Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route

Forty Hall Enfield was built in 1632 and has undergone extensive refurbishment with the aim of being Enfield’s star attraction offering an excellent Hertfordshire walks. The weather was a constant drizzle so I had my waterproof walking jacket on which normally lives in my rucksack. I also decided on gaiters anticipating the mud after all this rain we have been having. However, the walking routes were mainly on very well maintained pathways, solid tracks and lanes so I hardly got muddy at all.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route – Forty Hall

This walking route starts at Forty Hall Enfield where I parked up in their car park and then walked up to take a quick photo of Forty Hall before walking back down to the road and walking left up Forty Hill road to join the London Loop at the signpost and stile on my left hand side opposite Forty Hill Primary School.

I then walked to the next London Loop signpost with Turkey Brook now on my right hand side entering a truly delightful woodland area with large ponds on my left hand side where I spotted a Heron. I continued on the London Loop following the main footpath sign posts to a metal stile and then on to the Local Heritage Trail signpost at New River to the next London Loop waymarker where I then crossed straight over the road by the Rose And Crown Pub car park.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route – Heron at Turkey Brook Ponds

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route – Local Heritage Trail New River

I then entered Hilly Fields Park walking passed the London Loop Enfield section information board keeping right as the tarmac path forks at the next london Loop waymarker downhill to the meandering stream turning right at the end and on up to the lane and church. I then walked left down the lane crossing over the railway tracks now joining the Chain Walk all the way up through the golf course to the road at Crews Hill where I turned right and walked down through the garden centre capital of the world! As the road then bends sharp right I turned left up the private road passed the converted Glasgow Stud buildings on my right hand side walking straight up underneath the M25 along Burntfarm Ride passed the delightful Burnt Farm Cottage.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route – Burnt Farm Cottage

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route – Chain Walk

At the junction of paths by the signposts I then walked right still keeping to the Chain Walk keeping right at the next signpost for Silver Street to then join Oldpark Ride all the way along to Temple Bar crossing over Broom Hills with the roundabout to the left hand side to the newly built school where I then walked right along the pathway following the signposts to the large metal green footbridge over the canal. I then walked right underneath the road to then cross over the next road following the signposts for the New River Path.

The New River is neither New or a River as it was originally built in 1609 as an aqueduct to bring fresh spring water from Ware all the way down to Islington in London. I then walked along the New River Path turning right at the next signpost along a track and then up some steps where I then walked left over the M25 bridge. I then walked left at the junction and then followed the road right at Capel House back down to Forty Hall car park taking me just over 3 hours and covering a very easy 10 miles.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Forty Hall Enfield Walking Route Map

 

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 in Essex – Epping Forest

Walks And Walking in Essex – Epping Forest

Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland that stretches from Wanstead in East London to just below Harlow in Essex. Epping Forest is a former royal forest originally reserved as a royal hunting ground. Epping Forest offers the perfect landscape for walks with walking routes for all ages and abilities with plenty of wide grassy paths and well maintained gravel pathways. For the more adventurous there are a myriad of cut throughs into the denser woodland and if you like long distance paths then there is The Forest Way, Three Forests Way and sections of the London Loop.

Walks And Walking in Essex - Epping Forest - Connaught Water - The Centenary Walk

Epping Forest sits on top of a ridge between two valleys; Lea Valley and Roding Valley and mainly contains grassland, woodland, forestry, heath lands, rivers, ponds and bogs. A result of glaciations its elevation and thin gravely soil made it unsuitable for agriculture although there is plenty of farmland in use today. There are also small pockets of long horn grazing cattle, fallow deer and the smaller muntjac deer still evident.

Epping Forest walks can be accessed from the main Centenary Walk from Wanstead to Epping as well as from Chingford, Gilwell Park, High Beach, Upshire, Theydon Bois, Loughton and various other towns and villages with good parking, rail and bus routes.

Most Epping Forest walks are fairly short, taking only an hour or so to complete and more suitable for the family rather than the purposeful and experienced trekker. A good pair of walking boots is always recommended but trainers, sandals or shoes are fine if you stick to the main pathways. As with all ancient woodlands you will encounter some mud along the way and sometimes the grass and brambles can be overgrown so a walking stick or walking poles are always handy to move the stinging nettles out of harm’s way.

Although the visual historical references for Epping Forest are Queen Elizabeth I’s hunting lodge and Queen Victoria’s Centenary Walk its history dates back much further than that with the remains of the Roman settlement at Loughton Camp and the Iron Age Hill Fort at Ambresbury Banks. Queen Victoria made a visit to Epping Forest when re-opening it to the general public riding in an open carriage from Connaught Water along Fairmead Bottom to High Beach.

For many of the towns and villages situated near to Epping Forest it gave them the opportunity to graze their animals and a good source of fuel to generate important revenues for the local inhabitants. Whilst Epping Forest has never been cultivated or restricted it has always been managed by man throughout its one thousand year history. Over the last one hundred years or so Epping Forest’s open grassy areas have declined due to the lack of grazing and, as such, has become more dense, cutting off the natural sun light below the trees that facilitated the growth of many plant and floral species that have now become extremely rare or even extinct.

For more information about Epping Forest there is the Epping Forest Conservation Centre, a central location for most walks and walking routes with trails leading you through ancient landscapes of coppiced and pollarded trees all in close proximity to cafes, pubs and transport networks.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Hainault Forest Country Park Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Hainault Forest Country Park Walking Route

This walking route started at the entrance to Foxburrows Farm in Hainault Forest Country Park in Essex. I plotted this walking route from Hainault Forest where I joined the Three Forest Way following the London Loop to Chingford which was a mixture of ancient woodlands, forests, farmland, nature reserve and some village roads.

Standard walking clothes for today; walking trousers, walking boots, t-shirt and a waterproof jacket in my rucksack.

Three Forests Way in Hainault Forest – WalksAndWalking Essex Walks

From the bottom right hand corner of the second car park, opposite the entrance to Foxburrows Farm, I walked up the wide grassy path towards the beacon at the edge of Hainault Forest Country Park. Just behind the beacon was an entrance to the ancient woodland where I turned sharp left to join the Three Forests Way. I followed this pathway all the way down to the road passing straight ahead at the signpost towards the childrens play area and a second signpost towards Hainault.

When the path bent round to the left by the footbridge I continued to walk straight ahead where the path narrowed and was a little overgrown to then turn left at the road edge and then right through the gap, crossing the road and then turning right to walk uphill towards Chigwell Row. At the kissing gate entrance to the Chigwell Row Wood local nature reserve I followed the main pathway into the wood to join the London Loop signposts.

After turning right in the wood by the London Loop signpost I exited Chigwell ROw Wood to turn right and walk straight up by the tennis courts to reach a kissing gate by the roadside. I then turned left to walk down the road to reach the next set of London Loop signposts where I turned right into Chapel Lane crossing 4 stiles to then reach the Water Works where I turned right to follow the metal green fencing around the perimeter of the water works to a gap in the hedge on my left hand side signposted the London Loop.

I then walked diagonally across the farmland following the very clear London Loop signposts on this section of the Three Forests Way to eventually reach the roadside where I turned right to walk up a short distance to the turn left into some wasteland to then reach the A113 where I crossed over the road turning left and then right into Roding Lane. Walking carefully I admired the large and extremely expensive homes to then turn right at the t-junction to cross over the M25 turning right into the entrance of the David Lloyd centre.

At the London Loop signpost I turned right into the Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve following the clear pathways around to a gate signposted the London Loop which then led me close to the shallow river. I couldn’t resist the urge to take a short cut and cross the river at the first opportunity to then walk around the left hand side of the lake and around the pathway to then turn left at the next London Loop signpost to then enter residential housing.

Continuing straight ahead I followed the London Loop signposts to turn left at the small childrens play area which sits just under the London Underground tube train lines. I continued along the road until its end where I turned right to cross over the train tracks to then continuing to follow the London Loop signposts across the fields and 3 kissing gates. Leaving the fields of Hill Farm through a narrow pathway by housing I turned right to walk up North End where I then turned left to walk up to the Buckhurst Hill village sign to cross straight over the road to enter the cricket pitch where I walked around the left hand side to then turn left into the Powells Forest to reach the road where I crossed over to the right hand side of the Warren Wood pub to then walk downhill to the road.

At the roadside edge I turned left to walk along the wide grassy path to then join the road by the Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge which is currently being renovated to walk downhill and into Chingford where I only had to wait a few minutes for a bus home! This walking route took me just under 3 hours and covered about 9 miles.

Click here for all of the photographs of this Hainault Forest Walking Route