- The next section was pleasant until the approach to Galleyhill Road, the route takes you up a public footpath next to the farm which was completely overgrown, we could not take that path so had to walk directly to the road and walk up the roadside (no footpath) to reach the next section...

Scott Hetherington

The section between Ongar Road and Epping Lane was problematic. The horses in the field nearer to Epping Lane were too much in the way for me to feel safe to cross the field. From there it is a gentle downhill towards the outskirts of Epping, where the last section is all up hill again towards the finish (photo #13)....

Derick Rethans

Into a quiet lane past Home Farm then to more open fields, with a narrow footbridge, to another quiet lane. Through woodland across a lane and into another woodland with a narrow path. To the North a greenhouse, the path is marked around the greenhouse the past houses and into the farm yard and onto the access lane. The lane was very quiet, unless you count the deer crossing and dashing across the fields. Very varied, messy farm yards to ancient green holloways, open fields and cosy woodland, monuments, sculpture and history....

Strider

Quickly out of Loughton and up a very muddy path to the main path running the length of the forest....

Strider

From Epping station there's a path around the car park to suburban streets then onto the common. The highest point at Harold's Park Farm has great views, but there are many along this route. A small path behind some containers leads once again to a mix of roads, farm paths and tracks to the Lea Valley wetlands with good paths and tow paths. This is a very varied walk, great hill top views on good farm tracks, to wet wooded valley bottoms....

Strider

Many of the paths are blocked by; floods, trees, earthworks, overgrowth, ploughing. But it is essentially a good walk. I have created Hodepp Three to over come these problems....

Strider

Then over fields and around field edges and past the end of an aerodrome. An invisible path across a field (bearing 310) takes you to Patch Park, a small industrial estate, then past Mayhem paintball with a yellow tank. There is a tunnel under the M11 after which the path becomes indistinct, head uphill and slightly right to a gap where a track takes you down to another tunnel under the M25....

Strider

It's almost the same, but the line is only a rough match to the paths so it's harder to follow and also goes along a path that is blocked, east of Horseshoe Hill....

Daisy C

I'm flagging the route for Access issues, see below, but hopefully it will be cleared by Essex County Council fairly soon. Difficult to see as A turn in the path means it's camouflaged plus no light though hedge. I've let the county council know about the blockage and the lack of sign on Sergeant's Green Lane....

Daisy C

The first half of the route runs through Harlow but, apart from the short stretch around the bus station, is not at all urban being mostly through green areas and some low rise suburban residential streets. You are walking into oncoming traffic on a nominal pavement which is a white line painted on the road about a foot from a wall in places and it is hard to see traffic coming as it is obscured by the wall. When you reach the High Street in Epping there are plenty of places to get food and drink but not when you get to the underground station at the end of the route (there is sometimes a kiosk open)....

porcovolente

After crossing the motorway you can turn immediately left or go straight ahead but whichever path you take gps will show you drifting off the route. As remarked by another reviewer it is definitely a long trousers route as parts can be quite overgrown (very thistley when I walked) and although most parts of the route were dry and firm there were many indications that after wet weather they could be very muddy so I would recommend good boots in wet conditions....

porcovolente

Run this route 2 or 3 times a week, its part of the essex way, very well sign posted, little over grown at the moment in parts so would recommend trousers rather than shorts, very quiet, hardly ever see other walkers on parts of the route and a few good pubs on the route if your taking it slow Nice mixture of forests and farmers fields There is a bus that will take you back to the start but can be unreliable, only comes once an hour and very rarely on time...

Gavin P

When you turn off the lane the path becomes confusing, you have to walk down what looks like a dead-end between buildings and then through back gardens, waste ground and around the edge of greenhouses before finding a public footpath sign at the edge of a field. Around the B1393 High Road the route becomes unclear again and where it suggests a crossing we didn’t think was safe so walked along until oppsite the cricket club before attempting to cross what is a very busy road – you might want to continue further and cross at traffic lights since the walk then follows a path alongside the road for a while before cutting down through woodland towards Epping. The footpath leading to Epping station has a flight of uneven concrete steps so if you want to avoid those you would need to continue a bit further along the road and double back along Station Road....

porcovolente

Fred and Dougs cafe in Epping had amazing cakes, great coffee and a warm welcome....

Slow Ways Darren

I walked this from Loughton to Epping in the snow on 17/12/2022, it was a really lovely walk and still easy enough to follow through the forest especially once you reached the bridleway. The roads at either end were icy in places though. Easy access to the Central Line at each end as well as shops to get some supplies for the walk....

Dan Barron

Excellent route, making the most of Epping Forest and a fantastic way to approach London if walking from Epping towards Loughton....

Jane Taylor

From Epping station there is a little uphill, and after walking along some residential streets for a little, the route takes you through a lovely wood, some open fields, and then along a foot path well away set from a road. On the other side of some woods, the route then continues along a road (with annoying pavement parked cars near the church), before going through a lovely wood....

Derick Rethans

This is a good route, but in places hard to follow and inaccurate. I'm therefore uploading Walepp Two, which has these fixed....

Derick Rethans

Finding the correct path both when you enter and leave Epping Forest isn’t completely obvious but not really enough warrant a remapping of the route....

LondonIn360

This route is good, but the ways in and out of Epping Forest aren't quite plotted accurately. I would agree it's not worth adding another route option to fix, except one already exists! Definitely recommend following Louepp three, which is accurately plotted in the places where this one is not....

mtormey

The route itself is easy to follow - almost all of it is along the main broad walkway through the forest - and straightforward....

mtormey

I wandered off the route on one or two occasions but easily found my way back - in places, there are intersecting paths. A very enjoyable route on a summer's day, large parts of which are on a wide and shaded forest path....

John Scott

I've therefore uploaded a new route (Harepp 2) which fixes these issues....

Derick Rethans

There is then a section through the town, with some parks in between that were rather busy on my sunny day....

Derick Rethans

It mostly follows the "Green Ride" in Epping Forest, and it was not muddy at all....

Derick Rethans

I had difficulty getting the route file to open and so have created a new GPS file on LOUEPP3 and added more information about the route there, as I walk it frequently....

Liz R

Loughton to Theydon Bois is easy to follow, mainly pavements along often busy suburban roads....

Harriet

Tested route from North Weald to Ongar and that is footpath almost all the way across fields and through woodland, except for Toot Hill where you walk a little way through the village. Need to keep an eye on the route in a few places as there are a few areas where the footpath is not well signposted (e.g. Toot Hill towards Ongar turn right at the house on the corner over a little metal bridge). Easy, accessible route with only one large uphill section....

Partas