Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route

After a recent walk in Chipping Ongar I was quite curious to see more of The Essex Way and had read that the final section from Chipping Ongar to Epping was particularly picturesque. The snow had still to melt away so I thought I would get out quickly for my second snowy walk this February.

This walking route starts in Chipping Ongar Sainsbury car park and heads out along The Essex Way through Greensted, across farmland until reaching the open fields of Essex and the ancient Epping Forest woodlands in to Gurnon Bushes Nature Reserve and finally to Epping London Underground Station.

I packed up my usual walking gear for a brisk walk in the Epping Forest area with standard walking clothes, walking trousers, walking boots,  jacket in my rucksack with a few walking essentials, mainly snacks and drinks.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route – Signposts and Snow!

I got dropped off in Chipping Ongar and walked down the lane by Sainsbury, passed the skate park to the metal bar gate where I then walked straight ahead following the various signposts for The Essex Way. There were plenty of The Essex Way signposts to follow so I knew this would be quite an easy walking route to navigate.

I followed the main pathway to Greensted walking through the paddocks, passed the lake on my right hand side to a garden gate, signposted The Essex Way. I then headed up and around the church turning right at the signpost public footpath to New Barns and following the main track and various signposts straight ahead passing the Church Barn on my right hand side and then down the lane turning left at the footbridge where I continued straight ahead to another footbridge looking out to the fields ahead covered in a blanket of snow.

I continued my walk passed Greensted Wood on my right hand side to the road where I crossed over to find the niext The Essex Way signpost walking across the field with the trees on my left hand side as I climbed slightly uphill turning left at The Essex Way signpost and kissing gate to then walk across the farmland passing through four metal gates to a wooden gate where I then turned right to see some pleasant views of the Essex countryside.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route – Essex views

I then walked between the trees up the track crossing two footbridges with stiles to another footbridge where I then turned left at the buildings by The Essex Way signposts turning left up the road following it all the way passed the black and white signpost to Epping and the Green Man pub where I then turned right by the signpost and stile by the metal gate to the next still by the tree where the path then turned left and across more open fields and lovely Essex views. I continued straight ahead before going left across the field and through the gap turning left and then straight ahead.

It was here that I had to swap maps and put away my Ordnance Survey Chelmsford and The Rodings 183 and open up the Epping Forest and Lee Valley 174. From here it was effortless walking along The Essex Way in to Ongar Park Wood by the signpost for Gernon Bushes and through Birching Coppice, where I managed to see a couple of female Fallow Deers sheltering in the evergreen trees, before entering Posternland Spring and over the M25 to Gernon Bushes where I also spotted some of the original Essex Way markers nailed to the trees.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route – Fallow Deer

I then turned left by the signpost and walked over the duck board continuing along turning left at the fork and then left and right up the steps to the cricket pitch and school. I then kept left to a kissing gate and then straight ahead before turning sharp left before the kissing gate at the Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve notice board down the steps and across the duck board turning right across the footbridge and then through a gap in the trees to another gap and the road where I turned right up Coopersale Street.

I then turned left at the next The Essex Way signpost along the Green Lane turning right at the road and then right again by the signpost across the field where I then walked all the way up to an alley that came out by the road. I then turned right with Epping Station right in front of me signalling the end of my walk at just under 8 miles and a good 3 hours of walking.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Essex Way to Epping Walking Route – Original Way Markers