Barking Abbey – Roding Valley Walk – 10.10.2010

We decided at the last minute to see if we could try to complete the Roding Valley Walk after finding the previous week or so in the area near Barking Abbey.

The first place we came to was  “Barking Quay”. This has not long been re-built by the Environment Agency as part of the Flood defences for the area.  Particularly as the river had a history of flooding the surrounding area in the past! This Quay had been created around the 1700’s – and despite being used as Harbour for commercial Shipping to bring such items as Fertilizer (a bit smelly I should imagine!!) local children still took the waters for a swim.

We left the basin behind, to continue our walk, but we  felt it was extremely difficult to walk around the small working estate that was next the quay.  As their were no natural walkways around the river we continued our quest to look for the Roding Valley way (we had assumed this was along the river but this was not the case).  Luckily we were not disappointed.   We found a sign! It took us across a road and onto a “hidden” pathway. Well it felt hidden, although tarmacced, nature had taken over and buddelias were everywhere and despite it being October, Butterflies were still plentiful! Particularly as the sun was shining overhead.

From 2010 – 10.10.2010 – Barking – Roding Valley Walk

But our joy with the walk was shortlived. As soon as we came out from under the bridge we were sadly disappointed when the footpath was closed over a nature reserve due to flood defence works 😦 The alternative route was a road!  Unperturbed by this we decided to continue… We carried on until we discovered the entrance of the path where if would have joined the road naturally.   Sadly this is where the Roding Valley Way signs disappeared so we made our “best guess” as to where to go next!

Continuing doing the road we came to a dead stop – it was barred off by yet more Flood Defence Works.  However some kind Cyclists helped us out by pointing us in the direction of the Roding Valley way which was hidden behind the Cinema! (The signs were not there so we wouldn’t have known!) Otherwise we would need to divert to find the river again.

On finding the entrance to the walkway and then a sign to Roding Valley Way – we were sad to find the entire path was closed!  We needed to take the diversion – and we were unable to walk the river – how disappointing.  The one good thing about this walk, we discovered we linked up with one of our previous walks we had done in the past – totally unintentionally! when crossed the Jubilee Greenway and went into Beckton were we stopped for a late lunch

From 2010 – 10.10.2010 – Barking – Roding Valley Walk

Eventually we gave up on going back to the River Roding and decided to Walk to the Wharf. I am unsure as to the building we found – it looks like an old customs house – which has now been beautifully restored -but I am wrong as I have since discovered this was in fact the Gallions Hotel built in 1881 which served passengers from the P&O Ferry from the Royal Albert Dock! Intriguingly it had an underground stable and an underground passage to the Dock!!

Passing the old hotel we walked along the Dock past the City Airport and again the path ran out! So we joined the Capital Ring to Beckton Park… It was here we decided to end our walk – partly it was giving up our walk for the day and partly due to light starting to change… Oh Well perhaps the Roding Valley Walk will be better once the Flood Defence works are complete – some day!

I have since been informed that if I ever reach the ever elusive Barking Creek that has haunted me on these walks…. that some of the BBC Series “Ashes to Ashes” was filmed here!!

 

All the photos for the short walk –

2010 – 10.10.2010 – Barking – Roding Valley Walk

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