Here's a full playlist of all five Waltham Forest psychogeographer in residence walks kzfaq.info/sun/PLHD6uTQLDf_NVcNgQzVOCUK9QYmmcDMnA

I worked in the Borough for nearly 20 years. Love the walks and your magical narrative and music. Thanks for taking us with you John.

I've really enjoyed watching your videos during lockdown when we have been limited to where we can walk ourselves. I drove over the river Roding yesterday and instantly thought of you. This is possibly my favourite video. The music, the beautiful river and the fact I lived in Chingford 30 years ago. There is also something magical about a walk in the rain. Keep up the good work.

I stumbled upon your lovely walk this am..I'm in Canada , and grew up in Highams park , left when I was nine...I was so hoping for you to walk beside the river from hale end road.. Where the river runs under the road itself.... I would run along the path on School day mornings .. I have been told that children still use this path , and was surprised that you didn't go that way ..The walk would end for me , at the point where I would cross the road in order to go under the train bridge , cross over the road, and continue on to Selwyn avenue bridge.... I could feel my emotions rise up as you passed Highams park Lake... Another place so familier to me... I loved the whole area of forest here... I will not likely pass its way again ... Thank you for this wonderful trip back in time for me..

Used to go to the dogs every year for my sons birthday. Such a great night out. Great walk. Thx

Love your video and walks. I’m born and breed off Roman rd Bow. I moved to Cornwall 10 years ago. And I don’t miss London at all. But nearly all them walks you take I used to ride my bike And also done a little research to places I visited. My Uncle auntie and cousins lived in Melford road Leytonstone, My other uncle lived in Valence Ave Dagenham, My brother lives in Arlington Road Camden, and Rest of family still live in Bow and Bethnal Green. In my youth I was always at the dogs, then head down To rising sun pub in the 80s

A lovely stretch of river. Thankfully Beavers are now back in the UK, so no longer extinct

Beautiful walk! Thank you for showing the Ching. It is one of the most lovely rivers I have seen.

Loved this, my old stomping ground in the 1970's. Everyday to school at Selwyn through the path between Beech Hall and Winchester Road and many happy times goofing around by the side of the Ching. Thank You!

Lovely and relaxing walk - thank you, John. Always manages to lift my spirits.

I'll start by saying how much I enjoy your walks and listening to you talk about each areas history. This one in particular caught my attention as when you crossed Whitehall Road, I could see the road that leads to the house where I was born (in 1956). And then the walk along the Ching up to the sewer pipe brought up sooo many childhood memories of playing along the banks, clambering trees, and even dipping of toes in the water. So far, I've watched it twice and have every intention of watching it again.

Thanks John, great work and editing. Although I walk everyday with my dog around some of the areas in this video, you open up a whole new world.A great pleasure to watch. Thanks again.

I've walked from Chingford to Highams Park, and vice versa, many times but it's nice to see your perspective and some beautiful shots of the river. The area is relatively quiet compared to Hackney and Leyton but Highams Park, the centre particularly, is noisy and overcrowded, thanks to mindless, relentless development in any available, and often dubiously acquired, site.

Another great walk, thanks John. I've walked around connaught water several times without realising it was the source. Spent some of my childhood ditch jumping (we called it) over streams like this in epping forest.

Wonderful video John. We enjoy your videos so much. So interesting.

Thanks for another interesting and relaxing video.

i always find these videos calming and restorative, wonderful sights and views, great work John!

Another fascinating walk. The rain is atmospheric, except when too heavy to film when it is a a pain.

I love this; thanks for all your work John. We’re hoping to move to Leytonstone in December - really looking forward to exploring the flats and Epping forest

The Ching ran under the estate where I grew up ( Chingford Hall Estate ) and came out behind the School. We used to play in and along the River and got told off by Parents for coming home wet and muddy ! Great video , thank you !!

A super, relaxing video with so much interest. Thank you.

Thanks John once again for a very interesting video with lots of facts which I previously had no knowledge of. Looking forward to your next video.

The house at the top of Newgate Street is on the other side of the river. That puts the house in Redbridge. Redbridge council can't get round there to collect their bins. So LBWF do it. Also, Newgate Street was the home of Chingford football club. Sone scaffold still exists where the stand was covered. Plus the pub at the hatch had a train carriage out front. Interesting place.

I had a flat in Walthamstow village. Connaught court . Was a lovely little village

Aw, that was really nice! Thank you. The River runs at the bottom of my garden in Highams Park and it's great to see Egrets sometimes sitting on my fence! Must watch some of the other walks now.

Another nice one John. There used to be a boat hire business on Highams Park lake,but I expect that`s gone by now.On Friday Hill there is a Pub called "The Sir.Loin" Unless they changed the name?

Lovely video, John.Thank you.

How wonderful. I live in Loughton now but remember The Ching from my childhood when my uncle lived next to Highams Park Lake. Will do that walk again...

Hi, John! I’m enjoying going back in time, somewhat, by watching all your earlier videos. The lovely blue flower you crossed paths with is a bearded iris. Carry on!

Very enjoyable, good music too.

Connaught Water. Around 69/70 or was it 71 - we had such cold winters it froze over. Our school took us on the ice to play hockey. Health and Safety! And Walthamstow Stadium - used to watch stock car racing there in the late 1960s with my father. And dog racing too. Amazing memories. Thank you.

Nice one John, another banging video👍👍👍

Yet another wonderful walk! And like for many here it brings back childhood memories. My granddad lived near the stadium and when we visited and it was dog night we always tried to time our leaving before they all came out - otherwise we had to wait about half an hour for the traffic to clear!

Another masterclass in Psychogeography. Many thanks John.

Thanks John, great film, as always, cheers .

Thank you for a lovely relaxing Sunday walk (for us) John 😊☕

wonderful... I miss it..

Another great video John. I live in Chingford, close to Connaught Water. There is a small brook that feeds Connaught Water which is to the north of the lake its called The Cuckoo Brook.

Wow beautiful walk Walthamstow dog track the memories that brings back dog racing and speedway thanks John

Never knew this river existed so close by

One of my favourite cycle routes, sadly a bit too muddy over the winter. Great way of getting up to Connaught Water / Epping Forest from say Wanstead, many miles, all off road

Shopping trolley dam ! Those urban beavers are getting more clever by the day.

Thanks John! Even though we all keep going back to the River Lea (or its tributaries in this case) and Epping Forest I never tire of them. They have so much character. Great soundtrack this episode, especially the folk ballads. Keep that shopping cart in mind, there might be an ecological solution to develop out of it.

Fascinating to see my old stomping ground and regular dog walk around the old dog track and Highams Park lake, memories of Chika and the good times we had together. Sad to see the concrete jungle that now occupies the old stadium but good to see the retention of the familiar icons. Well done John

Fabulous

Thanks John for a wonderful video. My daughter went to the woodford county high school but I had no idea that it was connected with mr repton. I live opposite claybury park and the new development there is named repton park so he obviously has a big influence in this area.

Lovely video. Thank you !

Lovely video and very informative. Many thanks 👍🏾

Thanks john Was a shock to me to see the stadium gone Have a Safe and good 2020! Dave.

another brilliant little river walk john thanks. these are my favourite of your videos.just finished re-reading the groundwater diaries by tim Bradford. psycho geography on special brew!

wow john, thanks for the upload. im sad the walthamstow stadium is not in use anymore, used to go a lot back in the day.

Beautiful video. Thank you.

Thanks John,used to play along the ching by the stadium when i was a child,you have taken me back to then.

We have beavers in Scotland now, I know there are some on the River Tay and also on the Earn two of my favourite rivers here.

Love your videos john, no two houses are the same in leytonstone, i know im asking a lot, but any chance of a walk around colliers wood for my memorys sake, cheers john.

Very interesting video John especially as I know the place

Thank you for sharing John, must go for walk in Epping Forest soon. I've sneakily wild camped at Connaught Water once. 😊

Thanks John; much appreciated. Last race of the day at Walthamstow: I placed a bet on the 'orange dog' ...each way...came in third at 66/1. Happy days : D

Loved this, but there’s the Ching between Highams Park Lake, over the road through a part of Epping Forest, instead of the back the back of the school, also turn left on Beech Hall Road to the Crescent, and the Ching ‘s at the back there .

So lovely to have joined you on your organised walk on this route. Fascinating how the Ching grew and that you can walk in mostly green land through Suburbia and discovering how each area blends into the next. We live in a wonderful city.

Marvelous John, I've really enjoyed your summer Waltham Forest guided walks. As a factoid of no interest to most, there are some beavers living wild in Devon these days and more north of the border. I'm still hoping the legendary Norfolk coypu will make a comeback for my own personal amusement.

Fantastic video on a Sunday night (looks like I've gone into the morning!). These are very informative, enjoyable and relaxing. Cheers.

nice one John.like the rivers walks very much. thank you

Splendid that. I recall Charlie Chans night club at the dog track..

Excellent always enjoy Ian's take on London 💕

great

That was very enjoyable. I stumbled upon walthamstow dogs estate whilst waiting for my mot. Very interesting. Thanks John.

Hi John, looks like a nice walk. I actually managed to see this video the day it went up, instead of a few days later as has been the case of late as you know. Unfortunately I am having trouble cutting and pasting links into this comment thread for reasons that are unclear, so you will have to wait until the system updates itself before I can give you the low down on some of my latest historical meanderings on your posts!

Great walk as usual John. Very interesting. Live the way the river built up along the way. It’s a wonder they’ve not made the kennels into one room executive living space though lol 😂

Again a nice video. Only went to Waltham Stadium 2. Going to the dogs was a family night out, but as most of the family lived Hackney, we used the Hackney Stadium. the beef was knighted was in Friday Hill Manor which is in Simmons Lane, which was part of Walthamstow Tech college. Where I did my Radio amateur training.

Hi John, as I said yesterday, it looks like a nice walk. As you know, I actually managed to see this video the day it went up, instead of a few days later as has been the case of late as you know. But, as I tried to clarify, I've been having trouble pasting links into my text in these threads, which kind of defeats the point of what I am trying to do! Anyway, on the origins of the name of the River Ching and nearby Chingford, it is almost certainly derived from the same root as the name for Kingston in Surrey, where you were the other day. Kingston appears in the Domesday Book c.1086 as Chingestone and Chingetun(e), with ching being old English for king, so it is most likely that the Ching and Chingford refer to the King's river, and Kings Ford respectively. The only real question is, from what era did the name originate? King Harold Harefoot having lived or had a manor in Chingford or its environs in the 11th century, a date which certainly ties in with the Old English use of "Ching" for King, but the association may in fact be a lot older. The East Saxons had their own kingdom, which is supposed to have been the oldest royal domain established by the incoming Germanic tribes if the eleventh century pseudo-historian Geoffrey of Monmouth is to be believed. The history of the Kingdom of Essex, is, however, somewhat obscure, on account of the fact that it came out fairly badly as a result of the internecine feuds that the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms are recorded as having engaged in before the ascendancy of the Vikings. Having first had the territory of the Middle Saxons break off from its royal domain and form a sort of buffer state between the Kingdoms of Essex, Mercia and Wessex, the Kings of the East Saxons were first of all subjugated by the Kings of Mercia before having their sub-kingdom finally absorbed into Wessex when the Mercians were finally subdued by the Kings of Wessex at the start of the ninth century. As you may or may not already know, the original Kingdom of Essex in turn grew up as a result of the absorption of about eight earlier sub-kingdoms or tribal groups, one of which, the Uppingas - are supposed to have given their name to Epping. So Chingford may also have been where the original Kings of the Uppingas once lived! More here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Essex

The Prittle Brook where I live in Leigh on Sea is a tributary of the River Roach spanning down through Prittlewell with much of the brook alongside a pathway (called Prittlebrook Greenway) between Belfairs Woods and Southend, with a wood sculpture trail. It starts somewhere in Thundersley so runs for maybe 10 miles

Once upon a time, when I was little lad up in Northumberland , a bunch of us would be taken up to Happy valley, a place near the town, a couple of miles walk to where we could leave the road and walk down to the stream, the stream had lots of other little streams and within a bout a mile, the little stream had turned into a quite a flow, which went into a large pond, where more tributaries converged and all left the pond from the same place. This had now turned into a river with a row of deep pools where we would jump in them and splash around, it was icy cold too but we were kids, we didn't care, we just creamed and splashed a lot, it was a heap of fun. Sunny days in the 1950s, wonderful. No life guards, no life jackets, Adders were common place, so were grass snakes, we knew all about them and left well alone. Nobody drowned and as far as I remember no one was hurt. Somehow we knew what danger was, maybe the love of life was enough.

Never heard of this river - very nice well made video - enjoyed this! You deserve a lot more subs :) I love following you on Google Maps

ah cool wasn't expecting one so soon from you

Good Walk again John, I assume you have Walked the New River but I don't see a video on it, I used to catch sticklebacks and redthroats in the part of the river in Clissold park back in the 1950's, it was alongside Stoke Newington Church St but alas that part was filled in, I believe it went along Petherton Rd then on its way to the New River head in Clerkenwell....thanks John.

Great film my friend at school lived in the house at the top of Newgate street in the 70s it always smelt of sewage back then

A lovely video John well done, I lost my wife a short time ago im sorry to say ,at least I will be able to return to my area Epping Forest etc when I please now looking forward to it take care clive.

Another great video John shame about all those stadiums now gone use to go stock car racing at Wimbledon stadium

Brilliant 🎉

Repton design Blaise, where I walk most days. He must have had a thing for the vegetation you filmed because it everywhere in Blaise too.

Today is a day for a long walk. Best natural cure for depression that I know of. It will need to be a long one, as I try and fathom why this country has chosen intolerance, hatred and a society where "....men, like ravenous fishes, would feed on one another"

Cool nice walk. My fraviote videos of yours are at the London docklands.

This was fascinating to watch. I live in Chingford and know parts of the river very well. My daughter and I are heading up to Connaught Water in the next few days and intend to follow the river as far as we can and possibly walk IN/THROUGH it. Would there be any advice you or others could offer regarding this?

ARGHHHHHHHHHH! epping forest! had my car stolen in that place back in 1986 :P

id like to know how many mileseach walk is i love youre walks

Hi.Mr. Rogers. Just found out that The Sir.Loin pub on Friday Hill has been renamed The Dovecote. Why! Why! Why!??? do they do this? These pubs like The Napier Arms,and The Bakers arms were actual stops on the London bus map.At least they didnt call it The Frog & Jock strap.

Wow my old address in manor farm drive

Does one suppose the underground rivers of London, such as the Tyburn and Fleet would´ve actually been a similar size to these smaller brooks rather than bigger rivers??

You make me feel home sick 🤒

According to Wikipedia - The word sirloin derives from the Middle English surloine, itself derived from the Old French word surloigne (variant of surlonge), that is, sur for 'above' and longe for 'loin'. In Modern French, the cut of meat is called aloyau or faux-filet. A commonly-repeated anecdote claims that the name is derived from an occasion when King James I of England, while being entertained at Hoghton Tower during his return from Scotland in 1617, was so impressed by the quality of his steak that he knighted the loin of beef, which was referred to thereafter as "Sir loin". There is no reliable evidence for this explanation and scholars generally hold it to be a myth.

Rain makes it less relaxing for the walker and more calming for the viewer? Went into the house at 12:28, definitely lived in but definitely not by the owners. Was too dark and unsafe to see much so didnt venture up the stairs. Odd that it's stood int he forest by itself, unloved, for so many years.

Have been viewing some of your beautiful and informative videos John. I will carry on viewing more. I particularly enjoyed the Ingrebourne River one, as I had relations who I visited who lived around there. Also searching for the course of the Fillebrook particularly appealed to me. I wrote a poem about the Ching a couple of years back which is posted on a lockdown-inspired new poetry blog. May I place a link to this video there in the preamble to the poem? It will definitely add to the Ching knowledge of people reading the poem. The link to the poem is southchingfordpoetry.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-journey-of-ching.html Thanks again for your interesting range of London walks

So many empty spaces londin to bild new howses

DO YOU KNOW FRIENDLY JOLLY JOHN OF LEYTONSTONE / / WHO DESERVES CLAIM TO THE BEST LONDON FILMED WALKS THRONE / / HIS YOU TUBE WALKS ARE VERY ILLUMINATING, INTERESTING AND EXCELLENT / / COVERING LONDON AND THE HOME COUNTIES TO A GREAT EXTENT / / YOU CAN ONLY GIVE HIM PRAISE WITH NO CAUSE WHATSOEVER TO MOAN !!!.

Just found the confluence of the Ching and the Lea at 03:58 on your other video - Lea Valley Walk from Walthamstow to Waltham Abbey - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f9ZpadR6zJ7Yo5c.html

It's a shame the amount of detritus you see on these walks!

Beavers 🦫 are back. They need to be everywhere but they are back. 👍🏼