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Things to do
Green spaces
Epping Forest
Epping Forest visitor information
Where to go in Epping Forest
In this section
Ambresbury Bank and Long Running
Barn Hoppitt
Bell Common and Epping Thicks
Birch Wood
Blackweir Hill
Bury Wood
Bush Wood
Chingford Plain
Connaught Water
Epping Long Green
Fairmead
Fernhills
Furze Ground and Tippa Burn
Genesis Slade
Gilbert's Slade
Great Monk Wood and Deershelter Plain
Hatch Forest and Whitehall Plain
Highams Park
High Beach and Paul's Nursery
Hollow Pond and Leyton Flats
Honey Lane Quarters
Knighton Wood and Lords Bushes
Loughton Camp
Lower Forest
Pillow Mounds
Pole Hill and Yardley Hill
Staples Hill and Loughton Brook
St Thomas Quarter
Upshire
Wake Valley and Sunshine Plain
Walthamstow Forest
Wanstead Flats
Wanstead Park
Warren Plantation
Strawberry Hill
Warren Hill and Powell's Forest
 

Where to go in Epping Forest

Epping Forest is made up of many distinct areas of woodland, grassland and other habitats. Together these areas make up something greater than the sum of their parts and which spans 2,400 hectares from Manor Park all the way out to beyond Epping.

Put another way, the Forest is very big and has lots to see and do - so to help you plan your day out with us, we've broken the Forest up into smaller areas along with maps, travel information, nearby car parks, walking routes and ideas for things to do while you're here.

Using this guide

Check out our Epping Forest Map (300KB), see where you'd like to go, then find the area in the list below and get everything you need for your day out.

Showing 1-40 of 40 results
  1. Slender birches cover leaf-strewn slopes around Ambresbury Banks. Ambresbury Bank
    Ambresbury Banks is one of two Iron Age earthworks in Epping Forest and is a Scheduled Monument. It is thought to have been built around 500 BC and, occupying one of the highest points in the Forest, is thought to have been a hill fort.
  2. A snow-speckled Barn Hoppitt viewed through ancient oaks. Barn Hoppitt
    Barn Hoppitt is an ancient pollard wood and many of its veteran trees even outdate nearby Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge which is over 470 years old.
  3. A view over verdant grass and thick hedges to the treeline at Bell Common, with a soft blue sky above. Bell Common and Epping Thicks
    Bell Common and Epping Thicks form a stretch of mixed woodland and grassland that sprouts from Ambresbury Bank and Genesis Slade to meander up through the south of Epping.
  4. A view between slender birches of a leaf-covered stream leading through the Forest. Birch Wood
    Birch Wood and surrounding Oak Hill make up a hilly swath of old coppice woodland that was once part of Theydon Estate - crossed here and there with streams, dotted with bogs and broken up with occasional meadow plains, it often makes for picturesque scenes.
  5. The Lost Pond at Blackweir Hill in the depths of winter, reflecting a cadmium blue with bare trees all around. Blackweir Hill
    Blackweir Hill is a span of woodland near Loughton and is home to a number of scenic ponds including Blackweir Pond, perhaps better known as the 'Lost Pond' - a moniker given by James Brimble. It's often considered as Epping Forest's most picturesque and tranquil pond, a perfect spot for fishing or quiet contemplation.
  6. A muddy path leads uphill toward the setting sun seen between bare winter trees in Bury Wood. Bury Wood
    Bury Wood is a quiet, wooded area full of fascinating veteran trees including Grimston's Oak, an oak pollard reckoned to be about 350 years old.
  7. A grassy trail between bright-coloured trees in springtime at Bush Wood. Bush Wood
    Bush Wood is a quiet area of mixed woodland and grassland that joins Wanstead Flats and Leyton Flats. Once part of Wanstead Park, some of the formal trees planted here are still standing, including plenty of lime and sweet chestnut trees.
  8. Two horse-riders canter across Chingford Plain at the foot of Dannett's Hill. Chingford Plain
    Chingford Plain is a beautiful combination of lush grasslands and shaded woodlands, and is located just below our visitor centres at The View and Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge.
  9. A view of Connaught Water in autumn, surrounded by russett trees and glinting in the sun. Connaught Water
    Connaught Water is one of the most popular lakes to walk around in Epping Forest, largely because of the range of wildlife that lives here and its close proximity to Chingford.
  10. Epping Forest Visitor Centre at High Beach
    Epping Forest Visitor Centre, situated at High Beach, is a great place to picnic and an ideal stop on your way through the heart of the Forest in Essex. Volunteers are on hand to help you, with maps, leaflets, souvenirs, events and lots of information on the Forest's wildlife.
  11. Verdant trees and blades of grass bow in the wind on a bright, gusty day at Epping Long Green. Epping Long Green
    Epping Long Green is a verdant lane of tree-lined meadow bordering the village of Epping Green. Its emerald spans of grass pair with diverse wildflowers - including natural white roses - to make it a stunning spring and summer destination.
  12. A view along a shady, tree-lined path in Fairmead - a sunny clearing beckons beyond. Fairmead
    Fairmead is a sprawling grassland between Chingford and High Beach, perfect for family outings and fun activities, and with an interesting variety of plants and butterflies for nature enthusiasts.
  13. Bare trees adorn rolling hills covered in fallen leaves at Fernhills Fernhills
    Fernhills is a stretch of rustic grassland offset from the Forest and broken up here and there by vegetation and small woods. Situated high up with pretty wildflowers and a great view over King George's Reservoir, it can make for scenic walks.
  14. A bed of leaf letter paves the way between smooth beeches at Tippa Burn. Furze Ground and Tippa Burn
    Furze Ground and the surrounding Tippa Burn are stretches of woodland broken up by spans of grassland, bog and former heathland. Collectively, the area is characterised by striking stands of oaks, hornbeams and beeches with stunning breaks of open ground carpeted in heather, bracken and purple moorgrass with occasional bogs of rush and fern.
  15. A clearing of verdant ferns and grass flanked by young trees. Genesis Slade
    Genesis Slade is a broad area of unpollarded beech, oak and hornbeam crossed with streams and spotted with marshy spans which are home to fauna not found anywhere else in the Forest. Toward Theydon Plain at its south-east tip, the woods give way to open areas with stunning wildflowers.
  16. A mother and child sit at the edge of a pond in Gilbert's Slade. Gilbert's Slade
    Gilbert's Slade is a wooded area with a clearing to the north of Snaresbrook Road. 'Slade' is an old Forest name for an open glade, which is often along the valley of a stream. There are many hornbeam pollards to see in this area which date back hundreds of years.
  17. Slender birches with summer foliage dot the green grass at Deershelter Plain. Great Monk Wood and Deershelter Plain
    Great Monk Wood owes its name to Waltham Abbey and Stratford Langthorne Abbey both of which once felled trees here from as far back as the 13th Century. Across this vast period of time, the lay of the land has remained largely unchanged. Prominent beech pollards dominate the wood alongside oaks, hornbeams and birch. Toward its north edge, woodland gives way to former heathland in the form of Deershelter Plain, so named for the deer shelter where deer were once fed here through the winter. Deer still roam here today.
  18. A leafy path weaves through tall oaks with little splashes of sunshine hitting the ground here and there. Hatch Forest and Whitehall Plain
    Hatch Forest is a broad, winding woodland with occasional, secluded clearings. Tucked away in Woodford, it connects Highams Park with Barn Hoppitt and the forest around Chingford.
  19. People picnic on the grass around High Beach. High Beach and Paul's Nursery
    High Beach is one of the higher spots in the Forest and is renowned for its magnificent views over Lea Valley, stories of which span back through time to Henry VIII. Nearby Paul's Nursery, once a famous plant nursery, is now a span of mixed woodland and grassland; but the exotic plants once grown here can still be found. Rhododendrons, azaleas and numerous other flowers offer bright colours in the summer.
  20. A view of Higham's Park Lake through the reeds on its banks. Highams Park
    Highams Park is a long narrow stretch of open space linking Walthamstow Forest with Hatch Forest near Chingford. Created by Humphrey Repton in 1794, the Park is home to lots of plants and tree species, including ancient hornbeam pollards and a grove of young oaks upstream of the lake.
  21. A family row a boat together across Hollow Pond. Hollow Pond and Leyton Flats
    Leyton Flats is a popular area located between the Green Man roundabout and Whipps Cross Hospital, great for picnicking and exploring the Forest. Hollow Pond is a short walk north-west and is a wonderful location for angling, walking or simply enjoying the scenery. You can also try your hand at boating here.
  22. A line of trees full of soft green foliage of Spring adorn Honey Lane Quarter, seen from the shade of one of another of its tree Honey Lane Quarters
    Honey Lane Quarters is a charming stretch of woodland and grassland in the northwest of the Forest. As the first part of Epping Forest visible from the M25, it's a popular draw for those leaving the motorway in search of fresh air and respite on their journey around London.
  23. A view of Knighton Lake in winter, with bare trees flanking the water. Knighton Wood and Lords Bushes
    Situated between Woodford Green and Buckhurst Hill, Knighton Wood and Lords Bushes is an area of Forest land very popular with local visitors. Much of this area is a relic from the formal gardens of the Buxton Estate, so there are still lots of recognisable landscaped features to see, including the many rhododendrons.
  24. A broad dirt path leads down through slender trees in Loughton Camp approaching winter. Loughton Camp
    Loughton Camp is one of two Iron Age earthworks - both Scheduled Monuments - thought to have been built around 500 BC. Take a walk through the ancient mounds, admire the majestic beech trees and see if you can imagine yourself back in time.
  25. A view of Lower Forest Pond, sun reflecting off its water, with a line of trees beyond. Lower Forest
    Lower Forest is a broad expanse of oak and hornbeam wood just north of Epping, and boasts a beautifully diverse array of wildflowers and numerous small ponds.
  26. A skyline of winter trees and blue sky beyond the odd bumps in the landscape at Pillow Mounds. Pillow Mounds
    The Pillow Mounds are a set of twenty long, curious mounds that can be seen on the top of the slope in front of Epping Forest Visitor Centre.
  27. A child looks out over Yardley Hill on a stormy day Pole Hill and Yardley Hill
    Pole Hill, Yate's Meadow and Yardley Hill are three of the highest points around the Chingford area and provide stunning views of the city. Pole Hill was also once home to T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
  28. Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge
    Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, right next to The View, is a unique example of a 500-year-old timber-framed Tudor hunt standing. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions on Tudor food and fashion, and soak up the atmosphere of an incredible building nearly 500 years after it was first built.
  29. A leaf-strewn and sun-struck path between birches in St Thomas Quarter. St Thomas Quarter
    St Thomas Quarter is a span of mixed woodland and former heathland on the west edge of the Forest, characterised by large oaks and beech pollards pleasantly woven with streams and dotted with occasional bogs.
  30. A view down over Staples Hill Pond, its water reflecting the bright green of summer reeds and foliage at the water's edge. Staples Hill and Loughton Brook
    Staples Hill is an area of pollarded oaks and hornbeams and is deeply-rooted in the Forest's history as a site of one of the earliest protests against enclosure of the Forest in the 1800s. Its valley is home to Loughton Brook, a scenic natural watercourse that feeds into nearby Baldwin's Pond in Blackweir Hill.
  31. Ducks swim across Strawberry Hill Pond. The pond is bordered by lines of light saplings and sunshine strikes its banks. Strawberry Hill
    Strawberry Hill was almost entirely cleared during its enclosure in the 1800s. In the time since, it has slowly been replanted and is now largely woodland again - with trees including conifers and sweet chestnuts planted by the Forest's first Superintendent.
  32. The Temple in Wanstead Park
    The Temple is situated in the middle of Wanstead Park. It was designed in the 18th century as a feature for the formal gardens of historic Wanstead Park, complete with a classic portico. These days, The Temple serves as a visitor centre where you can discover the story of Wanstead House and the manor park that surrounded it through the ages.
  33. The View
    The View is our main visitor centre. Based in Chingford and with great public transport links, it's a gateway to great days out in nearby Chingford Plain, Bury Wood, Barn Hoppitt and Connaught Water.
  34. Autumn grass mixes with purple moorgrass against a line of tree and bush just beyond with fluffy clouds above. Upshire
    Nestled in the parish of the same name, Upshire is a pleasant area of ash, oak, maple and hornbeam woodland broken up by stretches of open grassland. Its hedges are strung with honeysuckle and hops, and buttercups and a number of herbs among its grass.
  35. Wake Valley Pond in winter, iced over and with bare trees and russett reeds around its banks. Wake Valley and Sunshine Plain
    Wake Valley and Sunshine Plain make up a vibrant area of ponds and former heathland astride the Epping New Road, full of life and with many splashes and flashes of bright colour thanks to its heather and rare dragonflies.
  36. A muddy path between verdant summer oak trees in Walthamstow Forest. Walthamstow Forest
    Walthamstow Forest is one of the larger wooded areas in the south of the Forest and, with its majestic hornbeams, gives visitors a real feel for the ancient woodlands of Epping Forest. Nearby Mill Plain offers a fantastic view over the London skyline above the treetops too!
  37. A view over the acid grassland at Wanstead Flats. Wanstead Flats
    Wanstead Flats is a large area of open grassland in the south of the forest, perfect for sports, picnics and enjoying nature.
  38. A view of the Ornamental Waters at Wanstead Park, glinting in the sunlight and with a line of trees beyond the far bank. Wanstead Park
    Wanstead Park was once a sculpted landscape surrounding the great Wanstead House, often compared to Blenheim Palace. Though the house is gone, the park remains and provides a perfect venue for relaxing and escaping the urban sprawl.
  39. A wood pigeon forages in Warren Hill on a gravel path threaded between old oak trees. Warren Hill and Powell's Forest
    Warren Hill is effectively the 'summit' of Buckhurst Hill and the forest here once formed the centre of a deer park belonging to Henry VIII. The area is home to a number of impressive veteran trees and sports some spectacular grasslands ideal for picnics in the warmer months.
  40. A shady path mottled with specks of sunshine as light breaks through the canopy. Warren Plantation
    Warren Plantation part of Copped Hall Estate until 1992, when it was added to the Forest. A fairly dense span of woodland, it boasts an astonishing 50+ varieties of tree and is uniquely scenic in that regard.
Showing 1-40 of 40 results
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