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

 

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