How to get toEpping Forestcar-free

Epping Forest is a quick and easy day out from London Liverpool Street on the Weaver Line (25 mins) or Central Line (20-35 mins), located between North East London and Essex.

Ten waymarked footpaths cross the forest, which you can follow with PDF trail instructions or the walk app from Epping Forest Heritage Trust. (EFHT also took the photograph in the header of this page).

Weaver Line:

• Weaver Line Overground trains stop at Chingford train station. The journey takes about 25-minutes from London Liverpool Street via Hackney Downs (20 mins) and Walthamstow Central (10 mins). The station has lift access, it is in the town centre, and there’s cycle hire nearby. You can bring bikes on the Weaver Line outside of peak hours.
• View the bus map for Chingford Green and Friday Hill. Bus stops at Chingford station are sheltered.

– Visit the Queen Elizabeth 1’s Hunting Lodge museum and Chingford Visitor Centre (10 mins stroll), where you can collect a map. Families should also look out for the Brambley Hedge mice sculptures. There’s a pub and cafe nearby too. Explore further into the forest for the Holly or Willow trails (both 2.5 miles and mainly surfaced). Connaught Water is 0.6 miles away on the Willow Trail (or future Gloucester Ride path), has an accessible boardwalk and kid’s play area.

Central Line:

Central Line Underground trains take 20-35 minutes from Liverpool Street via Mile End and Stratford. Bikes are allowed North of Leyton on the Central Line outside of peak hours. Family trails and colouring can be downloaded for the journey.

Epping:

• Epping tube station is 35 minutes from Liverpool Street. The station is accessible with ramps.
• – Special buses run to the heritage railway in Ongar, Essex.
• Bus stop Wake Arms Roundabout has frequent services from Epping and Loughton, and is by a pub. Bus stop Village Hall has a regular service from Epping – for the 1.25-mile Gifford Wood Trail, or nearby pub.

Theydon Bois:

• Theydon Bois tube station is 35 minutes from Liverpool Street. The station is in the town centre, near a park.
• – Take the challenging 6.6-mile walk through the deer sanctuary and deep woods to Ambresbury Banks (former iron age fort), or 25 minutes’ walk to Debden House campsite.
• Bus stop Ambresbury Banks has a regular service from Theydon Bois.

Loughton:

• Loughton is 25 minutes from Liverpool Street. The station is near a supermarket and cafe.
• – Trek for 45 minutes to High Beach Visitor Centre – with displays, a shop, 2.5-mile trail to Loughton Camp (former iron age settlement), 1.6-mile Veteran Tree Trail, Field Studies Centre (group stays) and nearby pub. A different 45-minute walk takes you to The Hive (for children’s outdoor events).
• Bus stops at the tube station are sheltered. Bus stop Goldings Hill Forest has a frequent service from Loughton – for the 1.6-mile Golden Hill Trail by a ‘lost pond’. Bus stop Lodge Road has a regular service from Loughton.

Woodford:

• Roding Valley or Buckhurst Hill are 25 minutes from Liverpool Street. Roding Valley is accessible with ramps, and in the town centre near a park. Buckhurst Hill has a resturant outside.
• – Visit the the 1.5-mile Rowan Trail, in Knighton Woods, including a lake and nearby playground.
• Wanstead or Redbridge are 20 minutes from Liverpool Street. Wanstead is in the town centre near a park.
• – Visit Wanstead Park’s Temple museum, 3.25-mile Chestnut Trail, and cafe.
• Snaresbrook is 20 minutes from Liverpool Street.
• – Visit Wanstead Flats to explore the 3.5-mile Hornbeam Trail which takes in a lake, cafe and playground, or the 1.5-mile Lime Trail.
• View the South Woodford bus map. Bus stops are generally sheltered in this more urban area.

~ Use our journey planner to get the best route from where you are.