Access issues in Wanstead Park - blocked paths and poor surfaces

A walk with a first-time visitor to Wanstead Park in late February was considerably spoilt by the condition of some of the main paths in the park. We'd had snow and rain in February, so some mud was expected - and we found it.
Entering through the Northumberland Avenue gate, we turned immediately right to walk along the southern edge of the park.  The path was muddy, but work done by the Wren Group last year to widen the path, cutting back some of the growth on both sides, had ensured that it was passable.

The first real obstacle was at the south-east end of the Perch Pond between the riding school and a large willow; here it was necessary to choose a slight embankment to the left, passing behind the willow on the pond-ward side.

Descending to the wide track that runs beside the Dell, a long stretch of mud is encountered. However because of the width of the track here it was possible to find some route - albeit a muddy one - to one side or the other. If you wish to get to the Dell Bridge from here, the short stretch is not pleasant!

It was by the southern arm of the Ornamental Water that the real difficulties began. It was only last year that work was undertaken to heighten the embankment on this stretch to prevent the lake from overflowing into the Roding.  The surface that has been put down is like some orange porridge; it is much easier to walk by the side of the path for hundreds of metres than to walk along it.  Once past this stretch, the track by the side of the canal - laid I know not when - is perfectly good and sound.  However, the stretch between the canal and the river Roding - laid just last year - is of the same consistency as previously mentioned.

The newly-surfaced path by the southern arm

The fact that these two stretches of newly made track are so poorly surfaced seems to indicate a problem with either the specifications or the overseeing of work carried out by contractors. Just past Engine House Island there is a large dead tree on the east end of nearby Rook Island, well known as a perch for Cormorants (rather than Rooks!).  Because this tree was perceived to be in danger of falling, the Conservators of Epping Forest - who manage Wanstead Park - felt it necessary to block the path here for safety reasons.  As an alternative, a new track was created from the adjacent Woodland.  To facilitate this, numerous mature and good trees were felled - including a lovely Hornbeam.  To add insult to this destruction, the tree was used to block the path!  On this particular day - as on many days - the new track is so rutted as to be impassable.  This means that we - like many others - preferred to clamber over the felled trees blocking the lake path (and hence presumably risk being killed by the Cormorant Tree) rather than use the Woodland track.

Felled logs v. a mud bath

Once you have committed yourself to a fairly long walk such as around the Ornamental Water, and you have found obstacles and you have overcome them, and then you find another - you find yourself wishing you had never started this. Perhaps then you begin to swear at the mismanagement that has allowed this to come to pass.  A few years ago it was suggested that the route around the Ornamental Water would become an easy access route.  In fact if anything it has become more difficult. For many people muddy conditions would be a deterrent - for older people, disabled people or those that would like to push-chair their child around the lake - it becomes an impossibility - or at least a pain!

Many tracks and small paths throughout the park have in recent years become impassable, particularly due to encroachment by bramble.  It doesn't actually take much to clear these paths; a couple of hours of work by a relatively small group of people such as the Wren Group on their practical-work task days have opened up paths which very soon people have started to reuse. On the other hand a fallen tree which really requires a chainsaw to deal with will deter people so that beyond the blockage vegetation takes over so quickly that the path is lost. This needs to be dealt with by those who should manage the park on behalf of the people would use it.  For so long this has not happened effectively.  People are beginning to moan, and some are beginning to swear!

Paul Ferris,  22 February 2010