Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest High Beach Church Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest High Beach Church Walking Route

It was absolutely freezing this morning but the clear blue skies were too much of a pull so I thought I would go for a quick 7 mile walking route in Epping Forest. I started off in Chingford and headed up to Sewardstonebury before heading up to High Beach Church and then back down the Centenary Walk to Chingford following the various tracks, lanes, roads and wide grassy paths of Epping Forest.

I packed up my usual walking gear for a brisk walk in the Epping Forest area and got dropped off at Chingford station. Standard walking clothes for today; walking trousers, walking boots, waterproof jacket in my rucksack with a few extra layers packed away just in case.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest – The Hawk Wood

From Chingford Railway Station I turned right across the road and then left down Bury Road following the signposts for the London Loop passed Chingford Golf Club towards Sewardstonebury. With the houses just ahead of me I turned left in to The Hawk Wood by the signpost still following the London Loop waymarkers turning right at the feint white arrow on the tree and the London Loop signpost just beyond. I then walked downhill to a clearing where I followed the London Loop signpost through the trees and up diagonally across the fields wide grassy path where I then followed the obvious path around the reservoir and through Gilwell Park to the driveway and exit.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest Walking Route – The Barn

At the public bridleway signposted High Beech (misspelt for some reason) I turned left to rejoin Bury Road where I then walked passed The Barn, a rather delightful building on my right hand side, turning right at the bridleway signpost ahead and straight ahead by the metal gate and then straight ahead passed the signpost where I then reached Mott Street. I then turned right at Mott Street and walked down the road keeping left at the white signpost to High Beach where the road climbed steadily uphill before turning left at Elmwood to a metal gate where I walked straight ahead to a series of stiles clearly signposted across the fields to Avey Lane.

Walks And Walking – Essex Walks Epping Forest – High Beach Church

I then turned right and walked along the lane to a signpost for High Beach Church. Stopping off for a quick look around I then continued down the lane until the road to the traffic system where the road narrows where I then turned right at the metal gate and the start of the Centenary Walk. This part of the walk is really simple to walk down so you can totally switch off, put your legs on autopilot and really enjoy the tranquility of the forest clearing your mind at the same time.

I then put my map away as Centenary Walk takes you all the way back to Chingford on its wide gravel well maintained track. At the junction of paths I kept right at the fork keeping my sourtherly direction turning left as the wide track went left at a newly installed waymarker with a black arrow pointing the way. Shortly afterwards I turned right at the signpost for The Holly Trail to Chingford Plain following the next signpost across the plain with the forest on my right hand side. At the car park I turned left down Bury Road and back to Chingford Station just over 2 hours later.