The Only Way is Essex (Schlepping through Epping)
I had a trip to the Lee Valley planned and so this was an opportunity for a walk through Epping Forest. 'Forest' is, of course a legal term giving monarchs exclusive rights to hunt deer upon the land but the valley has probably been continually wooded since neolithic times. The character of the trees on this gravelly place, poor for agriculture, has probably changed from small-leaved lime to beech, birch, hornbeam and oak and these thinned with medieval ship-building requirements.
Despite the area being best for trees, the place has been threatened in times past with destruction. With many a wealth, landowners looking to squeeze money out of the land, the forest was saved from inclosure, ultimately, by the City of London Corporation, who with commoners rights were able to sue against their loss. Hainault Forest, was owned by the crown and had seen huge encroachment. The disgust at this by locals, drove the mobilisation. Acts of parliament of 1871 then forced compulsory purchase and saved the 'Cockney Paradise' for the people. The protection of the area is seen as an early example of environmentalism with the creation of the 1865 Open Spaces Society, who were saving the commons and preserving the chance for leisure, enjoyment and not just grazing pigs. I thus follow in the long tradition of the common folk using the area for my purposes.
From Epping Forest, I had intended on walking amongst the water to Broxbourne but it was the water from the heavens that ultimately stopped play and confined my journey. Warlies Park and Waltham Abbey were included but none of my route saw a truly satisfactory exploration of any of these areas. Time and weather were constraints and it is a desk exercise that provides the detail for me on this account. Maybe this means I will return.
From Chingford Station, exit along Station Road to the east. At the corner of Bury and Ranger's Road, you enter the Forest and the Chingford Plain. I took a little detour to Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge. This houses the visitor centre and was built in 1543 for King Henry VIII and renovated by order of Queen Elizabeth I. I didn't enter but continued on the main path, the Gloucester Road before heading north on the right of way. This is largely the Green Ride before it becomes the Main Path until you cross the Cross Roads. From here, keep north, parallel to the road before crossing a clearing and going towards Paul's Nursery. I did a circuit of the visitors centre before stopping at High Beach and the King's Oak Cafe. You can look out northwest over the pillow mounds on Wellington Hill. I had a sandwich but the geography field-trippers were having ice-creams which looked fabulous.
Go over the hill but stay on the Three Forests Way on the west of the Wake Road. Cross Claypit Hill and continue over Woodridden Hill and onto Woodredon Farm Hill. This becomes Green Lane as it crosses the M25. Leave the Three Forests Way and turn immediately left on the bridleway. Take the next right onto Blind Lane and then left on Sergeants Green Lane. This is Warlies Park.
Over Horsehoe Hill, you have a few options within this area of butterfly-filled meadows. Bear west through the gate and then ascend West Hill northwards on the Warlies Park Trail. Bear right of the Cobbin Pond and cross Cobbin's Brook. You will see the brick obelisk on your left but enter the nursery and take the nettley path around the greenhouse to Breach Barns Lane going west. Here I began to feel a bit abandoned, especially as I crosses Galleyhill Lane and tried to fight my way west on the footpath. It was very overgrown and navigating the tip was troublesome. You'll want to end up going south but I messed this up a bit. When I emerged onto the hill, south of the trees, some year schoolkids were sat sheepishly on the summit of the hill. Presumably they were taking a break from their exams. Like myself, they were watching the dramatic dark skies that were sheeting rain down below me. A streak of lightning hit the ground a mile or so off.
The footpath emerged onto Parklands at Waltham Abbey. I'd reached the rain. I dithered. Time had clemency had slipped away from me and I wanted to be settled before the campsite shut its reception. I headed to the station but not before only a cursory glance at the abbey itself. Head over the roundabout and walk through the gardens and towards the church and abbey ruins. Leave via Highbridge Street that becomes Station Road and then Eleanor Cross Road. At the railway line descend the steps to the south.
I took the train to Broxboune and walked to the Dobbs Weir Campsite to be installed in my shed.
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