Wikivoyage

Epping Forest is a large, ancient woodland in southern England, straddling London and Essex. It is home to 85% of the UK's veteran beech pollards and a variety of reptile, bat and fungi species.

A network of cycle and footpaths criss-cross the forest between Epping in the north and Wanstead at its southern end, with views across London and the Lee Valley near Chingford and High Beach. The forest is open to the public and free to access.

Epping Forest also lends its name to a local government district in Essex.

Principal towns and neighbourhoods

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Map of Epping Forest
  • 1 Epping is the market town after which the forest takes its name
  • 2 Waltham Abbey  , the final resting place of King Harold II
  • 3 Loughton   has a selection of supermarkets, pubs and restaurants on the forest's edge
  • 4 Chingford   on the hill with small shopping parades, a gateway to the forest
  • 5 Woodford   and Woodford Green where urban Greater London meets the Essex countryside
  • 6 Walthamstow   is predominantly residential but has thriving pubs, arts and theatre, and public spaces, including parks
  • 7 Leytonstone   features a convenient high street
  • 8 Wanstead   is home to Wanstead Flats, a large public grassland which is part of Epping Forest

Understand

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Epping Forest is an ancient woodland. According to the Epping Forest Heritage Trust, the woodland became a royal forest in the early 12th century under Henry I. A hunting lodge was built in 1543 for Henry VIII at Chingford, in the forest, before it was renovated by order of Queen Elizabeth I.

Today, the woodland is protected under the Epping Forest Act 1878.

An Act for the Disafforestation of Epping Forest and the preservation and management of the uninclosed parts thereof as an Open Space for recreation and enjoyment of the public; and for other purposes.

It is managed by the City of London Corporation and has enhanced protection as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), with internationally important habitats.

The overall forest comprises several woods and grasslands throughout Essex and London. These include The Lower Forest north of Epping, Epping Thicks south of the town, High Beach, Chingford Plain, Walthamstow Forest, Leyton Flats and Wanstead Flats, among others. They are set on a hill between the rivers Lee (to the west) and Roding (to the east).

Epping Forest lends its name to a local government district in Essex, which comprises Epping, Loughton and Waltham Abbey, as well as Chipping Ongar and Sheering beyond the woodland's edge.

Get in

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By plane

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'London Stansted Airport ('STN IATA) is around 15 mi (24 km) north of Epping, with flights from domestic and international destinations, particularly destinations throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The   links Stansted Airport with destinations in Epping Forest. Stansted Express trains link the terminal with Tottenham Hale and London Liverpool Street in London, where you can pick up London Underground   services to destinations near Epping Forest.

London City Airport (LCY IATA) is a small international airport around 7 mi (11 km) south of Wanstead, with flights from European cities. The   links City Airport with destinations throughout Epping Forest. The  DLR  connects the terminal with Stratford, for onward London Underground   services to destinations near Epping Forest.

By train

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Oyster and Contactless cards are valid for travel at all stations in the area.

Several London Underground   lines serve Epping Forest:

 CEN  from destinations in west and central London, including Oxford Circus, Bank, Liverpool Street and Stratford to:

  • 1 Epping   for Epping town, the Lower Forest and Amesbury Banks
  • 2 Theydon Bois   for Amesbury Banks, Jack's Hill and the deer sanctuary
  • 3 Debden   which is a short walk from Epping Forest Shopping Park, a large retail park on the edge of Loughton
  • 4 Loughton   for Loughton town, Staple's Hill and High Beach (a 2 mi (3.2 km) uphill walk)
  • 5 Buckhurst Hill   for Lord's Bushes and Knighton Wood
  • 6 Roding Valley   (Hainault - Woodford shuttle) for Lord's Bushes and Knighton Wood
  • 7 Woodford   for Woodford Green
  • 8 Snaresbrook   for Leyton Flats
  • 9 Leytonstone   for Bush Wood
  • 10 Wanstead   (for Wanstead, use trains for Hainault) for Wanstead Park

 VIC  from destinations in south, central and north London, including Victoria, Oxford Circus, King's Cross St Pancras and Tottenham Hale to:

Walkers, cyclists and visitors can get into the forest using National Rail   lines:

Greater Anglia from London Liverpool Street, Tottenham Hale, Cheshunt, Harlow Town, Bishop's Stortford and Hertford to:

  • 12 Waltham Cross  , which is around 1 mi (1.6 km) from Waltham Abbey

London Overground  WEA  from London Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs to:

London Overground  SUF  from Gospel Oak (near Hampstead Heath), Upper Holloway (near Archway), Harringay Green Lanes and Barking to:

Elizabeth Line  ELI  from Berkshire, Heathrow Airport, Paddington, Westminster, the City, Stratford, Romford and Brentwood to:

By bus

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In Essex, you can get to parts of Epping Forest from Harlow (routes 20, 21, 31), North Weald (18, 20) and Ongar (20).

Several London Bus routes connect parts of the capital with Epping Forest. Major routes include 56 (from St Paul's Cathedral, Barbican and Hackney) and 257 (from Stratford).

By car

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The City of London Corporation owns and runs several car parks throughout Epping Forest, which are signposted from main routes. Car parking charges apply.

The   motorway links The Midlands (via  ), Cambridge, Bishop's Stortford and Stansted Airport with Epping Forest. Exit at:

  •   for Epping, the Lower Forest and Jack's Hill via B1393
  •   for Debden, Loughton and High Beach via  
  •   to continue on   to destinations in East London including Walthamstow and Wanstead Flats

The   London Orbital motorway crosses the forest through the Bell Common Tunnel. Exit at   for   into Waltham Abbey, Jack's Hill, Epping (via B1393) and Loughton, or   for  . The route is a direct connection from destinations around London's edge, including Heathrow Airport, Watford, St Albans and Dartford.

Other routes into Epping Forest include:

By bike

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National Cycle Network   runs along the western edge of Epping Forest, through the Lee Valley. The route ultimately connects Dover in Kent with Tain in the Scottish Highlands, with the woodland between Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Stratford) and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.

Routes within London include:

Other routes which feature cycle lanes include A104 High Road through Woodford Green and A110 Kings Head Hill in Chingford (steep).

Fees and permits

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Epping Forest is free to visit but some areas may be closed for conservation reasons, sometimes on a seasonal basis.

The City of London Corporation charges for car parking. Prices vary.

Horse riding

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You must have a valid horse-riding licence to ride in Epping Forest, and must hold a licence disc before your trip. Daily licences are in excess of £6. Riders can use shared-use routes throughout the woodland. Some areas where riding is prohibited are marked with signs.

Coaching and personal training

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Coaching and personal training in Epping Forest requires a licence, with different non-profit and commercial fees.

Get around

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See

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Viewpoints

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Epping Forest rises from the Lee and Roding valleys, on a hill, which offers views across London and the Lee Valley:

  • 1 High Beach (A steep walk of 2 mi (3.2 km) from  CEN  Loughton tube station, or a short drive west of   Epping Forest Roundabout/Robin Hood). Wooded hills more than 100m above sea level slope downwards from High Beach towards the River Lee, with views across the Lee Valley into Hertfordshire.     (updated Sep 2024)
  • 2 Pole Hill (Short, sloping walk from  WEA  Chingford railway station). Once home to T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Pole Hill rises 91 metres above low-lying London. Spot City skyscrapers from more than 10 mi (16 km) away.     (updated Sep 2024)
  • 3 Yardley Hill (Short, sloping walk from  WEA  Chingford railway station). Viewpoint with a panorama of North London, from the Lee Valley reservoirs to city high rises. (updated Sep 2024)

Points of interest

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  • 4 Ambresbury Banks (South of Epping, via shared-use path from Bell Common). Legend has it, Amesbury Banks was the site of Boudica's last stand against the Romans in 61 AD, but there is no evidence to support this, according to local historians. Earthworks thought to have been built around 500 BC are signposted from the main path. (updated Sep 2024)
  • 5 Deer Sanctuary (South-west of Theydon Bois). Deer roam protected from harm in the sanctuary near Theydon Bois, with footpaths around the perimeter. (updated Sep 2024)

Do

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

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Stay safe

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Go next

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  • Central London, at the heart of the capital city, with its museums, art galleries, theatres, shopping and nightlife.
  • Hackney is a fashionable neighbourhood in north-east London which comes alive in the evenings - at bars and restaurants - and on weekends for fashionable shopping.
  • Cambridge with its cute streets, famous university and winding River Cam (for punting).
  • Saffron Walden - a historic market town in north-west Essex with streets lined with independent boutiques and food shops, local pubs and the nearby Audley End mansion.
  • St Albans is Hertfordshire's cathedral city with a thriving pub and restaurant scene, often with a packed calendar of live events.
  • Thetford Forest in Norfolk is a two-hour drive from Epping Forest, with activity centres, walks and rides among the trees.
Routes through Epping Forest
Cambridge ← Stansted Airport ←  N   S  →  
Heathrow Airport ← St Albans ←  W   E  → Brentwood → Dartford
Greenwich ← Stratford ←  SW   NE  → Chelmsford → Ipswich
Brent Cross ← Edmonton ←  W   S  → Ilford → Barking


Routes through Epping Forest
West London ← Central London and The City ←  W   E  → ENDS at Epping
Brixton, Victoria and Central London ← Tottenham Hale ←  SW   NE  → ENDS at Walthamstow Central
ENDS at Chingford ←  N   S  → Hackney Downs → London Liverpool Street
Gospel Oak ← Harringay Green Lanes ←  W   S  → Barking and Barking Riverside
London Liverpool Street ← Stratford ←  W   E  → Romford → Shenfield
Bishop's Stortford ← Cheshunt ←  N   S  → London Liverpool Street → Tottenham Hale


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