Epping Forest Gateway - The View

The View, Chingford​

Contact us

The View, Rangers Road, Chingford E4 7QH

Tel. 020 7332 1911 or epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Getting here

The View, the building with the glass frontage, between the Royal Forest pub and the Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge is a five to ten minute uphill walk from the Chingford bus and train stations. There is a small car park opposite the Hunting Lodge at Barn Hoppitt and larger car parks at nearby Bury Road and Connaught Water. There are two disabled parking spaces in the area in front of the View and a small parking area which may be used by the public.

Download 2012 local transport links information for The View (600kb) and the site map (347kb).

For the most up to date information and help with planning your journey, you may find the Transport for London journey planner useful.

Access for everyone

The View is fully accessible for wheelchair users. The front glass doors are sensor operated. Please ask a member of staff at the front desk to assist you with holding open other doors in the building. A lift gives access to the first floor which includes an external balcony to view Chingford Plain. There is a unisex accessible toilet in the public toilet area accessed from The View courtyard. We are developing large print versions of the displays. Meanwhile please talk to our front of house staff who will be very willing to give you assistance.

Please download our Access Statement for the Epping Forest Gateway incorporating The View, Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge and Butler's Retreat (112kb)

Opening times

The View is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm all year round including Bank Holidays; it is closed on Christmas Day. 

The View is closed until 11.45am on the following dates for staff training:

• Wednesday 24 April 2013
• Thursday 9 May 2013
• Tuesday 4 June 2013
• Tuesday 2 July 2013
• Wednesday 17 July 2013
• Tuesday 6 August 2013
• Tuesday 3 September 2013
• Tuesday 1 October 2013 
• Wednesday 23 October 2013
• Thursday 7 November 2013
• Tuesday 3 December 2013

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Facilities

• There are plenty of refreshment facilities including Butler's Retreat which is managed by The Larder
• Public toilets are available during opening hours
• Baby changing is available
• Fully accessible ground and first floors
• Hearing loop available
• Community Room available for venue hire. You can find out more information about booking the community room for adult groups or children's parties here (140kb) or please contact us on 020 7332 1911 or epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk
• Shop 

​The shop at The View

What to see

The View tells the story of Epping Forest including:

• History of Epping Forest
• How it came to be a public open space
• What you can see in the Forest
• What you can do to help us protect it.

 As you come through the glass doors, to the left you will find a shop with maps and guide books to the Forest, wildlife guides, attractive gifts and children’s pocket money toys. We also sell a changing selection of craft and artists’ works created by local artists, including bowls turned from wood from the Forest. On the right is a room called ‘Season’s Theatre’ with display cases showing you the wildlife to watch for in each season of the year.

Beyond the welcoming staff desk, a door leads to a spiral stair or lift to give you access to the first floor. On the first floor, enjoy three rooms of displays. They explain the history of the Forest from the Iron Age camps to the modern threats of pollution and litter, including sections on pollarding and Wanstead Park. The room to your right concentrates on the Victorian saving of the Forest. 

Why not try your hand at this activity sheet when you're visiting The View? (75kb)

​Interesting displays at The View

​On the first floor, look out for our temporary exhibition room which showcases a changing selection of exhibitions of:

• Art
• Photographic art
• Heritage
• History 

We are interested in working with local people on exhibitions which take the Forest as their main theme, so please contact us on epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk  if you have something we might like to exhibit.

Awarded to The View in 2013

​Don’t miss the balcony! It is crafted from solid oak and gives views over Chingford Plain which are enjoyed by all our visitors. The design brings to mind the Hunting Lodge and its original purpose in giving a view of the royal Tudor hunt. The view to the front of the building is towards Barn Hoppitt, one of the most impressive areas of woodland pasture with pollarded trees set within grassland in the Forest.

The View has been graded as a top quality visitor attraction by VisitEngland, so please come along and experience The View, you won't be disappointed.