Epping Forest - Forest in Loughton, Epping Forest (2024)

About

Epping Forest

Epping Forest and Covid 19:up-to-date details of Covid-19 measures and what is currently open and accessible can be found HERE.

About Epping Forest

Epping Forestis owned and managed by the City of London. The Forest is of national and international conservation importance and home to over 50,000 ancient pollard trees and 100 lakes and ponds. Open 365 days of the year, the Forest is free to visit.

The Forest is made up of more than 50 distinct areas of woodland, grassland and other habitats which, together, span 2,400 hectares from Manor Park all the way out to beyond Epping.

Epping Forest recommends starting your visit at one of their visitor centres where they can help you start your day out with maps, travel information, nearby car parks, walking routes and ideas for things to do while you're there. Alternatively, you can check their Things to doguide and plan a visit to a specific part of the Forest straight away.

Getting to Epping Forest

Epping Forest is widely served by several Underground, Overground and National Rail lines, as well as local buses. The Forest also operates more than 30 car parks across its 13 mile length, and is easily reached by car from London and Essex.

See the Forest’s Where to Go guide for maps and help planning your journey - including area-by-area lists of nearby car parks, train and underground stations, and local bus routes.

Armchair tourists - enjoy videos and online content about Epping Forest, its history and heritage HERE and walks with John Rogers HERE.

Accessibility

Epping Forest is committed to providing access for everyone. They have several centres and open sites in the Forest which are attractive and accessible to all, from the elderly to people with disabilities to families with young children. A series of accessible car parks and easy access paths are also available throughout the Forest.

For in-depth information on accessibility in the Forest, please visit Epping Forest’s Access For All guide.

Facilities

Epping Forest operates visitor centres, a public golf course, sixty football pitches, a wedding venue,fishing and more than30 car parks across its 13 mile length from Manor Park to beyond Epping.

For more information on available facilities, please visit Epping Forest’s website.

Where to eat

There are some excellent refreshment facilities in Epping Forest to suit every taste and budget - from tea huts, and cafés to pubs and restaurants.

Orignal Tea Hut.

TripAdvisor

Find Epping Forest on TripAdvisor.

Visit the website for more information

Facilities

Accessibility

• Guide Dogs Permitted
• Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors - The following car parks have disabled parking areas: Chingford Plain, Connaught Water, High Beach Centre, Jubilee Pond, Knighton Wood, Pillow Mounds an The View.

Catering

• Cafe - There are some excellent refreshment facilities in Epping Forest to suit every budget, including the newly refurbished Butler's Retreat café, near the View on Rangers Road, a refreshment kiosk in Wanstead Park and tea huts located in High Beach. Butler’s Retreat, is open from 9am to 5pm during the week and is now open until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays until October.Carl’s Tea Hut is located on the Pillow Mounds car park and is open from 10am to 4pm in the winter and from 10am to 5pm in the summer. Min's Tea Hut, sometimes referred to as The Biker's Tea Hut', due to its popularity with motorcyclists, is located on the road to High Beach, just off of the Robin Hood Roundabout. The Tea Hut is open from 9am to dusk every day of the year.
• On-Site cafe/restaurant - There are some excellent refreshment facilities in Epping Forest to suit every budget, including the newly refurbished Butler's Retreat café, near the View on Rangers Road, a refreshment kiosk in Wanstead Park and tea huts located in High Beach. Butler’s Retreat, is open from 9am to 5pm during the week and is now open until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays until October.Carl’s Tea Hut is located on the Pillow Mounds car park and is open from 10am to 4pm in the winter and from 10am to 5pm in the summer. Min's Tea Hut, sometimes referred to as The Biker's Tea Hut', due to its popularity with motorcyclists, is located on the road to High Beach, just off of the Robin Hood Roundabout. The Tea Hut is open from 9am to dusk every day of the year.
• Refreshments Available - There are some excellent refreshment facilities in Epping Forest to suit every budget, including the newly refurbished Butler's Retreat café, near the View on Rangers Road, a refreshment kiosk in Wanstead Park and tea huts located in High Beach. Butler’s Retreat, is open from 9am to 5pm during the week and is now open until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays until October.Carl’s Tea Hut is located on the Pillow Mounds car park and is open from 10am to 4pm in the winter and from 10am to 5pm in the summer. Min's Tea Hut, sometimes referred to as The Biker's Tea Hut', due to its popularity with motorcyclists, is located on the road to High Beach, just off of the Robin Hood Roundabout. The Tea Hut is open from 9am to dusk every day of the year.
• Restaurant - There are some excellent refreshment facilities in Epping Forest to suit every budget, including the newly refurbished Butler's Retreat café, near the View on Rangers Road. Butler’s Retreat, is open from 9am to 5pm during the week and is now open until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays until October.

Establishment Features

• Dogs Accepted
• Dogs welcome
• Open all year round
• Open Christmas
• Open New Year
• Open on bank holidays

Leisure Facilities

• 18 hole golf course - Chingford Golf Course is a beautiful 18-hole public golf course run by Epping Forest. The course is laid out in two returning loops, and plays a maximum 6342 yard, par 72.Our course gives a good challenge for all players, and is a very pleasant, scenic walk. At just 25 minutes from the centre of London by train, it's ideal for a leisurely round after work.
• Arrangements for riding / pony trekking - Aldersbrook Riding School Empress AvenueLondon E12 5HW 020 8530 4648 Barnfields Stables Sewardstone RoadChingford E4 7RH 020 8529 5200 High Beech Riding School Pynest Green Lane, Waltham Abbey EN9 3QL(closest riding school to High Beach Forest Centre) 020 8508 8866 Woodredon Equestrian Centre Woodredon Farm Lane, UpshireWaltham Abbey EN9 3SX 01992 714 312
• Golf - Chingford Golf Course is a beautiful 18-hole public golf course run by Epping Forest. The course is laid out in two returning loops, and plays a maximum 6342 yard, par 72.Our course gives a good challenge for all players, and is a very pleasant, scenic walk. At just 25 minutes from the centre of London by train, it's ideal for a leisurely round after work.
• Private fishing rights - Whether you are a first time fisherman or a seasoned angler, you can find peace and tranquility by the water's edge in Epping Forest. There are over 100 lakes and ponds in the Forest and you can fish in 24 of them, as long as you observe the fishing rules.

Parking & Transport

• Coach parking
• Free parking
• On Site Car Parking
• On site parking - Epping Forest provide more than 30 car parks for visitors to use. Together, these serve most of Epping Forest's 2,400 hectares. A number of these car parks also have disabled bays for visitors with blue badges. A list of car parks is included below. Car parks with disabled bays are signified with an asterisk. See further details on the City of London/Epping Forest website for maps and Google links to these locations. The North of the Forest • Claypit Hill• Forest Side• Genesis Slade • Goldings Hill • Honey Lane• Jacks Hill• Long Running• Lower Forest• Mount Pleasant• Piercing Hill• Rushey Plain• Wake Valley• Wellington HillThe Centre of the Forest• Barn Hoppitt• Bradleys• Caddy House• Chingford Plain*• Connaught Water*• Earls Path• Fairmead Oak• High Beach Centre*• Hill Wood• Knighton Wood• Lincolns Lane• Pillow Mounds*• St John's Pond• The Stubbles• The View*• Woodford Golf ClubThe South of the Forest• Boat House• Centre Road• Jubilee Pond*• Lakeside• Snaresbrook Road
• Railway station within 5 miles - Stations close to Epping Forest include Loughton and Epping on the Central Line and Chingford on the over-ground.

Provider Preferences

• Countryside Setting
• Forest Location
• In countryside
• Outdoor Attraction

Specialist Features

• Circular Route
• Cyclists welcome
• Easy Route
• Family Fun
• Linear Route
• Marketed Towards Children
• Marketed Towards Families
• Marketed Towards Senior Citizens
• Marketed towards student/youth
• Moderate Route

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