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 – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route

This Essex walk in Epping Forest starts in Chingford by the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge and heads straight over to the Obelisk at Pole Hill where it then climbs up steadily north to Lippitts Hill before meandering back down to Chingford via the Centenary Walk. There was still plenty of snow lining our walking route so Tedi and I set off making sure we were equally wrapped up as warm as possible for a chilly walk in Epping Forest  with a few extra layers of walking clothes, walking trousers, walking boots and a few essentials in the back of the child carrier.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route – Fountain

From the newly refurbished Warren Pond car park opposite the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge I crossed Rangers Road and walked right around the also newly refurbished Butlers Retreat turning immediately left on to the track passed the old water fountain descending downhill to a main track on the edge of the long horn cattle grazing area. I then turned left and walked along the pathway to the road junction and the edge of Chingford Green passing the Chingford Golf Club House on my right hand side crossing the road to a track as it climbed slightly uphill in to the woodlands. I then continued walking straight ahead and up to the top to discover the earthworks turning left to Pole Hill and the Obelisk where we quickly checked out the view and took a few photographs before turning back to the earthworks and keeping to the left hand side where I then reached a small path that kept to the higher ground following it as it meandered round through woodland to the wood’s edge and the golf course.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route

I then kept left to a white-topped signpost following the track to the right before turning left and walking downhill continuing to follow the white-topped signposts and down to the open space by the edge of Hawk Wood on my right hand side. I now joined a section of the London Loop turning right and then left to walk uphill following the London Loop signposts to the top where I then walked right following the track by the trees to a junction of pathways by the reservoir where I then turned left along the track which emerged by the Gilwell Park buildings on my left hand side.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route – The Hawk Wood

At the junction of the Gilwell Park drive and main entrance I turned right at the signpost for High Beach just before the end of the drive and Bury Road where I turned left on to the London Loop pathway walking all the way up to The Barn and pond to cross the road and turn right at the bridleway signpost where I then turned right at the next bridleway signpost to Lippitts Hill. I then climbed uphill again by the edge of the golf course walking straight ahead on the wide path between the fairways to the high point following the fenced and hedged path to the left where I then passed the Monument to the 18th AAA Battery on my right hand side where I then joined Lippitts Hill road.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Pole Hill Obelisk Walking Route – Snow!

After a short while I then turned right taking the second signpost on the left to Church Road just before The Elms Camp site with The Owl Inn just ahead turning right alongside the edge of the mobile homes to kissing gates where I then continued walking along the edge of the field to stiles and Church Road beside the Suntrap Field Centre on my right hand side. I then crossed over to my right and in to another section of Epping Forest following the track to a gravel track and the very familiar Centenary Walk and on to the Green Ride turning right on to the track with the open space of Whitehouse Plain on my right hand side. I then followed this wide track right and then left keeping straight ahead at the junction of paths and followed it left and right passed the ponds where it then went slightly downhill to the forest edge and cattle grazing area where I then walked slightly to the right and gently climbed up the grassy track to Butlers Retreat and the old fountain turning left on to the road and crossing to the right and back to the car park after completing a snowy 6 miles taking just under 2 hours.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest High Beach Church Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest High Beach Church Walking Route

It was absolutely freezing this morning but the clear blue skies were too much of a pull so I thought I would go for a quick 7 mile walking route in Epping Forest. I started off in Chingford and headed up to Sewardstonebury before heading up to High Beach Church and then back down the Centenary Walk to Chingford following the various tracks, lanes, roads and wide grassy paths of Epping Forest.

I packed up my usual walking gear for a brisk walk in the Epping Forest area and got dropped off at Chingford station. Standard walking clothes for today; walking trousers, walking boots, waterproof jacket in my rucksack with a few extra layers packed away just in case.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest – The Hawk Wood

From Chingford Railway Station I turned right across the road and then left down Bury Road following the signposts for the London Loop passed Chingford Golf Club towards Sewardstonebury. With the houses just ahead of me I turned left in to The Hawk Wood by the signpost still following the London Loop waymarkers turning right at the feint white arrow on the tree and the London Loop signpost just beyond. I then walked downhill to a clearing where I followed the London Loop signpost through the trees and up diagonally across the fields wide grassy path where I then followed the obvious path around the reservoir and through Gilwell Park to the driveway and exit.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Walking Route – The Barn

At the public bridleway signposted High Beech (misspelt for some reason) I turned left to rejoin Bury Road where I then walked passed The Barn, a rather delightful building on my right hand side, turning right at the bridleway signpost ahead and straight ahead by the metal gate and then straight ahead passed the signpost where I then reached Mott Street. I then turned right at Mott Street and walked down the road keeping left at the white signpost to High Beach where the road climbed steadily uphill before turning left at Elmwood to a metal gate where I walked straight ahead to a series of stiles clearly signposted across the fields to Avey Lane.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest – High Beach Church

I then turned right and walked along the lane to a signpost for High Beach Church. Stopping off for a quick look around I then continued down the lane until the road to the traffic system where the road narrows where I then turned right at the metal gate and the start of the Centenary Walk. This part of the walk is really simple to walk down so you can totally switch off, put your legs on autopilot and really enjoy the tranquility of the forest clearing your mind at the same time.

I then put my map away as Centenary Walk takes you all the way back to Chingford on its wide gravel well maintained track. At the junction of paths I kept right at the fork keeping my sourtherly direction turning left as the wide track went left at a newly installed waymarker with a black arrow pointing the way. Shortly afterwards I turned right at the signpost for The Holly Trail to Chingford Plain following the next signpost across the plain with the forest on my right hand side. At the car park I turned left down Bury Road and back to Chingford Station just over 2 hours later.

 

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.