There are three visitor centres in Epping
Forest.
The Epping Forest Visitor Centre
The Epping Forest Visitor Centre is now open seven days a week
and has an extensive stock of 'woodland gifts', soft toys, local
crafts, maps, books and booklets. Staff are on hand to answer your
every query about the Forest.
The Visitor Centre should be your first port of call to find out
about the facilities the Forest has to offer. You can apply for a
Riding Licence or pick up information from our selection of
leaflets and guides. The Visitor Centre is our booking
office for a variety of events including guided walks, children's
activities and open-air theatre.
Don't miss the children's table, viewing point for the bird
feeder as well as our digital displays.
Address
Epping Forest Visitor Centre,
High Beach,
IG10 4AE
Tel 020 8508 0028
email
epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Public opening hours
2 April 2012 - until further notice every day
10am - 5pm
The Centre is open seven days a week including Bank Holidays; it
is closed on Christmas Day.
The Visitor Centre will be closed until 12
noon on Monday 11 June 2012 for staff
training purposes. Please accept our apologies for any
inconvenience caused.
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge
The
Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge is open
Wednesday - Sunday in summer and Friday - Sunday in winter as well
as Bank Holidays (closed Christmas Day)
The Hunting Lodge has three floors. On the ground floor,
there is a colourful and fascinating display of Tudor foods and
replica kitchenware. The upper floors are particularly remarkable
for their good views over Chingford Plain and Epping Forest and
also provide displays on Tudor carpentry joints and costume.
Children may enjoy rummaging in our basket of Tudor dressing-up
clothes or (for 50p) doing a brass-rubbing of Henry VIII and
Elizabeth.
Staff are on hand to answer your every query about the Forest
and there is also a well stocked gift shop including books,
maps, traditional wooden toys and small historic
gifts.
New Chingford visitor centre
In 2012 a new Visitor Centre complete with a community
room, exhibition space and shop will be opening. This will be
complemented by a refurbished cafe, "Butlers Retreat" which is
already open. The Hunting Lodge will remain in use throughout
the work. There will be some unavoidable inconvenience to users
such as extra noise, mud and temporary toilet facilities; please
bear with us. While the work is being completed, the Hunting
Lodge car park will be unavailable. Please contact
us shortly before a visit if you are unable to walk
from the Bury Road car park which is being used instead. We
apologise in advance for this temporary inconvenience; it will be
well worth it once the new facilities open.
Address
Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge
Rangers Road, Chingford E4 7QH
Tel 020 8529 6681 or 020 8508 0028 outside opening
hours
email
epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Public opening hours
2 April 2012 - until further notice Wednesday -
Sunday 12noon - 5pm
The Hunting Lodge is also open on Bank Holidays; it is
closed on Christmas Day.
The Temple
The Temple, Wanstead Park is a classical garden
building dating back to the 18th century. It is a
survivor from the ornate landscaped gardens of Wanstead House,
a magnificent Palladian mansion built in the 1720s and replacing an
important Tudor house. Other remnants of Wanstead's days of
glory are the ruined Grotto, 2 ornamental garden mounts, waterways,
300 year old Sweet Chestnuts and the sites of amphitheatres
and ornamental islands. Wanstead House was demolished in 1824 after
creditors forced the last owners into bankruptcy. The site of the
house itself is now owned by Wanstead Golf Course. In 1881
the City of London purchased part of the lands of Wanstead Park,
and opened them to the public in 1882.
Staff are on hand to answer your every query about the Forest
and there is also a well stocked gift shop including books,
maps, traditional wooden toys and small historic
gifts.
Address
The Temple,
Wanstead Park,
Wanstead E11 2LT
020 8989 7851 or 020 8508 0028 outside opening hours
email
epping.forest@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Public opening hours
2 April 2012 - until further
notice Saturday and Sunday 12noon -
5pm
The Temple is also open on Bank Holidays; it is closed
on Christmas Day.
Events
A full and varied
leisure event programme runs at all three Visitor
Centres throughout the year.
Epping Forest Map (754 kb)