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Fruits of the forest
Foraging is not allowed in Epping Forest and has become a big problem over recent years. The fungi, wild berries and fruit are part of the natural balance of the forest and should be left alone
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Engaging with nature
You cant miss the abundance of wildlife in the forest. You only have to stop, look and listen and you will begin to see and hear the natural world going on around you.
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sports and recreation
The forest was dedicated to the people by Queen Victoria for sports and recreation and its a perfect surrounding however there are restrictions and limits to what you can and cant do.
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5900
Acres of ancient woodland
4270
Acres of Special scientific and conservation interest
Over 100
Lakes and ponds
Cattle
One of the ancient commoner rights in Epping Forest is that of grazing cattle. until recently there were two breeds of cattle grazing, long horn and red poll. At the moment though only Long Horn are grazing on the forest. Please keep your dogs away from them
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Verderers of Epping Forest
Since the early 1100’s the title of verderer has been in extsitnce. The primary modern day roll of the verderer is to represent the commoners of the forest and the wider views of the general public to the Epping Forest open spaces and commons committee at the Guild Hall in the City of London.
There are further duties such as sitting on liason panels between the various local authorities that borader the forest and meeting with special interest groups as well as sitting on the consulatative panel that meets with selected forest user group representatives.
Deer
The forest is home to hundreds of wild deer that are protected by the Epping Forest act in the forest. Please remeber this when driving through roads in the forest. Watch your speed and beware of deer
LEARN MOREWildlife
From flat open plains to steep wooded valleys the variation of wildlife and plants is incredible within the forest. Some of the wildlife is seasonal whilst others inhabit it all year round so whatever time of year you visit there will be something new to discover.
Epping Forest
Planning a visit?
A few things to remember
This is not a country park it is a wild open space and ancient woodland
You may be lucky enough to see some of the wild inhabitants of the forest, it is not a zoo, these are wild creatures in their natural environment if you have dogs with you please do not let them chase any wildlife
Maps
As you disconnect from daily life and reconnect with nature bear in mind you may not have a phone signal to rely on. Check out where you are going and if needs be take a map or download one first before setting out. What3words is a great app to download and when you start out map where you are to be able to find your way back.
Byelaws
The forest has its own unique byelaws, it’s your responsibility to check these out if you don’t know them. They are on this website, please also follow the basic countryside code.
Litter
Litter is a huge problem in all open spaces. Please try and take it home or if you can’t then please try and find a bin. Most car parks have bins provided.
Cycling
There are thousands of acres to cycle in but a few small areas that are protected and have no cycling rules in place. Loughton camps, Amesbury Banks, Loughton Brook, Sunshine plains and Wanstead park have no cycling rules in place
Destination
Check out the whole forest, it’s a large area and when you also include the buffer lands its huge, there are plenty of places to go rather than just heading to High Beach and other popular spots. Try exploring the wilder reaches if you are feeling adventurous.
Access
There are plenty of ways to access the forest, lots of nearby train stations and bus routes take you close to the forest boundaries. It’s really tempting to just jump in the car and drive but parking is limited and can be a problem at times. Be adventurous, walk or cycle, take a train or bus if you possibly can to try and reduce car journeys and the impact that has.
Enjoy
This is a unique ancient woodland with many various types of landscape and habitats. Millions of people love it and we hope you will to. Make the forest a part of your life so many others and learn to appreciate its value to all of us. This is London’s lungs, absorbing up to 40% of London’s air pollution it’s working 24/7 365 days a year to clean up behind us!