"A challenging walk combines an ancient forest, a village immortalised by Dickens, and panoramic views of the London skyline."
Walk directions
From the car park opposite the Miller & Carter pub, walk straight along the wide bridleway between high trees. There is little forest floor covering and to the left you can see deep, ancient woodland. After 350yds (320m), at the three-way signpost, turn right onto footpath No. 43 towards Hainault. This stone chipping path runs parallel with the bridleway on your left. Pass a public footpath signpost, and 100yds (91m) after the second one signposted 'Retreat Path', turn right, go through a kissing gate and skirt the edge of the wood. Go through another kissing gate, bear right and walk parallel to the road to reach another kissing gate.
Cross Romford Road and go through a kissing gate opposite. Bear right to join the London Loop path through woodland and a recreation ground. Cross Manor Road and into Chapel Lane, and take the narrow path between houses to the small meadow.
Maintain direction across four stiles, and at the chain-link fence turn left along the path, keeping the waterworks behind the fencing to your right. Cross the concrete path at the waterworks' gate, and continue beside the fencing. At the break in the hedgerow on your left there are views of rolling countryside. Turn left at the waymarked fingerpost and follow the cross-field path downhill. Bear right at the next fingerpost and keep ahead, crossing a brook, and staying to the left of the hedgerow to reach a track. Turn left and continue along the track. Turn right onto the green lane and walk uphill with the Old Farm buildings to the right. Just before Old Farm turn left across a field, turn right and cross Vicarage Lane. After 150yds (137m) turn left on the path, emerging on Chigwell High Road.
Turn right and right again, back into Vicarage Lane. Turn immediately left onto the enclosed path, passing the primary school on your right. Follow the fingerpost diagonally across two fields, and maintain direction downhill crossing two stiles. Turn left and left again through the hedgerow, then right, onto the right-hand field-edge path uphill. Cross a stile, continue along the closed path and go through a gate to the road.
Cross Pudding Lane and follow the public footpath sign on the field-edge path, keeping Pudding Lane on your left. Take the cross-field path right gently downhill and emerge by Taylors Farm. Turn right to emerge onto Gravel Lane. Cross the road, go over the stile opposite to Taylors Cottages and continue uphill, passing through a sries of hedge gaps. Maintain direction to Hoe Lane, and turn right to return to the car park.
Hainault Forest was once part of the royal forest which stretched right across Essex. Like the forests of Epping and Hatfield, deer were bred here to supply the royal table, but the forest is also famous for being the stamping ground of the notorious Dick Turpin (1705–39). This legendary highwayman... probably had a hand in the business of poaching deer and whatever else he could lay his hands on, before turning his talents to the less risky pursuits of housebreaking and robbery. A life of crime Born in a pub in Hempstead, the young Dick started his working life as a butcher in Whitechapel. One day, when caught in the act of cattle rustling, he fled to deepest Essex, where he eventually resurfaced as a small-time smuggler, thief and highwayman. The business of travel in Turpin's time was no mean feat, for who knew when he or his cronies would strike as those brave enough made the journey through Hainault Forest? When a job was done, Turpin would call at Ye Olde Kings Head (now closed) in Chigwell for a quick pint, pick up details of when the next coach was due and plan his next crime. After a life of highway robbery and murder he was hanged at York, but it was thanks to Harrison Ainsworth's novel, Rookwood (1834), in which a description of his supposed epic ride from Westminster to York caught the popular imagination, that Turpin was transformed into a glamorous figure. In the forest it is not difficult to picture a masked highwayman galloping through misty woodlands of weirdly sculpted trees to Chigwell Row, with its delightful church and collection of characterful hostelries. In the area around east London there are many pubs called the Black Horse in honour of Turpin's steed, Black Bess, but it is at Ye Olde Kings Head at Chigwell that, it is said, the rogue secreted his pistols inside the walls. They have never been found, nor has the cellar tunnel connected to Chigwell church across the road, which he used to escape his pursuers. Charles Dickens modelled the 'Maypole' in Barnaby Rudge (1841) on the Tudor Ye Olde Kings Head, recording that it had 'more gable-ends than a lazy man would care to count on a sunny day'. As you walk across the rolling countryside, particularly between Chigwell and Lambourne End, a superb London skyline with Canary Wharf in the distance reveals itself. And although it's said that the ghost of Dick Turpin riding Black Bess appears twice a week, he won't trouble you as long as you keep to the marked paths…
Essex is full of pleasant surprises. It has the largest coastline of any county in England, with its fair share of castles, royal connections and scenic valleys.
"A challenging walk combines an ancient forest, a village immortalised by Dickens, and panoramic views of the London skyline."
Walk details
2hrs 45min
Difficulty:
Hard
Gradient:
Moderate
Distance:
6.5 miles (10.5kms)
Ascent:
148ft (45m)
Walk directions
From the car park opposite the Miller & Carter pub, walk straight along the wide bridleway between high trees. There is little forest floor covering and to the left you can see deep, ancient woodland. After 350yds (320m), at the three-way signpost, turn right onto footpath No. 43 towards Hainault. This stone chipping path runs parallel with the bridleway on your left. Pass a public footpath signpost, and 100yds (91m) after the second one signposted 'Retreat Path', turn right, go through a kissing gate and skirt the edge of the wood. Go through another kissing gate, bear right and walk parallel to the road to reach another kissing gate.
1 of 5
Cross Romford Road and go through a kissing gate opposite. Bear right to join the London Loop path through woodland and a recreation ground. Cross Manor Road and into Chapel Lane, and take the narrow path between houses to the small meadow.
2 of 5
Maintain direction across four stiles, and at the chain-link fence turn left along the path, keeping the waterworks behind the fencing to your right. Cross the concrete path at the waterworks' gate, and continue beside the fencing. At the break in the hedgerow on your left there are views of rolling countryside. Turn left at the waymarked fingerpost and follow the cross-field path downhill. Bear right at the next fingerpost and keep ahead, crossing a brook, and staying to the left of the hedgerow to reach a track. Turn left and continue along the track. Turn right onto the green lane and walk uphill with the Old Farm buildings to the right. Just before Old Farm turn left across a field, turn right and cross Vicarage Lane. After 150yds (137m) turn left on the path, emerging on Chigwell High Road.
3 of 5
Turn right and right again, back into Vicarage Lane. Turn immediately left onto the enclosed path, passing the primary school on your right. Follow the fingerpost diagonally across two fields, and maintain direction downhill crossing two stiles. Turn left and left again through the hedgerow, then right, onto the right-hand field-edge path uphill. Cross a stile, continue along the closed path and go through a gate to the road.
4 of 5
Cross Pudding Lane and follow the public footpath sign on the field-edge path, keeping Pudding Lane on your left. Take the cross-field path right gently downhill and emerge by Taylors Farm. Turn right to emerge onto Gravel Lane. Cross the road, go over the stile opposite to Taylors Cottages and continue uphill, passing through a sries of hedge gaps. Maintain direction to Hoe Lane, and turn right to return to the car park.
Hainault Forest was once part of the royal forest which stretched right across Essex. Like the forests of Epping and Hatfield, deer were bred here to supply the royal table, but the forest is also famous for being the stamping ground of the notorious Dick Turpin (1705–39). This legendary highwayman... probably had a hand in the business of poaching deer and whatever else he could lay his hands on, before turning his talents to the less risky pursuits of housebreaking and robbery. A life of crime Born in a pub in Hempstead, the young Dick started his working life as a butcher in Whitechapel. One day, when caught in the act of cattle rustling, he fled to deepest Essex, where he eventually resurfaced as a small-time smuggler, thief and highwayman. The business of travel in Turpin's time was no mean feat, for who knew when he or his cronies would strike as those brave enough made the journey through Hainault Forest? When a job was done, Turpin would call at Ye Olde Kings Head (now closed) in Chigwell for a quick pint, pick up details of when the next coach was due and plan his next crime. After a life of highway robbery and murder he was hanged at York, but it was thanks to Harrison Ainsworth's novel, Rookwood (1834), in which a description of his supposed epic ride from Westminster to York caught the popular imagination, that Turpin was transformed into a glamorous figure. In the forest it is not difficult to picture a masked highwayman galloping through misty woodlands of weirdly sculpted trees to Chigwell Row, with its delightful church and collection of characterful hostelries. In the area around east London there are many pubs called the Black Horse in honour of Turpin's steed, Black Bess, but it is at Ye Olde Kings Head at Chigwell that, it is said, the rogue secreted his pistols inside the walls. They have never been found, nor has the cellar tunnel connected to Chigwell church across the road, which he used to escape his pursuers. Charles Dickens modelled the 'Maypole' in Barnaby Rudge (1841) on the Tudor Ye Olde Kings Head, recording that it had 'more gable-ends than a lazy man would care to count on a sunny day'. As you walk across the rolling countryside, particularly between Chigwell and Lambourne End, a superb London skyline with Canary Wharf in the distance reveals itself. And although it's said that the ghost of Dick Turpin riding Black Bess appears twice a week, he won't trouble you as long as you keep to the marked paths…
Essex is full of pleasant surprises. It has the largest coastline of any county in England, with its fair share of castles, royal connections and scenic valleys.
