Cattle Grazing Public Inquiry update
We are delighted to have received the decision from the
Secretary of State to approve the installation of four new cattle
grids in Epping Forest. This is great news for Epping Forest
as we can now proceed with the Grazing Strategy, which received
strong support following public consultations in 2005 and
2007. Please read the press release below for full
details:
Essex County Council Epping Forest Cattle Grids
decision Press release 27 March 2012 (34kb)
Free Range Horse Riding in Epping Forest
As of Monday 19 March free range horse riding in Epping Forest
will be open. Please note that the posted rides will remain
closed until grass cover has improved. We will update on this
situation at the earliest opportunity. We are pleased to have
been able to open free range horse riding earlier this year,
due to the dry weather conditions. We hope you will enjoy
riding in Epping Forest.
What's New in Epping Forest
Epping Forest's monthly newsletter, including an ecology update
to reflect the seasonal changes in the Forest, news updates, and
details for the month's forthcoming events.
Download the latest
information (849kb)
Newly refurbished Butler's Retreat
Cafe/Restaurant, now open
The City of London Corporation are
delighted to announce that Epping Forest’s newly refurbished
Butler’s Retreat is now open! This historic building in the heart
of Epping Forest, at Chingford, is once again open now serving
delicious food from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday. Click on the link below to view the press
release:
Newly
refurbished Butler's Retreat Cafe/Restaurant now open (2
Feb 2012)
Epping Forest Newsletter
This free publication is produced three times a year. If you
would like to be added to the mailing list please telephone the
Warren office on 020 8532 1010 or email
epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
The publication can be provided as an audio tape or CD, please
contact the Visitor Centre on 020 8508 0028 or email
epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
Forest Focus Newsletter (Summer 2012) (PDF 2.1mb)
Forest Focus Newsletter (Spring 2012)
(PDF 3.5mb)
Forest Focus Newsletter (Autumn 2011)(PDF
2.3mb)
Forest Focus Newsletter (Summer
2011) (PDF 1.9mb)
Forest Focus Newsletter (Spring
2011) (PDF 4mb)
Epping Forest news releases
Click on the links below to view the full news release
Newly
refurbished Butler's Retreat Cafe/Restaurant now open (2
Feb 2012)
Temporary
closure of the northern end of Manor Road, High Beach (23
December 2011)
Free
Half-Term events in Epping Forest (11 October 2011)
Look
but don't touch - Epping Forest mushrooms are strictly off
limits (11 October 2011)
Epping Forest be prepared ... The Scouts are
coming (23 August 2011)
Get on your Bike in Epping Forest (27 July 2011)
Epping
Forest Flying the Flag - Record number of Volunteer
Hours (26 July 2011)
John Muir Award Presentation in Epping
Forest (3 June 2011)
Wanstead Flats - Keep Possession NOT a
Weapon (2 June 2011)
Topping Out Ceremony at new Interpretation
Centre - Epping Forest (20 May 2011)
Theatre Fun in Wanstead Park! - Tickets
can be booked from the Epping Forest Visitor Centre in High
Beach on 020 8508 0028, or by visiting
http://www.illyria.uk.com (19
May 2011)
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge - Silver
Award (15 April 2011)
Wanstead Flats - Field of Dreams (14
April 2011)
No Fair at Chingford Plain this Easter (12
April 2011)
New Bus Service: Exploring Epping Forest just got
easier (18 March 2011)
Way Marked Trails: Discover the Forest
Three new way marked trails have just been installed across
Epping Forest. These circular routes allow you to explore new areas
without getting lost! This year we will see another three routes
being added to the Forest Three of these six routes were chosen by
you during our Vote With Your Feet public consultation in summer
2010. So why not get out and explore somewhere new, the arrows
point the way so you don't even need a map! For more information
have a look at:
-
The Holly Trail (2.2MB), Bury Wood (1.5
miles / 2.4 km)
-
The Chestnut Trail (1.6MB), Wanstead
Park (5 miles / 8 km)
-
The Willow Trail (2.2MB), Connaught
Water (1.5 miles / 2.4 km) - Not operational
until the improvement works are complete (see
below)
Connaught Water Improvements
As part of the Branching Out project, Connaught Water is
undergoing some exciting changes. Download the
Connaught Water Improvements (804kb)
leafet to find out more.
Cycle Hire in Epping Forest
Please click here for further Information:
Cycle Hire in Epping Forest
Exploring Epping Forest just got easier
Visitors to Epping Forest are now benefiting from convenient and
regular access to High Beach from Loughton underground and
Chingford railway stations with the introduction of a new, trial
bus service which commenced in April 2011. The bus
service is the result of a partnership between the City of London
and Essex County Council.
High Beach is considered one the of the most popular "honey pot"
areas of Epping Forest. The
Epping Forest Visitor Centre is a great place to begin your
exploration of the Forest with lots of information and friendly
staff on hand. Epping Forest Information Assistants are also
available at
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge in Chingford, a beautiful Tudor
building built by Henry Vlll. There are many
events taking place at these locations
throughout the summer;
The Epping Forest Field Centre is located in
High Beach, with many interesting courses on offer. The Forest
at High Beach presents opportunities for enjoyable walking
and attractive picnic spots and is well served by pubs and tea
stalls. Until now, this area, considered by some to be the very
heart of Epping Forest, was not accessible by public transport.
However, there is a long history of arriving at Epping Forest by
train, bus and horse-driven transport.
The Superintendent of Epping Forest, Paul Thomson, said; "We are
very excited to once again see these popular areas of Epping
Forest, at Chingford, Loughton and High Beach, connected by public
transport and hope that people will really make the most of
the service, enjoying the very best that Epping Forest has to offer
without using their car."
The service leaves Loughton railway station hourly from
9.30am, arriving at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre in High Beach
10 minutes later, and leave Chingford railway station hourly from
9.50am, again arriving at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre 10
minutes later. The last service from High Beach will be at 5pm to
Loughton station and 4.40pm to Chingford station. The
service runs every Sunday and public holiday until the end of
October 2011. There are timed stops at the stations and the Visitor
Centre and will also stop along the route within the Forest, if
safe to do so, when hailed. The bus is fully accessible.
The cost is £2 each way or free for concessionary pass holders
and children under 11. Passengers who are interested in using the
service or require more information about visiting Epping Forest,
can call 020 8508 0028.
Councillor Roger Walters, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and
Transportation at Essex County Council said, "I am very pleased
that we have been able to respond to requests from visitors for a
dedicated transport link from Loughton and Chingford into the heart
of Epping Forest and I hope that over the coming months it is well
used by residents and visitors alike."
Download a copy of the
Bus Route Leaflet (1mb)
Forest Transport Strategy
Road closures
Following the results of extensive consultation, the closure of
Wake Road is no longer being pursued. Public notification of the
other road closures being considered is likely to be in April.
Read more about the
Forest Transport Strategy.
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge gets Greener
Epping Forest are now delighted to confirm that we have been
awarded "Silver" from the Green Tourism Scheme.
Visit the Green Business website
www.green-business.co.uk if
you'd like to know more about the scheme. Now
that the Hunting Lodge has passed its final assessment
our entry will be included in its "Places to Visit" and
hopefully, reach a new group of green-minded visitors.
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge was successful in 2010 in
securing a place on Renaissance London's Regional Green Museum
Grant Scheme. This offered membership of The Green Tourism Business
Scheme, the largest and most established sustainable tourism
certification scheme in the world and the only certification scheme
validated by Visit England through the International Centre for
Responsible Tourism (ICRT)
The Award Ceremony was held on 22 March 2011 at the Museum
of London.
Rare "Little Shaggy Moss" Discovered in Epping Forest
A moss that has been extinct in Essex for nearly 100 years was
found in a bog in Epping Forest. Its name is the Little Shaggy Moss
- Rhytidiadelphus loreus. A closely related spacies - Spring turf
moss (R. squarrosus) - is very common in lawns. The small patch of
R.loreus was found by the British Bryological Society Essex Local
Group.