With yet another gloomy day weather-wise, I just had to get outside. Just before I left home it was drizzling, so I held off for a while. In the end it looked a little brighter and I set off to Trent Country Park in Enfield. This was a long trek across London – bus, then train into Vauxhall station, tube to Green Park where I changed to the Piccadilly line. I stayed on the tube all the way to the end of the line at Cockfosters. I remembered that I had been here once before, to a wedding two years ago. In fact, when I came out of the station, the church where the marriage took place was just over the road.
From Cockfosters tube it’s just a short walk (turning right from the station) to the Country Park. I had a map from the most excellent book, Freedom Pass London. Without it I might have got lost in the park as it was much larger than I imagined with many paths. I was following one trail.
A little history (and why not). The park was once King Henry IV’s hunting ground in the 14th century, then known as Enfield Chase. in 1909 the estate passed to Sir Philip Sassoon (cousin of World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon) He entertained big stars like Charlie Chaplin in the Manor House, also Winston Churchill, and during the second world war it housed German General prisoners of war, including Rudolph Hess.
My first point of call was The Obelisk dedicated to the birth of George Grey, Earl of Harold in 1702. But George was actually born in 1732 and died six month later! The monument is quite a trek, but there is a nice view back to the park. Beyond it are farm fields. The combine harvesters were o,ut and it reminded me of Clarkson’s Farm which my son bulldozed me into watching on Prime, and grudgingly had to admit I enjoyed!
From there I headed towards Camlet Moat (a slight unsure moment when I wondered if I was going the right way). Camlet is a shortened version of Camelot and it is said that an apparition of Guinevere can be spotted here. The ghost of Geoffrey De Mandeville, Earl of Sussex and Hertfordshire (isn’t that greedy to have two counties?!) also haunts the moat after he was shot with an arrow in 1144 in a rebellion against King Stephen. However, the moat has Celtic origins and was said to have had a drawbridge in Roman times. Dick Turpin was also said to have hid in a hut here. The water was very green with weed and very still. I saw no ghost, but then I wouldn’t want to be here at night.
The next stop was the Japanese Water Garden. I was a little disappointed. I guess I was expecting something like the gardens in Holland Park. No waterfalls and the water was covered in weed. I think I must have missed the best of any planting as everything was green, no flowers. However, the lake beyond it was beautiful.
After this I became a little disorientated with signage and my trail map. I ended up doubling back and then retracing my steps until I found the WRAS Wildlife Hospital & Animal Centre on the edge of the park. For £3.50 you get to enter. There is a small cafe but no toilets. Here are the rescued animals and those unable to be returned to the wild. There were geese, deer, sheep, pigs, various birds and a little fox. The little fox was a sorry sight, and I was so worried about it that when I returned home I messaged the hospital to ask about it. I was told that she was ten years old, named Foxy and that she had been in a road traffic accident and her hip was broken. The operation wasn’t particularly successful so she could not be returned to the wild. She shared her run with another female fox who was very shy. Little Foxy stole my heart. I just wanted to give her a hug.
Just on the edge of the country park Berkeley Homes are building a new estate and the manor house seems to be being converted into apartments. I am sure the estate will look very nice, but I worry about building so close to a lovely area such as this.
There is a cafe (and toilets) by the car park and here I had a very late lunch before leaving. Walking along the tree lined road there is a Go Ape Tree Top Adventure Park which looked very popular. I couldn’t find the Wood Sculptor’s Workshop which is supposed to be adjacent, but I did see some of the animal wood carvings.
The weather never really got much beyond on a blink of sun and stayed gloomy, but at least I was out in the countryside. It felt more like autumn than late summer. August was mainly a complete flop weather-wise.
My London+ 