A walk on this grey January morning on the new conservation area of what was once Aldborough Hall Farm - restoration is now taking place after sand and gravel extraction. The entrance is in Aldborough Road North between Applegarth Drive and the Dick Turpin. At this stage there is a permissive bridleway which leads nowhere - but eventually it will exit at Painters Road and then lead into Fairlop Waters (I am told that will take place in about 10 years time - I just hope I live long enough to see it! We are told that it is too dangerous for us locals to exit at Painters Road - many of us have walked down that road more times that council officers haver had good dinners!). There is now an Information board a few yards inside the entrance from Aldborough Road North and another board at the first of two observation areas - the Aldborough Hatch Defence Association members who met with Redbridge Councillors and representatives of developers Brett Tarmac last summer suggested that information boards would be useful - and we are pleased to see that these have now been installed by Brett Tarmac. The metal fence - which makes the place look like a prison - is being dismantled and replaced with a post and wire fence, while the willows have been cut down and will now form a low hedge rather than a barrier. There is still much to be done and it seems to take an inordinate amount of time to get anything done! But we are ever optimistic. On the way home I took a shot of St.Peter's at the start of Bridleway 93.
