almost all plots of land I've passed today have either been heavy industry, or wasteland. The thing they've all had in common is two to three metre high fences and signs warning of loose guard dogs. It's not been a particularly pleasant walk.

There was one other green space I found, and it's well worth the detour. Just off a corner of River Road in Barking is the Creekmouth Open Space. The path to it is squeezed between industrial units, but drawn on by the towering Barking Barrier (part of the Thames flood defences), I found a small oasis of tranquility peppered with wild flowers and grasses.

Further on the observant map-reader will spot a difficulty at Horse Shoe Corner: a three hundred metre gap between two key rights of way, one of which then proceeds to pass through a warehouse. These paths are indeed impassable, but there is a better solution to keeping to the coast.

Turn off River Road where it bears north to become Renwick Road. Follow the tarmac drive down to the Dagenham Riverside Marketing Suite (a surprisingly pleasant jumble of converted containers) at the river's edge. Now head east along the heathland which will no doubt soon be ripped up as the area's development continues.

After a kilometre or so, a steel flood wall appears on the right, just before the heathland ends at a fence. Stay on the river side of this wall (there's a concrete path). Your aim is to continue on the shoreline until the other side of the first jetty. This involves scrambling across the outlet of a storm culvert which was dry today, but is clearly anticipated to carry a lot of water at times.

Between the first and second jetties, Thunderer Road runs parallel to the shore. The only remaining obstacle is that huge sea wall. Luckily there are ladders that can be used to climb over it. Take care; on some of the ladders the rungs had come loose from the uprights.

Once on Thunderer Road, find Hindmarsh Road which heads north to join up with the non-existent footpath just to the east of the building it appears to have passed through.

From Dagenham to Rainham there was no alternative but to walk along the road. I stopped outside the Ford "stamping" plant awhile listening to the rhythmic chiming of machines pressing into hot metal. Who says we don't make anything in this country any more?

Greenbelt

On leaving

"How was your first time missing a Trustees meeting?" he asked.

Actually, I'd not noticed and had to check which date it had been.

Various people asked me similar questions at the festival this year, and the answer was always the same: that it didn't feel as if much had changed, because I'd been just as involved as ever right up to the event despite resigning as a Trustee in March.

In August I also handed over the reins as Company Secretary and so realised that I had attended my last Trustees meeting in June without noticing.

Feelings are beginning to flood in thick and fast now. There's a sense of relief that I won't have to keep pace with minuting any more torrential all-day meetings, but there's also a huge sense of loss: this has been a group I've been very close to for over a decade now.

What next for me and Greenbelt? I don't know. I'll still go, and no doubt I'll still be involved behind the scenes in some way. After all, today's question came from a staff member at a GB website meeting I was asked to attend.

So here's to something new. And to finding something to plug that hole which is left.