Raphael Park, Romford autumn walk: ‘A picture-perfect setting’

During a recent trip into Romford, I decided to make the most of the weather and head out on an autumn stroll.

I caught the bus from Mercury Gardens, headed for a three-stop journey to Raphael Park.

It’s a journey that is so quick that it is sometimes easy to forget that a leafy retreat from the hustle and bustle of the town centre is just mere minutes away.

Once at the entrance to the park, I was immediately soothed by the sound of the large fountain that does a brilliant job of drowning out the noise from the road.

It was a truly picturesque setting (Image: Newsquest)

After just a few steps, I could already see some of the trees turning to gorgeous shades of amber and yellow.

Autumn may be my favourite season and the changing of the leaves is something that never fails to bring me joy.

I headed up the path to my right, taking in the fresh air and the peaceful surroundings.

The original bandstand had to be rebuilt in the late 1940s (Image: Newsquest)

Heading deeper into the park, I passed the old bandstand that was once filled with the sound of music from local bands and musicians.

One of my favourite things to do is imagine all the people who will have taken this same route before me more than 120 years after it was opened to the public.

As I passed under trees, leaves fell daintily from branches and a skein of geese flew over head.

Birds flying above (Image: Newsquest)

I truly felt as if I’d walked into some kind of children’s storybook or Disney princess movie, and this feeling was only heightened when a family of geese waddled across the path in front of me.

Around six goslings were being herded by their parents, though at first glance they more closely resembled balls of black and white feathers on legs.

The family of geese were one of the highlights of my walk (Image: Newsquest)

I stopped to give them space and watched them tumble about for a bit before moving on.

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Little wood carvings dotted the path along my walk (Image: Newsquest)

The magic of Raphael Park continued into a wooded area, where I passed by wooden carvings and countless squirrels who seemed to be joining me on my walk.

Before leaving I made sure to sit by the canal and listen to the chatter of the birds.

It was the perfect autumn walk and a great excuse to get out and enjoy some of the public open space on offer in Havering.