Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kate’s Cellar Walking Route
This is quite a straight forward walking route starting at Chingford Station to Connaught Water car park, up Fairmead Road in the heart of Epping Forest and then back down through Little Monk Wood following the Green Ride passed Loughton Camp and Kate’s Cellar, Strawberry Hill Ponds, Warren Hill and then back to the car park and station.
I am still breaking in my new Scarpa walking boots so this 7 mile Epping Forest walk should be quite comfortable, I’ve also just bought some new zinc oxide tape for my heels so I’m testing that out too. Tomorrow I’m going to test out my Scapra boots in anger on a 15 mile Essex walk in Chelmsford and next week I’m doing a series of 15 mile walks in West Sussex so I need to make sure the boots are going to be OK so I don’t have to carry my trusted old The North Face boots in my rucksack in amongst my spare walking clothes!
Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kates Cellar Walking Route Map
Anyway, back to the walking route…. From Chingford train station I turned right to walk uphill along Rangers Road passed the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge all the way up to the car park at Connaught Watrer. At the car park I found the main information board and walked along the path at the right hand side of the water to its far right hand side corner where I then turned left at its most northern point turning right at the next corner on to a small path walking right and then left with the shallow hollow drainage ditch on my left hand side. I walked along this path until it became a track where I then went right (where I was shamelessley overtaken by some Nordic walkers!) and then left and then right until I reached the long straight track keeping right as the track curved right to a metal barrier and the start of Fairmead Road.
Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kates Cellar Walking Route – Fairmead Road
I walked left to follow the road all the way up to Cross Roads with the car park and tea hut on my right hand side. I then walked ahead and to the left towards High Beach turning right at the metal bar barrier before the 20 mile an hour zone sign on to the forest track.I then walked along this track as it undulated 3 times and when the track had leveled out I then went right along the track that curved right to the Epping New Road and car park opposite. I then walked across to the right hand side of the car park and entered Little Monk Wood.
I then walked along the wide gravel track turning right at the junction of paths keeping straight ahead at the next crossroad of paths walking all the way along until the path descended. It is here you can turn right and climb steeply up through the forest to Loughton Camp which is also an area known as Kate’s Cellar, she was a tiny beautiful Witch that lived in the year 1313.
Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kates CellarWalking Route – Kate’s Cellar
I continued my walk, with Loughton brook on my left hand side, keeping straight ahead climbing upwards to cross over Earl’s Path road to the track beside Strawberry Hill Pond on my right hand side where I then continued to walk along this track to an open area. At the end of the open area I then turned right and then left to walk on to a wide path where I then reached a gravel path junction where I then turned left to the cottages beside Nursery Road where I then walked down the track by the left hand side of the cottages uphill back in to the forest up to the top of Warren Hill. I left the track by the large oak tree and seat continuing on the right to a grass path with a small heathland on my right hand side.
Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kates Cellar Walking Route – Large Oak Tree And Seat
I continued walking along the path to a junction where I kept left to the A104 close to its junction with the A1069 Ranger’s Road crossing to the path opposite. I then kept left close by the road keeping right as it then went left to a small path in to the forest following it back to Connaught Water and left to the car park and back on to Rangers Road passed the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge pond, where I saw a Heron proudly perching on a stump, down to Chingford Station 3 hours and 7 miles later with the zinc oxide tape still in place and no blisters!
Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Kates Cellar Walking Route – Heron by Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge Pond
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