This 4 mile walk to showcase the history of Berwick Glades and Bonnetts Wood.

Come and join this delightful 4 mile guided heritage walk of Berwick Glades and Bonnetts Wood. The walk will start from the Ingrebourne Nature Discovery centre situated in Hornchurch Country Park.

This will be a great opportunity to learn about the former RAF Hornchurch airfield with a display of the history of the RAF base in the Visitor Centre and defence gun turrets and pillboxes can be spotted along the walk. In addition, enjoy superb views across the Ingrebourne River valley wetlands with an abundance of waterfowl, before crossing the bridge over the river into Berwick Glades, former farmland planted by the Forestry Commission in 2003. Open areas, i.e. “glades”, provide more good views across Ingrebourne Marshes, as well as wild-flower meadows with benches and picnic areas. The Glades adjoin Bonnetts Wood, named after the Bonnetts family who farmed much of the land from the 1920s and where meadows and small streams provide good wildlife habitats.

After Bonnetts Wood, we will venture into Parklands Open Space and lake, formerly part of the Gaynes or Engaynes Manor, before continuing beside fields before emerging onto Little Gaynes Road, passing Hacton House, a small Georgian mansion built in 1762/5 and the Optimist Tavern. We will then walk alongside Hacton Lane the River Ingrebourne, through Gaynes Parkway woods and around a field with views of the QE2 Bridge and Canary Wharf, before going through Hacton Meadows with wild-flowers, and re-entering Berwick Glades to rejoin the route over the Ingrebourne Bridge back to the Discover Centre.

Join us for this excellent summer walk to discover the history of Berwick Glades and Bonnetts Wood!

Refreshments, toilets and a car park is available at the Ingrebourne Nature Discovery Centre. The park is served by bus route 252 between Collier Row and Hornchurch, via Romford and Elm Park. The early part of the walk is along a tarmac path in the park with gravel paths through Berwick Glades and Bonnetts Wood as well as some grass paths through the meadows, which can be very muddy in parts after rain. Sturdy, waterproof footwear is recommended.

Tickets are a requested donation of  £4 each. All tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable. 

Photo Credit: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0