being timber-framed buildings of the loth or 17th
centuries. Half way through Epping Long Green, at
the village of Epping Green, was the first check
point where we had our papers signed, then on through
the rest of the Green, through Rye Hill and on to
Latton Common and through Harlow Common at Potter
Street where the Grove Youth Centre formed the second
check point. Here, after nine miles we found a very
welcome coffee bar and had our photographs taken.
Prom there to the next check point at Matching Tye
the way p asses along quiet lanes and paths and it
was somewhere along here that a party of 20 or so
discovered that they did not have to use their maps
but had only to follow us to be led the way. If we
stopped for any reason, they would pass us only to
wait at the next turn of the Way to see which way we
went. But if the path went around a field, it was
a sorry sight to see these youngsters walk straight
across newly seeded ground. At one point they did
this, and in so doing went off at a tangent to the
route and had to return when they found we were not
with them.
A small party of people were ahead of us, and
this was only too obvious by the paper-chase we
followed, collecting several rolls of toilet tissue
and numerous cake and pie wrappings, no doubt bought
in a shop near the last check point. From Hatching
Tye we passed through Matching Hall with its attract-
ive grounds, ponds and daffodils.
A school at Hatfield Heath formed the next
check point before the final section to Woodside Green
and Hatfield Forest.
Ron Allen
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