Walk Report

Forest Way, Saturday 17th April 2010
20 walkers and 2 dogs, 27 miles - leader Rob Myers
Twenty walkers and two dogs turned up at Loughton in glorious Spring sunshine to walk the Forest Way LDP. Our numbers were augmented by 3 locals who were treating the walk as a sponsored challenge having raised £1500 in their local pub. I was concerned when they turned up but fortunately they turned out to be strong walkers. From Loughton we went into Epping Forest swiftly leaving established paths and climbing up to Loughton Camp. This was an old Iron Age Fort containing caves where Dick Turpin allegedly hid out. We took compass bearings through the Forest admiring the beautiful oak, beech and hornbeam trees. On leaving Epping Forest we travelled on forest tracks, minor roads and ancient green lanes passing isolated farmsteads (some of which were mentioned in the Doomsday Book). We reached Epping Long Green an impressive ancient droveway which extended eastwards all the way to Rye Hill passing through the attractive village of Epping Green. From there we crossed Latton and Harlow Commons to arrive at our lunch stop at the Horns and Horseshoes. We seemed to have the pub virtually to ourselves and were served promptly. It was good to be able to eat and drink outside so early in the year. After lunch we passed through the villages of Matching Tye and Matching. At Matching we had a water stop beside the 12th Century Church and the Marriage Feast House which was built by the vicar in 1480 for brides to spend the night before their wedding. From Matching we proceeded to Hatfield Heath where some of our party departed and the remaining walkers frog marched me to the ice cream shop. The raspberry ripple I had was delicious. Refreshed and cooled down we reached and crossed Hatfield Forest where the Forest Way ended. From there it was a further 2 miles to Stansted Airport along a couple of footpaths and a quiet road. The airport was shut down due to volcanic ash so it was virtually deserted when the remaining 15 of us walked in past astonished security staff. When I caught the coach back to Colchester the driver told me that I was only the fifth passenger he had carried all day. He was surprised to discover that I had walked all the way from Loughton to catch it.

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