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Hornchurch Country Park

2.5 miles (4 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Enjoy a walk or cycle through this large country park in Havering in the Ingrebourne Valley. Features in the park include the River Ingrebourne, grassland, a fishing lake and woodland paths. The park is also a Local Nature Reserve with marshes containing the largest freshwater reed bed in London. As such it is a great area for birdwatching and wildlife spotting.
The park is also the site of the former RAF Hornchurch base which was used in the First and Second World Wars. As such there are some historical features including an aircraft dispersal bay, pillboxes, and Tett turrets. 
The Ingrebourne Valley walking and cycle route runs through the park so you could pick this up and head towards Rainham or Upminster to continue your outing.
Just to the east there's also the noteworthy Belhus Woods Country Park where you'll find lakes, wildflower meadows and bluebell woodland.

Postcode

RM13 7YH - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Hornchurch Country Park OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Hornchurch Country Park Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

There's good facilities in the park with free parking and an on site cafe at the Ingrebourne Valley Visitor Centre. There's a lot of information here and a small museum too.

Dog Walking

The park is a popular place for dog walkers so you'll probably see other owners on a fine day.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

The Upminster Circular Walk visits the park from the town's train/tube station. It follows the London Loop to the site passing through the Ingrebourne Valley on the way. It's a nice way to visit the site if you're coming by public transport with the Upmninster tube on the District Line. If you continue along the London Loop south it will take you to Rainham and then onto the River Thames at Rainham Marshes.
Just a couple of miles to the west you'll find Eastbrookend Country Park in Dagenham. The park has a number of prfetty lakes and good wildlife spotting opportunities in the adjacent Chase Nature Reserve.
For more walking ideas in the area see the London Walks page.

Photos

Flooded gravel pit, Hornchurch Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1038949

Flooded gravel pit in the park. The Country Park is on the site of the former Hornchurch Aerodrome which having played an important role in both World Wars, closed in 1962. The area was then used in the 1970s for sand and gravel extraction. Work on the creation of the Country Park began in 1980. The buildings on the horizon are at St George's Hospital, Hornchurch.

Ingrebourne Valley Green Way ,Hornchurch, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 41798

Ingrebourne Valley Green Way, Hornchurch

Play area, Hornchurch Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 2599395

Play area

Albyn Farm Pond, Hornchurch Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 2599234

Albyn Farm Pond. There is a picnic bench to relax on here.

River Ingrebourne - geograph.org.uk - 2599304

River Ingrebourne flowing through the park in summer.

Picnic bench, Hornchurch Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 2599272

Picnic bench to relax on.

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Hornchurch Country Park.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Hornchurch Country Park.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)