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Tubewalker: The Tube, on Foot

District Line: Becontree to Upminster

Upminster Park
Upminster Park

Well, I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this walk as much as I did. I mean, look at the facts. It's the Monday after a heavy weekend, and I should have a personal black cloud over my head; it's a long commute to the start of this walk from west London; it's hot and humid, and I hate hot and humid; and, most of all, the heart of this walk goes through Dagenham, and all anyone ever talks about when I mention Dagenham is the closure of the Ford factory in 2002, and they don't tend to smile as they mention it.

Becontree to Dagenham Heathway

Parsloes Park
Parsloes Park

It only takes a couple of minutes to get from Becontree station to the greenery of Parsloes Park, and a pleasant park it is too. The western half of the park is planted and landscaped, with a large central pond that's all but hidden by the plush trees and bushes growing on the shore. The eastern half of the park is quite a contrast, being all football pitches and wide, open spaces.

Graffiti in Parsloes Park
Graffiti in Parsloes Park

Dagenham Heathway to Dagenham East

The suburbs along Reede Road
The suburbs along Reede Road

From Dagenham Heathway to Dagenham East, the most direct route is almost exclusively along suburban backstreets, and it's not at all unpleasant. The houses are mainly terraced pebbledash affairs, but even though they might not be the most attractive suburbs in the world, they're clean and lived in, and a long way from the image of closed factories that might spring to mind when you think of Dagenham.

Dagenham East to Elm Park

Beam River, Chase Nature Reserve
Beam River, winding through Chase Nature Reserve

I love the way that urban walking forces complete opposites to rub shoulders; it's like a suburban version of the Tube itself, where different classes, ages and cultures have to share the most intimate spaces without complaint. When walking through London, sometimes you cross a road and find yourself switching from the poshest of the posh to the poorest of the poor, and sometimes you can find the most exquisite beauty buried deep in an unrelenting urban sprawl, but this section contains one of the clearest contradictions I've seen for a while.

Chase Nature Reserve
Chase Nature Reserve

Elm Park to Hornchurch

Harrow Lodge Park
Harrow Lodge Park

Elm Park turned out to be a little gem. Not only is the station along a lovely little high street, with lots of shops, a large pub (called The Elm Park) on the main roundabout, and a distinct lack of traffic, but just north of the main drag is another green space, Harrow Lodge Park. The River Ravensbourne flows through the park (though it's really just a stream at this point), and it feeds into a long lake with a bridge over the middle section from where you can see more Canada geese and swans than you can count.

The Railway Hotel
The Railway Hotel

Hornchurch to Upminster Bridge

Image from Becontree to Upminster

The most direct route from Hornchurch to Upminster Bridge would take you along yet more suburban backstreets, but there's a much more rewarding option to be enjoyed if you head south to join the London Loop for a stretch. The River Ingrebourne is a 27-mile tributary of the Thames that flows from Brentwood in Essex down to Rainham on the Thames, and the London Loop follows it for some of day 14 and most of day 15. I decided to follow the Ingrebourne north, joining the Loop south of Hornchurch station, at the eastern end of Hacton Drive, and it turned out to be a good move.

Upminster Bridge station
Upminster Bridge station

Upminster Bridge to Upminster

St Laurence's Church, Upminster
St Laurence's Church

The lack of interest in Upminster Bridge might be partly because Upminster station is not far away. Backtracking past the stadium along St Mary's Lane, it's worth visiting the Grade II* listed Upminster Windmill to the north of the road; this octagonal smock mill is currently being refurbished, with the hope that it will become the only working windmill in Greater London. It currently only has one sail in place, as the other was damaged in , so it does look a little odd, but it's still worth the short detour.