Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Chestnut Trail Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Chestnut Trail Walking Route

This is a walk in Epping Forest that I completed back in March that we decided to do today as the weather was so nice. So Mrs Walks And Walking got the child carrier out and we strapped Tedi in for this very gentle family walking route in Wanstead Park. It’s well signposted, very flat and covers just under 3.5 miles taking just under an hour and a half to complete. Below are the pictures from today and to see the full walk description and map please click here Epping Forest Chestnut Trail.

As we made our way from the entrance we followed the pathway and the distinct green arrow waymarkers seeing many large white egg shaped balls in the water, which we thought were probably Swan eggs, as well as not only one Heron we actually spotted two!

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Entrance

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Lake

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Swan Egg

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route 1st Heron

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route 2nd Heron

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Duck

 

Essex Walks – Epping Forest Bluebell Wood Video

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Epping Forest Bluebell Wood Video – Gilwell Park Entrance

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Epping Forest Bluebell Wood Video.

This video was taken on a 6 mile Essex walk in Epping Forest when we decided to try a circular walking route from Gilwell Park. Along the way we met some lady walkers who told us about a secret bluebell wood, so we did a quick detour, set my camera to video mode and had a good look around. The full article can be found here Walks and Walking: Epping Forest Walks In Gilwell Park

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Walking Route

The highlight of this walking route was supposed to be the Queen Boudicca (Boudica, Boadicea) Obelisk but it turned out to be the sighting of 4 groups of Epping Forest Fallow Deer, the Goodyear Blimp, Field Mice and a Muntjac encapsulating all that is truly wonderful about Epping Forest. I planned to do 10 miles starting and finishing at Epping London Underground Station, walking down to Ambresbury Banks Iron Age Hill Fort where Queen Boudicca made her last stand against the Romans, down in to the heart of Epping Forest, back up towards the Obelisk in Upshire and then a few detours to find the Fallow Deer at Copped Hall and then back to Epping station. I went to all my favourite places to track the Deers and was really lucky to see so many, it extended the walk by an extra 2 miles but was well worth it.

It was perfect walking weather today; a beautiful Spring morning, clear blue skies, crisp fresh air and a very slight breeze. My Scarpa walking boots are now fully broken in and I packed a windproof walking jacket in my rucksack if the weather did happen to turn.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Walking Route Map

Exiting Epping station I walked right and then crossed the road to the alley way at the top of the car park on the left. I walked along this alley skirting around the car park turning left on to Centre Drive and then walking right up Western Avenue, the 4th road on the right hand side to now join the Centenary Walk that I would be following for the next few miles. At the footpath signpost I turned right and followed this track all the way up to Bell Common where I turned left and followed the lane by the houses to The Forest Gate Inn where I then walked left down Theydon Road turning right on to the wide grassy path by the 3 wooden stumps and large drain cover to Epping Cricket Club. I then walked round to the left to enter Epping Forest and walked straight ahead and slightly downhill keeping to the Centenary Walk’s wide gravel track to Ambresbury Banks Iron Age Hill Fort.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Ambresbury Banks Hill Fort

Just after Ambresbury Banks I walked sharp right on to a wide gravel track now leaving the Centenary Walk doubling back on myself before bending round to the left to join Epping Road B1393 crossing straight over the road by the metal barriers to join another wide gravel track swinging left where I then walked along parallel to just before the A121 road I walked right and then around to my left to rejoin the A121 road where I crossed over to join The Forest Way at the signpost to Loughton at Woodridden Hill. It was here that I spotted to Goodyear Blimp flying over head and managed to get a good photograph through a gap in the trees.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Goodyear Blimp Flying Over Essex

Just before the next road I walked right and headed steeply downhill and leaving The Forest Way to Claypit Hill Road turning right and walking along the banks of the small stream where I heard lots of rustling in the undergrowth where a Field Mouse popped up. I continued straight ahead and up Woodgreen Road walking underneath the M25 through Wood Green and as the road then went sharp left I walked right on to a path and stile passing the house on my left keeping the hedge on my left to the next still and footbridge to the track and next footbridge climbing uphill with Upshire Church in view. I then walked through the stiles around the back of the house to the Horseshoe Hill in Upshire with the Horseshoes Inn on my left hand side. I walked right passing Upshire Church on my right hand side to the Upshire Village signpost where I turned left down Fernhall Lane keeping left at the fork all the way down to Obelisk Farm where I then turned right on to the track with the Obelisk in view on my left hand side.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Obelisk Close Up

I continued along this track to Long Street where I walked right and saw a Muntjac running across the road ahead of me. Midway along Long Street I walked left along the track towards Lodge Farm Stables turning right at the signpost by the gate straight ahead to a small track on my right hand side to a kissing gate. It was here that I had my first sighting of the Epping Forest Fallow Deer, a small group of fairly young deer that were hidden from view in all the undergrowth. I continued along this track where I met some fellow walkers who had just seen a large group of Deer so we exchanged sightings and moved on. Shortly afterwards I had my second sighting and it was the much larger group that were enjoying the sunshine in the open fields. Unfortunately, being such a nice day they were lots of people and quite a few dogs bounding around so after getting some photos and taking a short video of the Fallow Deers they were scared off.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Fallow Deers

I then walked back along the same track and continued on to my next spot to find some more of the Epping Forest Fallow Deers. Walking through the kissing gate I then walked right and back on to the main track to Copped Hall climbing slightly uphill along the lane and then forking left down the track across fields turning left at the lane by The White House and through a stile along the Permissive Path to Little Rookery Wood with Spratt’s Hedgerow down to my left hand side. I then had my third sighting of the Deer in the fields below so I walked slowly down to try to get some good photographs and as I did a mountain biker came hairing down the lane and scared them all off.

 

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Fallow Deer Copped Hall

Feeling as my Epping Forest Fallow Deer sightings were now all over I walked back to rejoin the Permissive Path heading back to the lane when I had my fourth sighting of a small group of adult Deer grazing by the edge of the woodland. The wind was blowing in the right direction so they didn’t pick up my scent as I walked really slowly downhill by the edge of the woodland to try to get some decent photographs.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Close To Fallow Deers

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Queen Boudicca Obelisk Walking Route – Looking Back To Copped Hall

Feeling jubilant at all the Deer sightings I walked back up to the lane and walked left along the lane all the way to the gate on my right hand side and the footpath signpost to walk up the side of the field to a bench, where I looked back to the views of Copped Hall, and through a gap in the hedges up the right hand side of the field to a very old stile walking left along the narrow track by the side of the M25 to the next stile keeping left to join a lane to the High Road. I crossed over the road to Epping Cricket Club and walked around the front of the pavilion passing the nets and back round to rejoin my walking route from earlier.

Walking along the wide grassy path to the road I walked left up Theydon Road and right down Bell Common turning right at the waymarker down through the woodland to Western Avenue and along Centre Drive turning right down the alley way by the car park and back to Epping Forest London Underground Station after a thoroughly enjoyable 12 miles taking me exactly 3 hours.

 

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Wanstead Park

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Wanstead Park

This is another of the brilliant new Epping Forest walking routes offering a leisurely walk in Wanstead Park perfect for all the family. Claiming to be 5 miles and taking about 2 hours this walking route covered 3.3 miles taking me 1 hour and 15 minutes according to ViewRanger. The arrows on the official Epping Forest Chestnut Trail are also pointing in the opposite direction to the dark green arrow waymarkers found at frequent intervals at every turning point on the walk. As there was a waymarker at the very start of the walk I decided to follow them and not the direction the map would have taken me.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route Wanstead Park

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route – Wanstead Park Information Board

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route – Wanstead Park Squirrel

From the car park at the end of Warren Road I walked left following  the dark green arrow waymarker taking the middle track at the Epping Forest Information Board by the metal barrier on to the wide grassy path to the lake, an area known as The Glade, walking left at the waymarker and then straight ahead at the next waymarker keeping right at the stream and the next waymarker walking along the wide gravel track to the next waymarker all the time being kept company by Grey Squirrels and the abundance of ducks, geese and swans.

I then turned right at the next waymarker around The Canal to the remains of the old building on my right hand side walking right at the next waymarker forking right at the next waymarker over the bridge forking left to the next waymarker and then keeping left at the next waymarker forking left at the next waymarker and then turning left at the next waymarker at the bottom of the lake through the metal barrier to the road. I then turned right along the pavement and then right back in to Wanstead Park at the next waymarker keeping straight ahead at the next waymarker.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route – Wanstead Park The Canal

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route – Wanstead Park Ruins

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Walks – The Chestnut Trail Walking Route – Wanstead Park The Temple

I then walked right at the next waymarker and then straight ahead passing the Wanstead signpost straight ahead to the metal barrier and next waymarker keeping straight ahead through the tree-lined avenue all the way up to the next waymarker at The Temple. I then walked left following the waymarker forking left at the next waymarker turning left at the next waymarker on to the lane keeping straight ahead at the next waymarker and back to the car park.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest The Holly Trail Walking Route

This walking route is another classic family walk in Epping Forest starting in Bury Road Car Park Chingford covering well maintained tracks and bridleways. Although the The Holly Trail signpost says it is 1.5 miles my ViewRanger said the total distance covered was 2.65 miles which took me an hour to complete.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route – The Holly Trail Signpost

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route – Holly and Trail

At the Bury Road car park I easily found the distinctive The Holly Trail signpost so turned left to start the walk keeping slightly right at the metal barrier to the first dark green arrow waymarker that are found at every corner and crossing making this an easy walking route to follow through Epping Forest. I then walked straight ahead passed the next 2 waymarkers before turning right at the next waymarker just before the houses and then turning right at the next waymarker where I spotted a rather palatial bivouac on my left hand side.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route – Bivouac

As the path  forked I kept right at the next waymarker where I saw a Kestrel fly out of the ditch with a mouse between its talons. I then walked left at the next waymarker and at the next waymarker I turned right by The Holly Trail signpost to Chingford Plain where I then kept right at the next waymarker with the car park back in view. As I walked down to the gravel pathway I noticed an old Cattle Drinking Trough on my right hand side and all too soon my walk was over as I returned to my car.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Holly Trail Walking Route – Cattle Drinking Trough

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest The Willow Trail Walking Route

This walking route is a classic family walk in Epping Forest starting in Connaught Water Chingford. This is a new walking route and extremely well signposted following the newly resurfaced pathways and the wide well maintained tracks of Epping Forest. The quirky feature of  The Willow Trail Epping Forest is that the map on the information board next to the car park clearly shows that you should start the walk in a clockwise direction around to the left hand side of the lake. However, the waymarkers are all set as if you were starting the walk in an anti-clockwise direction. It doesn’t make any real difference as there is a waymarker at every single turning point making it a really easy walk to follow.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Epping Forest Walks – The Willow Trail

I started the walk in a clockwise direction from the information board and turning left and walking around the lake turning left at the first dark green arrow waymarker, these are the waymarkers I then followed for the entire walking route. I then turned right at the next waymarker keeping straight ahead at the next waymarker up the wide gravel track where I saw a Muntjac Deer running across the path.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route – The Willow Way Dark Green Waymarkers

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route – Wide Gravel Track

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route – The Willow Way Signpost

I kept walking straight ahead passed The Willow Trail signpost keeping straight ahead at the next waymarker turning right at the next waymarker continuing up the wide gravel track. I continued my walk straight ahead at the next waymarker keeping right at the next waymarker and then turning right at the next waymarker. I then kept straight ahead at the next waymarker keeping left at the next waymarker and then turning left at the next waymarker. (See what I mean about it being well signposted!). I carried on walking straight ahead at the next waymarker then turned right at the top by the metal barrier and walking back down the wide track parallel to the one I had just walked up passed the next waymarker. I continued my walk all the way down this track passing the next waymarker to the next waymarker and then back to Connaught Water.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route – Connaught Water

At the end of the walk I returned to the information board just to make sure I had got the clockwise/anti-clockwise thing correct and read the rest of the leaflet. It also mentions that it is only approximately 1.5 miles but ViewRanger recorded 2.56 miles which took me 1 hour and 5 minutes. It also said there is a steep climb but I didn’t find it and I’m not entirely sure if there is one on this walk. On the leaflet next to The Willow Trail there were some guided walks available with one of them being led by Senior Forest Keeper Nick Baker which promised “a ascinating insight into the management of the Deer Sanctuary”. Hmmm…..

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Willow Trail Walking Route – ascinating

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Billericay To Chelmsford Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Billericay To Chelmsford Walking Route

I met up with Tim @ukjeeper at Billericay train station for what turned out to be a slightly longer walking route than planned but certainly one of the most rewarding walks in Essex I have ever had with plenty of great countryside, podiatry breaks, wildlife spots and even an acrobatic stunt plane thrown in to the mix.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Billericay To Chelmsford Walking Route Map

We met at Billericay station, turning left and then right down to Norsey Close and in to Norsey Wood walking around the right hand side by The Deerbank with the houses on our right hand side to a road that we walked up and then turned right at the Public Footpath 28 signpost across and around the open fields to the Water Tower at Forty Acre Plantation.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Forty Acre Plantation Water Tower

We then walked up along the road turning right at Potash Road and then right at Goatsmoor Lane turning right at the Bridleway Signpost turning left at the crossroads of paths crossing over Goatsmoor Lane to the Public Bridleway Signpost to the pond at Greenacre Farm. We then walked right and then turned left at the Public Footpath Signpost following this pathway all the way to Stock village across about 5 footbridges and stiles to a kissing gate and then the road at Stock. We then walked right and then turned left in to Mill Lane to visit the Stock Windmill.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Stock Windmill

We then walked left at the Public Footpath Signpost keeping right at the road and then turning right and then left down the footpath to now join St Peters Way. We turned left at the Public Footpath Signpost walking around Swan Wood down some long wooden steps to continue following St Peters Way. I then put my Southend-on-Sea and Basildon Ordnance Survey Map away and got out my Chelmsford and The Rodings map. It was also here that I realised I had a blister on my left foot in my new Scarpa walking boots despite strapping up both heels in zinc oxide tape and my usual 2 sock combination to prevent blisters. I knew today I would be testing them out in anger so I had packed some painkillers in my bag so I had a couple of them and got on with the walk.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – St Peters Way Waymarker

Continuing to follow the well-marked St Peters Way waymarkers we then arrived at Fristling Hall and walked through the wooden gate to a wooden kissing gate across to the next wooden kissing gate to another wooden gate and footbridge across the field and over the Gang Bridge just before the Margaretting Railway Underpass. It was here I felt a popping sensation on my left foot so I guessed my blister had burst so we agreed to stop at the next pub and review our progress and what to do next. The underpass was quite an interesting point of interest as it is very low so we had to walk carefully underneath so not to bang our heads on the ceiling.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Margaretting Railway Underpass

Leaving the tunnel we walked across the next fields to the B1002 road turning left to cross the road to The Red Lion pub where we had a short break and some refreshments. I tentatively took of my boots and surveyed the damage before changing in to my The North face walking boots, that I had packed in to my rucksack, which immediately felt more comfortable. We then agreed to continue the walk as planned and set off turning right at the black signpost and white kissing gate and stile following St Peters Way to a small pond where we spotted some frogs spawn and several frogs.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Frog Spawn

We continued to follow the signpost for St Peters Way over a series of footbridges and stiles to Dog Kennel Lane where we then went through a series of electric gates at Hadley Barns turning right at the stile to the edge of Well Wood and then heading straight across the field in to Box Wood. We then left St Peters Way at the stile turning sharp right crossing 3 stiles in to open farmland down to the road where we turned right and then left in to more open fields to High Woods.

This was definitely Deer country with plenty of open fields and woodlands, their perfect environment. As we walked through High Woods the sun was flickering down through the trees bouncing off the tree stumps and foliage and I thought I had spotted something moving around but it was only when we met a couple with binoculars that my Deer senses were confirmed as we saw a group running through the woodland ahead of us. We then turned right at the Bridleway Signpost and started to climb upwards along Chalk Hill Track where the couple had previously seen a Deer heard of about a hundred or so.

As we walked nearer to the open grounds we saw 4 female Deers bounding across the field with a larger group of about 40 just behind them. The couple with the binoculars had now caught up with us so we all continued our walk uphill to see the main heard of about another 60 or so on our left hand side sitting peacefully in the late afternoon sun. In the middle of the heard was a white deer, something I have never seen in the wild before.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Deer at High Woods 1

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Deer at High Woods 4

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Billericay to Chelmsford Walking Route – Deer at High Woods 2

After taking a few photographs we continued walking along the pathway down to a footbridge turning right at Highwood Road and then left at the Kissing Gate following this pathway along to a couple of footbridges to Little Oxney Green. It was here that we looked up to the sky to see a stunt plane doing acrobatics in the sky; loop the loops, stalling the plane and falling, twisting and turning all over the place. The light was now starting to fade so we cracked on turning left on the A414 road and then right along the pathway to a footbridge and then the road. Walking straight ahead up the road to the Agricultural College buildings we then walked right to join the Cycle Path.

It was now getting difficult to read my paper map so we switched to Tim’s tablet for the rest of the walk following the Cycle Path signposts and then the Chelmsford Railway Station signposts which are all very clearly marked from now on in. We then walked through Admiral’s Park in the darkness all the way to Chelmsford Railway Station. We had originally planned to do just under 15 miles but it turned out to be 18.3 miles taking us 6 hours and 13 minutes. When I got home and took off my boots, socks and ripped off the zinc oxide tape I was surprised to see how small the blister on my left foot was. So, whilst my blister prevention techniques had not entirely worked they had certainly limited the damage.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Moreton Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Moreton Walking Route

I had been chatting to Tim @ukjeeper on Twitter about using the ViewRanger software on my SmartPhone and he very kindly offered to go for an Essex walk to test it out properly and go through the various different types of online maps and websites. I’ll keep the results of our chat at the end of the post after I have written out the walking route from our 10 mile circular walk in Moreton.

The weather at the start was fairly decent but kept a waterproof jacket in my rucksack and I had hoped to wear my new Scarpa walking boots but I still hadn’t broken them in and didn’t want to risk it today.

Moreton is a lovely village just off the A414 and we parked our cars at the Nags Head pub and had a quick go through the various online mapping options before setting off with my Ordnance Survey map still in my rucksack and me feeling a little out of my walking comfort zone at not being the one leading the walk. I soon settled in to the routine and we had quite brisk pace with plenty of chat being exchanged.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Moreton Walking Route – Little Laver Church

From the Nags Head we headed west along the road to a footpath on our left at the bend of the road that curved northwards through open farmland to buildings and a delightful Tudor house to the road where we turned left to Ashling Cottages and another footpath on our right where we walked for a short while before cutting across the field to our right hand side joining Pole Lane track where we turned left heading west over Mill Mound before bending left to the road. We then turned right joining the Stort Valley Way left at Spinney Farm and Great Wimores through farmland to the road where we turned right down to Faggotters Farm where we turned left up the footpath with the lake on our left hand side to the edge of More Spring woods where we turned right by the edge of the wood down to the road turning left at the next footpath signpost crossing over the next road to the footpath and across to the next road at Olive Spring and the church at Little Laver.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Moreton Walking Route – Open Farmland

We then walked right down the road turning left across farmland to the road turning left along the road and then right down the footpath following this track all the way down as it then bent round to the right to Newhouse Moat where we then turned left and walked all the way down the road and back to the Nags Head pub. Sadly, it was closed for renovation so we popped across the road for some very welcome pints of ale and some very decent pub grub. By now the skies had opened and it was bucketing down so we had finished our 10 mile walking route just in time after quite a sprightly 3 hours.

Ordnance Survey Paper Maps vs ViewRanger Online Software

So it seems I had set up ViewRanger correctly on my SmartPhone but the enormous Wikipedia instruction manual had scared the life out of me! What’s lacking from ViewRanger is a simplified version as I outlined in my previous St Albans walk. The faffing about is worthwhile albeit a little confusing. Tim also ran through some other options with me and how to use the ViewRanger store. I currently have the OpenStreetMap version which gives a basic overview of the walking route but if you buy the Ordnance Survey version you get far more detail and it is worth purchasing it if you just want to use digital formats.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Moreton Walking Route – ViewRanger OpenStreetMap Version

Tim brought his entire portfolio of gadgets, tablets and SmartPhones to show me how each one operates. Tim also went through Backcountry Navigator and Social Hiking sites. Social Hiking is powered by ViewRanger and enables you to geo tag your photos, videos, tweets and Facebook posts as you walk. Quite nifty really if you have embraced the digital age as well as Tim has.

I think I’ll stick to ViewRanger for the moment until I get more used to how it all works then I may move on to Social Hiking. In terms of simplicity, you just open up ViewRanger on your SmartPhone, menu, trip view, reset, start. GPS then calculates your position and you’re ready to go. It is also worth double checking Beacon & tracker to make sure Beacon repeat on. Then lock the phone and make sure the application is still running in the background. Then when you are home, go to my.viewranger.com and log in to your account, open up ViewRanger on your SmartPhone, menu, organiser, tracks, menu, synchronise and then refresh your web browser and up pops the walking route.

So, for the benefit of the Walks And Walking readers I think I am going to use ViewRanger and buy the Ordnance Survey Maps so you can see a good outline of the walking routes. I will still use the OS paper versions to explain the walking route in finer detail as I do find it reassuring when I can read “Turn left at the signpost for…” and “Turn right at the Yellow Waymarker to….” so I know I’m on the right tracks.

Useful links:

ViewRanger

Social Hiking – Share Your Adventure

BackCountry Navigator

Ordnance Survey Maps

Walks And Walking – Kelvedon To Coggeshall Essex Walking Routes

Walks And Walking – Kelvedon To Coggeshall Essex Walking Routes

A delightful UK walking route around the Essex countryside to include Coggeshall Hall, the Grange Barn, Coggeshall Abbey and walking along the Blackwater River through plenty of open fields from Kelvedon to Coggeshall and back.

We set off at about 9am with Tedi safely in his child carrier and our usual outdoor clothing. Mary made a very good point today by choosing walking trousers against my walking shorts option on the basis that walking through farmland countryside probably means lots of biting insects and nettles. As always, Mary was right as I got stung by numerous beasts and plant life despite long socks over my walking boots.

For more photographs of this walk please click: Coggeshall Walking Route

Coggeshall Abbey building Coggeshall Essex Walking Route

Starting from Kelvedon Train Station we turned left at the bottom of the car park walking for a very short while to turn right at the first footpath sign by the river. At the metal gate we turned right to fork left at the waymark on the left. We then walked through the gooseberry fields to another waymarker and through a gap with a blackcurrant field on our right. We then reached a footpath sign on our right and continued straight on to a wide path passed a terracotta coloured house on our right and straight on again to a concrete signpost and on to another on our left and through wheat fields as the path bends right to a sign post and style.We the headed straight on up the road passing Scrips Road on our left and on in to Coggeshall Hamlet.

We then turned right down Pointwell Lane to a sign post and cattle grid and turned left by the waymarker on the shed door to cross the Pointwell Mill Bridge and through a metal gate on to a wide grassy path with the river on our left to the bridge crossing Pointwell Spill Weir. We then walked straight on to a style crossing a meadow to another style  with the river still on our left to fork left and then turn left across a bridge to stables and Coggeshall Abbey. We then continued straight on up the gravel lane to St Nicholas’ Chapel on our right where horses were grazing making it a lovely photograph!

A milestone let us know we were now on a part of The Essex Way so we carried on upwards to reach the road by the Grange Barn (the oldest barn in Europe and built in 1140). We then turned right and along to Grange Hill bridge before turning right at the White Hart pub just opposite the Chapel Inn and its neighbouring bright blue tower.We then followed the road as it started to bend round to the right passing many Tudor style buildings careful not to miss our right hand turn down the waymarked alley and cutting across playing fields to a metal gate.

We then turned left and walked up the hill until we reached and turned right just before reached the A120 road by the ROse Cottage to a signpost in front of us to the right taking us right and across a small wooden bridge in to fields where we then turned left at the next waymark and the turning right to follow the field edge right the way round to the next waymarker where we turned right cutting across the pathway through the fields to the awaiting waymarker in view.

St Nicholas’ Chapel Coggeshall Essex Walking Route

We then turned left at this waymarker and then straight across at the next signpost with the pathway bending right at the signpost to a wide grassy track to the farm buildings and Skye Green.We turned left up the road to the junction where we turned right at the large white signpost in the middle of the road. After passing a small terrace of houses we saw the signpost taking us right besides the bungalow. Here we turned left to follow the field edge to a signpost and across another small wooden bridge where we turned right and then left to cut across the field pathway to a signpost and another by the gap in the hedges to cross another field towards some houses with the faint sight of the church tower just behind.

At the signpost we turned right and then left at the next signpost to the road at Church Farm. We then turned right passing the All Saints Church on our right. At the T-junction we turned right and then a saw the next signpost by an old wooden gate to walk downhill and on to duck board to meet the river on our right and then the cricket pitch on our left. Following the river pathway we then reached Rye Hill House and around the other side of the cricket pitch until we saw the railway bridge.

Walking under the bridge we then turned right in to Sherwood Drive and right again when we reached Feering Hill and passing the Railway Inn  with all outside seats occupied by the river’s edge! By this time the weather had picked up considerably and it was getting very hot so we were glad to turn right on to Station Road until we reached the station car park.

We then drove round to The Angel Kelvedon for some hand cut chips and local ale, which went down way to quickly, as we looked back on a splendid 3 hour and about 8 miles of beautiful Essex countryside and the outstanding villages of Coggeshall and Kelvedon.

 

Walks and Walking: Epping Forest Walks In Gilwell Park

Walks and Walking – Epping Forest Walks in Gilwell Park.

We decided to do a walking route around Gilwell Park today as it was such a fine spring morning with the day looking full of sunshine. Back in the walking shorts and short sleeved t-shirt for today as it was so hot yesterday and today looks like being another hot one. It is very dry under foot at the moment so just a good pair of walking shoes are required and, as always, Tedi was very happy getting in to his child carrier!

Along the way  we met some lady walkers who told us about a secret bluebell wood, so we did a quick detour, set my camera to video mode and had a good look around.

For all the photos from today please click here: Gilwell Park Photographs

To watch our short video please click here: Secret Bluebell Wood

The White House at Gilwell Park, Epping Forest

The Gilwell Park Walking Route.

We started the walk at the visitors car park opposite The White House at Gilwell Park in Sewardstonebury, Epping Forest, Essex. Passing through the big wooden Gilwell Park gates we followed the yellow waymakers through the park and various scouting activities to the views of the King George Reservoir below us and then carried on down the grassy slop to a kissing gate at the bottom. We then continued through the fields to catch view of well maintained fields with plenty of horses and llamas to a large fishing pond. Following the pond around with the water on our right hand side we walked on Daws Hill for a short while until we turned left on to Sewardstone Road turning right down Mill Lane, all well signposted so far.

Crossing in to the reservoir, we turned right and then straight on until we found the edge of the Lee Valley Park, close to Gunpowder Mills. Here we followed the London Loop green waymakers until we reached Sewardstone Road again at the next London Loop sign by a stile on our left, a short distance up the road, we turned left and ignored the rest of the Loop to walk up the steep flank of Barn Hill before walking down the other side continuing straight on and upwards until we reached the wide Green Lane. Ignoring the first signpost for Lippitts Hill we turned left at the second signpost to Lippitts Hill.

We then followed the yellow waymakers across the golf course, up and around to the police firearms training camp. As we reached Lippitts Hill we turned right, passing The Owl pub on our left we turned right up some steps at the next footpath sign. Following the obvious pathway we continued to a large metal gate where we turned right and followed the treeline (where we found the bluebells) down through the golf course before turning right at the waymaker which lead us in to Bury Road where we turned right and then left back in to Gilwell Park, some 2 hours later and a good 6 miles covered.

About Gilwell Park.

Whilst Gilwell Park is more famously known as the home of The Scout Association, its history dates back over 600 years to 1407 no less. The first record of the area can be found in the British Library’s Harleian register.

The land was part of the Gyldiefords, as named by the owner John Crow. John Crow owned several areas in the Parish of Waltham Abbey, Essex, which, at the time, were known as “parcels”.By 1422 the ownership had changed and the land became known as Gillrolfes, as in Glen of the Rolfes. This was common in those days, the first part ‘Gill’ simply being the old English word for Glen. Little Gilwell was an ‘L’ shaped piece of land sitting behind and to the left of the farm with Great Gilwell, the larger field, running across what is now the Boys’ Field to Hoe Lane. To the front of the farm was an open public area called Gilwell Green.

In later years an adjoining property of some 14 acres on the other side of Hoe Lane, was purchased by Richard Osborne. He built a house which he called Osborne Hall on the site of roughly where the White House is today. It would be easy to be fooled into believing that Osborne built something as grand or as large as the White House but clearly this would not be true. The building must though have been of some considerable size and well constructed because, although we know little of Osborne himself, the name of Osborne Hall lived on for the next 300 years.