Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Waltham Abbey to Epping Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Waltham Abbey to Epping Walking Route

This is a great 9 mile walking route from Waltham Cross to Waltham Abbey Church, skirting round Lee Valley Park, along the green lanes of Essex, through Epping Forest and down to Epping town centre.

I recently posted an Essex walk in Waltham Abbey and then posted it on the Walks And Walking twitter (all new followers kindly accepted!).@NickPLittlewood retweeted the post and sent me a Waltham Abbey walking route to Epping from a recently released 1930’s Essex Rambling Guide. I retraced the walk on my Ordnance Survey map and here is my 2012 version of this meandering and historic Essex walking route.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Waltham Abbey to Epping along the Essex Ramblers 1930s Walking Route

As it was quite drizzly today I wrapped up warm in my usual walking clothes and walking boots but left my gaiters at home as I didn’t think that the ground was going to be too muddy. I got dropped off at the car park at Waltham Abbey Church where I then walked down to wards the church on my left and the church centre on my right. I turned right just after the centre and crossed over the footbridge and underneath the B194 into the Cornmill Meadows Dragonfly Sanctury. At the kissing gate I headed diagonally along the track to Cornmill Stream where I then turned left and walked alongside the stream on my right hand side. At the footbridge I turned right and then forked to the left by the conifer trees and walked straight ahead with the trees on my right hand side following them all the way round turning left at the big yellow signpost up to a kissing gate and into Lee Valley Park and open fields.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Waltham Abbey to Epping Walking Route – Cornmill Meadows

At the next signpost I turned left and then right diagonally across the open fields along the clear track to a signpost for Hooks Marsh where I then turned right at the big yellow signpost at the River Lee Country Park and continued my walk until I reached a metal gate. At the lane I turned right and walked up to the B194 road where I then turned left and followed the road all the way round until I reached a bridleway signpost on my right and then I kept right to join the Puck Lane Track which I then walked around to the left where I continued walking until I could see Lake John on my right hand side and into some open space at Aimes Green.

I then walked along this pathway until I reached the signpost and notice board signalling that I was about to enter Epping Forest. I then turned left up this track to then join a wide track that steadily climbed uphill. I continued walking along this wide path until it forked so I kept to the left keeping a steady path through the middle of this small woodland area that was fenced off either side to now start to follow the Epping Forest Countrycare signposts continuing a steady climb uphill. I then continued walking along this wide path until I reached the bridleway signpost where I turned left and walked downhill to then reach a small road by beautiful houses which led me out to the main road and roundabout where I turned right into Bumbles Green.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Waltham Abbey to Epping Walking Route – Muddy Tracks

Continuing my walk along the road I then reached the King Harolds head pub and a signpost taking me to the right and into farmland where I then started to follow the Stort Valley Way all the way along the field edge, ignoring the first footbridge on my right to then turn right after the next two footbridges. I continued to follow the Stort Valley Way signposts where I then turned right into a very small woodland and then left down a path and into open space with a signpost for the Forest Way and Stort Valley Way. I then walked along Epping Long Green until I reached a gate by the pub where I then crossed the road and turned left around the duck pond and then right at the signpost keeping right and along the track to the right. I then kept right at the big yellow signpost and through a gate and over a footbridge keeping to the right of the hedgerow to another footbridge where I turned right now walking straight across the field to the road.

 

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks – Waltham Abbey to Epping Walking Route – Epping Long Green

I crossed over the road by the signpost and through the gate to Bishops Walk and the grounds of the church. Walking round to the right hand side of the church to an ornamental gate I then walked through and down a track following it all the way down to a stile by the road where I then crossed over and turned left by the signpost to the walk diagonally across the field that didn’t seem to have an obvious path to the corner of the B181 road. I then walked all the way down this road and passed the sign for Epping to turn right at the old fashioned black and white signpost for Epping Town and London.I then turned right and then left to join the slip road at Hemnall Street walking all the way along until it reached Station Road where I turned left and walked down to Epping Station.