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Walking the London Loop into Essex (part 2)
Section 24, Rainham to Purfleet, Essex
(Photos/words © urban75, Sunday 2nd January, 2011)
Part two of our wintry walk.
The 1991 Dartford Crossing Bridge in the distance.
Rainham Marshes is one of very few ancient landscapes remaining in London, with the medieval marshes next to the River Thames being closed to the public for over 100 years and used as a military firing range.
As a result, bird life has flourished, and a RSPB visitor centre was erected here in some ten years ago, offering educational facilities, shop and cafe.
Child's artwork inside the cafe.
Some of the birds spotted in New Year's Day.
Outside the RSPB centre.
Looking west, with the towers of Canary Wharf just visible in the distance.
The old building of Purfleet Magazine, once the main testing and storage place for all the gunpowder used by the British military during late Georgian and Victorian times.
Looking across the Thames.
St Stephens Church, Purfleet, claimed to be on the site of Carfax House in Bram Stoker's novel, 'Dracula.'
Botany Cottages, Purfleet. This sign is quite possibly the most attractive thing you'll see in Purfleet as the town is not what you'd call a looker.
Purfleet from the railways station.
'Station Spice' fast food take away adjacent to the railway station.
Closed newsagent, Station Terrace, Purfleet.
The one open shop by the station.
Some bleak factories, London Road.
London Road approach to the station, looking west.
Purfleet station.
Purfleet station is one of the ugliest stations I've ever seen, surrounded by high fences and burdened with a ridiculous amount of posts.
The station features one of the meanest shelters to be found on any rail network, painted in a miserable utilitarian grey slab of grey and offering cover for three thin people at best. There was also a bland 1960s station building but that - unsurprisingly - was closed and shuttered.
Almost everything on the bleak platform is daubed in battleship grey, and endless recorded reminders abut the fact that they've got CCTV cameras trained on your every move.
They've even got signs hiding behind other signs!
The walking crew arrive back in Fenchurch Street.
« Walks home Rainham - Purfleet walk [part one] »
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Part two
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