ITS TOPOGRAPHY
29
grove of old pollard oaks, near Queen Elizabeth's
lodge and the Forest Hotel, Chingford Station
comes in sight. There are points in this walk
which are decidedly swampy. I should be sorry,
however, to discourage a trial of it, even in winter.
In summer it is generally quite hard.
This route may be varied, by those who want
to take the train at Buckhurst Hill, by diverging
to the right soon after passing Chingford Hatch.
Ascend the hill, and, crossing in succession the
Whitehall Road and the Epping Road into the
Loughton Road, follow this to the north for 100
yards, and turning to the right, immediately after
passing Knighton Villas, strike diagonally across
Lord's Bushes in an easterly direction, by a forest
path which enters this piece of forest between two
old pollard oaks at its south-west corner, and which
leads to Buckhurst Hill Station.
ROUTE D
PONDER'S END STATION, ON THE GREAT EASTERN
MAIN LINE, TO CHINGFORD OR LOUGHTON
2 miles to Chingford ; 41/4 miles to Loughton
A road leads eastwards from the station across
the meadows which border the River Lea. A
mile from the station the Sewardstone Road,
locally known as Low Street, is crossed at right
angles. Four hundred yards beyond this, " The
Hawk's-mouth," a narrow opening to the Forest
on the left of the road, is reached. Turning in
here across an open grass slope, the pedestrian
ascends the hill which is crowned by the Hawk
Wood, whence there is a beautiful view of the
Lea Valley. Passing over the crest of the hill,
and through the wood, he emerges at the edge
of the wide open space known as Chingford Plain,
also consecrated to the pursuit of golf, and from
this point the Forest Hotel and Chingford Station,