Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route

It has been months since I have been able to make the short trip up to Epping Forest because of all the rain, snow and family commitments but with the weather and my diary finally clear I jumped on the tube and made my way up to Theydon Bois.

Since I received the Epping Forest Focus Spring 2013 newsletter I have been itching to do their new Gifford Wood Appeal walking route. ‘A circular walk crossing both Forest and Buffer Land, including the latest addition to Epping Forest, Gifford Wood.’ As the starting point was in Lodge Road, and with no lift or use of the car, I decided to start the walk at Theydon Bois London Underground Station and turn their 5 mile walking route into a 10 mile one.

From Theydon Bois tube I walked out of the station and turned right all the way up the B172 road to the Sixteen String Jack pub keeping to the right hand side of the road just passed Birch Hall Road where I then cut through the forest on my right hand side to join a path. I then turned left up this main track until I reached a car park on my left hand side where I kept straight ahead to the next car park at Jack’s Hill.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route – Jacks Hill

Where the main track goes right I walked straight ahead following a narrower path that zig-zagged across the rough land until I reached Epping Road where I turned right and walked along for a short while before turning left into Lodge Road and the start of the Gifford Wood Appeal walking route.

Here are the instructions for the walk from the Epping Forest Spring 2013 newsletter, which you can find here.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route Map

Starting from Lodge Road car park, walk down the closed road towards the Lodge Road gates at Copped Hall.

1. At the end of the road, cross Crown Hill Road and enter Copped Hall Estate via the pedestrian gate to the left of the
main vehicular access gates. Continue along the track through Warren Plantation and cross the motorway bridge.

2. On the other side of the motorway there is a small conifer plantation. At the end of it turn left and follow it along to
where it meets a hedge.

3. Bear right from the hedge and follow the wheel marks which lead to the far corner of the hill, providing great views of
Copped Hall.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route – Copped Hall

4. In the corner of the field there is a narrow track, only about 50m (55 yds.) long, which leads onto a surfaced road. Turn left and pass through the gate, continue along the track to the left and head up to Long Street.

5. Here turn left and continue to the end of the road, bearing left once again into Fernhall Lane and up to the main road. Then turn right and follow the verge until it opens up – look for a small kissing gate on the right, go through it to enter Warlies Park.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route – Warlies House

6. Head downhill towards Warlies House and go through the gate past the front of the house. Exit the field through the kissing gate adjacent to the private access road. Turn left for approximately 150m to the Upshire Road, cross over onto Sergeants Green and head left along the unmade track.

7. To the left and right of the track are the three fields recently acquired by the City of London and now added to Epping Forest and where you can find Gifford Wood.

8. Follow the track past the cottages, after around 180m the track joins another bridleway. Turn right and follow the track uphill bearing left at the top, running parallel to the M25, turn right at the end and cross the motorway.9. Follow the track past two bungalows and then at the corner take the left branch. Follow the track past two bungalows and then at the corner take the left branch along the track to the bottom, dog legging left then right. The path then heads up towards the Forest. Where the path reaches the Forest there is a posted ride which continues uphill onto the surfaced ride, turn left and follow the ride back to the car park at Lodge Road.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Gifford Wood Walking Route – Fallow Deer

I then retraced my steps back to the Sixteen String Jack pub and crossed over the road to the track by Birch Hall Farm where I popped by the Epping Forest Deer Sanctuary and took some pictures. After a few great close up shots I walked back down to Theydon Bois tube station after a very enjoyable 10 miles, taking me just just over 3 and a half hours to complete.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route

The Oak Trail offers an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful area of Epping Forest and some of its surrounding Buffer Lands. The route passes some magnificent veteran beech pollards, areas of wood pasture, Ambresbury Banks and the Deer Sanctuary covering just under 7 miles taking me exactly 2 hours to complete.

When I left the house for the short drive up to Theydon Bois it was a chilly day with clear blue skies. I was hoping to see some deer and capture some really good Autumn photographs of Epping Forest but it soon turned grey and started to rain.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route – Autumn Path

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route – Autumn Trees

The walk starts at Theydon Bois tube station and quickly takes you onto Great Gregories, one of the City of London’s Buffer Land areas currently used for in-house grazing of our conservation cattle. A lot of the trail will follow defined paths, surfaced rides, fields and Forest with directional posts as guides. When I walked The Oak Trail today there were no sign of any of the green arrow signposts so I was glad I had my OS map with me.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks The Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route

AMBRESBURY BANKS

The remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort and, according to legend, it is the site of the last stand by Boudicca against the Romans in AD61. The fort covers an area of approximately 11 acres and was once surrounded by a 6ft single bank and a ditch.

DEER SANCTUARY

Founded in 1959, it is home to a herd of black fallow deer. The Sanctuary covers approximately 140 acres. Forest Keepers lead Guided Walks around the Sanctuary: please see the Epping Forest Events Diary. For further details telephone 020 7332 1911.

BUFFER LANDS

Some 1778 acres of Buffer Land has been acquired to protect the Forest from encroaching development and to maintain the links between the Forest and the wider countryside. Regular inhabitants include fallow and muntjac deer, hares and skylarks.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Oak Trail Epping Forest Walking Route Map

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route

This Essex walk in Epping Forest started in Jacks Hill car park near Theydon Bois walking down to Great Monk Wood before heading back up to Debden Green and the Deer Sanctuary finishing off at Ambresbury Banks Fort then back to Jacks Hill car park.

When I was planning this walking route I didn’t expect it to be quite so demanding but there was a lot of up and down climbs through Epping Forest and with Tedi in the child carrier it felt a lot tougher than it should have been. There was heavy rain the previous day and I should have worn my Scarpa walking boots but with the recent prolonged spell of dry weather I thought my Salomon walking boots would have been OK but there were a few slippery patches, especially off the main path tracks through the forest.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route Map

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route – Jacks Hill Car Park

From Jacks Hill car park I walked southwards in to Epping Forest on the wide gravel track turning right down to Furze Ground and Tippa Brook. I then walked down to the A121 at Goldings Hill and Broadstrood car park crossing over the road to walk along the wide grassy path down to Great Monk Wood walking right and left along the Green Ride to a junction of tracks where I turned left on to Clay Ride down to Blackweir Hill. I then continued my walk down to Baldwins Pond and Loughton Brook to then walk up to the track running along the outskirts of Loughton by house no. 2 turning left along Baldwins Hill road passed the houses back to the field with the Forester Arms ahead to the left hand side.

I then walked up a path to a seat and down to the edge of the forest keeping right along the track back to Baldwins Hill and house no. 47 opposite turning left along Baldwins Hill to the A121 road where I then walked left passed Goldings Hill Pond on my left hand side where I saw a turtle enjoying the sunshine.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route – Turtle At Goldings Hill Ponds

I then walked right at house no. 2 on to a Gregsons Ride along the edge of the forest turning left to the road at Debden Green turning right passed The Mount keeping left just after Debden Green Road turning left at the end to Debden Lane turning left at Red Acres on to the bridleway in to Birch Wood. I continued to follow this track through the right hand side of the woodland to the Deer Sanctuary fence where I saw some Bucks fairly close by with the Does further away.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route – Bucks At The Deer Sanctuary

I walked along this track to Birch Hall Farm following the track as it turns in to a drive to West Lodge and the B172 road turning right in to Theydon Bois passing Birch Hall on my right hand side and Sixteen String Jack Inn on my left hand side. I walked along this road passed the last house to an open space taking the middle path back in to the forest across the field to the edge of the forest walking right and then left to cross a footbridge over Genesis Slade keeping to the feint path to the right hand side of the forest with the boundaries of the house gardens on my right hand side climbing up to a fence on my right.

I then continued my walk straight ahead passed the edge of the golf course on my right hand side crossing a bridge and continuing along the wide path turning left at the next junction along the wide gravel track that undulated before passing Ambresbury Banks Fort on my right hand side keeping straight ahead back to the B172 and Jacks Hill opposite taking me 2.5 hours to cover 7 miles.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Jacks Hill Walking Route – Dad, You’re Going The Wrong Way Again!

 

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks

Essex walks is a selection of walking routes I have completed in the county of Essex.

Welcome To Essex - Perfect for walks and walking

The main areas covered include walks in Epping, Epping Forest, Theydon Bois, Chingford, Wanstead Park, Gilwell Park, Upshire, High Beach, Loughton and Ambresbury Banks as well as walking in Coggeshall, Kelvedon, Thorndon and other areas of the Essex countryside and coastline.

Essex walking routes cover farmland, small valleys, slight hill climbs, coastal walks, ancient forest and woodland walks. Walking in Essex is suitable for most walkers of any ability and does not require any professional walking accessories, like walking poles or a full rucksack of outdoor gear, specialist trekking clothes or camping equipment, as you are always close to public transport.

Essex walks require no real technical walking clothes but a sensible pair of walking boots or walking shoes are always recommended where the only threat to a thoroughly enjoyable walk would be stinging nettles, the occasional potholes in the ground or muddy pathways.

Please visit the rest of my Walks And Walking website for more detailed walks in Essex and even more UK walks which are all available completely free to read, print, walk and share. You can also post your own walking routes, hiking routes, trekking routes, mountain walks, hill walks, mountain climbs and all other types of outdoor activities on my Walks And Walking Facebook page and also on the Walks And Walking Twitter page.

Happy Walking!

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

On reflection I should have worn my gaiters today as it rained heavily all day yesterday and it was extremely muddy on this walking route around Theydon Bois farmland and the woodland of Epping Forest. The mud was sticking to the soles of my walking boots making it quite arduous at times and some of the walk was through over grown nettles and brambles so I got stung a few times even through my thick walking trousers. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be hot or cold today so just had a lightweight windproof jacket on with my waterproof jacket in my rucksack just in case.

The Essey Way path through Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve Theydon Bois Walking Route

At the Theydon Bois tube station I walked over the railway footbridge to take me to the opposite side of the main station entrance where there was a footpath sign post taking me immediately left to walk alongside the railway tracks to a kissing gate and signpost for the Epping Forest Countrycare Country Walk (EFCCW).

Turning left to walk along the field edge to another signpost to another field where I kept to the fields edge to find a small footbridge on the fields edge. I then maintained my direction to cross the field uphill to a signpost that seemed to be pointing the wrong way… into the ferns. Looking to my right hand side I saw the entrance to the tunnel underneath the M11 motorway and the view of the All Saints Church in Theydon Garnon in the back drop, which is where I was heading. Walking downhill to the underpass I found a signpost leaning against the inside of the tunnel marked the EFCCW and continued to the other side to a stile that entered Garnish Hall farm buildings with a well preserved pond and landscaped gardens where the concrete path then bent left and then right uphill where I continued straight on past the church to a T-junction with the All Saints Church Theydon Garnon sign on my right enclosed by the hedge.

I then turned left down Coppersale Lane crossing over the road at Hobbs Cross to a gravel track in front of me which then bent left on to The Roman Road which led me under the M25, passed Barbers Wood on my left and straight up to North House and taking in the ruins of Hill Hall on my right through the gaps in the hedgerow.It was here that I started to notice deer tracks in and out of the woodland to the farmland.

Upon reaching the road I turned left by the telephone and post box to walk uphill to a signpost on my left on the bend of the road which led down a concrete path around Beachet Wood through an open gate to cross a meadow keeping to the edge of the woods on my right.Here the deer tracks became more obvious to spot so I dipped in to the wood to have a quick look for some fallow deer. After less than two minutes I spotted two female deers but the wood was very dense and the photos I took were quite blurred. I was also a little stuck for time so couldn’t afford to track them further to hopefully find the heard.Maybe next time!

Rejoining the pathway by the side of the wood I then reached a stile, and another, before reaching a wooden footbridge continuing straight on to a wooden footbridge and signpost to the road and crossing straight over to follow the road sign for Toot Hill and Ongar on the right. I then passed Mount Farm on my right before turning left at Mountwood Lane following the blue signpost sign to North Weald passing a cottage on my left I then entered Mount Wood on  the EFCCW path to a signpost marked with various walking routes.I then turned left to cross a log blocking the path to now join The Essex Way (TEW) which is a track I will now be continuing to follow for a few miles.

TEW then took me through Birching Coppice to cross over the M25 and into the Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve where a small Muntjac Deer crossed my path. Walking straight ahead I reached a signpost taking me left on TEW across duck board to another TEW signpost before turning right up a few steps to a cricket pitch where I turned left to reach a kissing gate where I turned left to stay in Gernon Bushes and then down some wide steps where signs for TEW were pinned to duck board on the ground.

Turning right at the next TEW signpost to cross a small wooden bridge and then straight on by the fields edge and through another field and signpost to a signpost then cutting left across the field to a small gap in the hedge to a signpost across a field of freshly sheared sheep to another field that then emerged by the road where I turned right to walk passed the Thydon Oak pub on my right to a gravel driveway on my left. Following TEW signpost on to Steward’s Green Land I walked down to cross a road where I then left TEW to join the driveway up to the Epping Forest Golf Course turning right at the stile at the top of the road by the cottage. I then walked down through the course along a gravel path that then turned in to a grassy path down to a signpost where I turned right to follow the edge of the course running alongside the roar of the M25 passed an electricity pylon to a stile.

I then walked down the overgrown concrete path to turn left under the M25 emerging the other side to turn left and then right at the signpost to cross fields to a wooden footbridge where I turned left on to a wasteland under development to a signpost and metal bridge to rejoin the pathway from the beginning of the walk. I then crossed the railway footbridge to return to the car some 13 miles and just under 4 hours later…. muddy, tired but satisfied.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

On reflection I should have worn my gaiters today as it rained heavily all day yesterday and it was extremely muddy on this walking route around Theydon Bois farmland and the woodland of Epping Forest. The mud was sticking to the soles of my walking boots making it quite arduous at times and some of the walk was through over grown nettles and brambles so I got stung a few times even through my thick walking trousers. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be hot or cold today so just had a lightweight windproof jacket on with my waterproof jacket in my rucksack just in case.

The Essey Way path through Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve Theydon Bois Walking Route

At the Theydon Bois tube station I walked over the railway footbridge to take me to the opposite side of the main station entrance where there was a footpath sign post taking me immediately left to walk alongside the railway tracks to a kissing gate and signpost for the Epping Forest Countrycare Country Walk (EFCCW).

Turning left to walk along the field edge to another signpost to another field where I kept to the fields edge to find a small footbridge on the fields edge. I then maintained my direction to cross the field uphill to a signpost that seemed to be pointing the wrong way… into the ferns. Looking to my right hand side I saw the entrance to the tunnel underneath the M11 motorway and the view of the All Saints Church in Theydon Garnon in the back drop, which is where I was heading. Walking downhill to the underpass I found a signpost leaning against the inside of the tunnel marked the EFCCW and continued to the other side to a stile that entered Garnish Hall farm buildings with a well preserved pond and landscaped gardens where the concrete path then bent left and then right uphill where I continued straight on past the church to a T-junction with the All Saints Church Theydon Garnon sign on my right enclosed by the hedge.

I then turned left down Coppersale Lane crossing over the road at Hobbs Cross to a gravel track in front of me which then bent left on to The Roman Road which led me under the M25, passed Barbers Wood on my left and straight up to North House and taking in the ruins of Hill Hall on my right through the gaps in the hedgerow.It was here that I started to notice deer tracks in and out of the woodland to the farmland.

Upon reaching the road I turned left by the telephone and post box to walk uphill to a signpost on my left on the bend of the road which led down a concrete path around Beachet Wood through an open gate to cross a meadow keeping to the edge of the woods on my right.Here the deer tracks became more obvious to spot so I dipped in to the wood to have a quick look for some fallow deer. After less than two minutes I spotted two female deers but the wood was very dense and the photos I took were quite blurred. I was also a little stuck for time so couldn’t afford to track them further to hopefully find the heard.Maybe next time!

Rejoining the pathway by the side of the wood I then reached a stile, and another, before reaching a wooden footbridge continuing straight on to a wooden footbridge and signpost to the road and crossing straight over to follow the road sign for Toot Hill and Ongar on the right. I then passed Mount Farm on my right before turning left at Mountwood Lane following the blue signpost sign to North Weald passing a cottage on my left I then entered Mount Wood on  the EFCCW path to a signpost marked with various walking routes.I then turned left to cross a log blocking the path to now join The Essex Way (TEW) which is a track I will now be continuing to follow for a few miles.

TEW then took me through Birching Coppice to cross over the M25 and into the Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve where a small Muntjac Deer crossed my path. Walking straight ahead I reached a signpost taking me left on TEW across duck board to another TEW signpost before turning right up a few steps to a cricket pitch where I turned left to reach a kissing gate where I turned left to stay in Gernon Bushes and then down some wide steps where signs for TEW were pinned to duck board on the ground.

Turning right at the next TEW signpost to cross a small wooden bridge and then straight on by the fields edge and through another field and signpost to a signpost then cutting left across the field to a small gap in the hedge to a signpost across a field of freshly sheared sheep to another field that then emerged by the road where I turned right to walk passed the Thydon Oak pub on my right to a gravel driveway on my left. Following TEW signpost on to Steward’s Green Land I walked down to cross a road where I then left TEW to join the driveway up to the Epping Forest Golf Course turning right at the stile at the top of the road by the cottage. I then walked down through the course along a gravel path that then turned in to a grassy path down to a signpost where I turned right to follow the edge of the course running alongside the roar of the M25 passed an electricity pylon to a stile.

I then walked down the overgrown concrete path to turn left under the M25 emerging the other side to turn left and then right at the signpost to cross fields to a wooden footbridge where I turned left on to a wasteland under development to a signpost and metal bridge to rejoin the pathway from the beginning of the walk. I then crossed the railway footbridge to return to the car some 13 miles and just under 4 hours later…. muddy, tired but satisfied.