The Lavers are situated between Matching and Moreton in the Epping Forest District within the catchment of Cripsey Brook. Entries in the Doomsday Book show the villages were already well established by 1086 and historic maps support this but the place name of Laver is believed to be old English. The exact origins are…
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The Rodings, once known as Roothings are a collection of beautiful small villages nestled in the West Essex countryside in close proximity to the upper River Roding with different first names derived from different origins. What they all share in common is the name Roding which is of Saxon origin and in reference to…
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Hawksmere Springs Nature Reserve on the edge of Tawney Common is perhaps one of the district’s best kept secrets. This delightful small nature reserve is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust and is so well hidden that even local people have not always been aware of its existence. This is ancient unimproved grassland pasture…
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This walk follows the course of Cripsey Brook from its source to the river Roding. Part of the route near the beginning is very challenging and it may be easier to pick the route up at further points so I have included an alternative starting point as well (marked with a dotted line on…
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The Roding valley park is managed by Vision Redbridge. Although now surrounded by fast flowing traffic and modern infrastructure, at one time much of this land was within the Royal forest of Essex and subject to forest law. The river Roding runs through an ancient landscape peppered with areas of archeological priority and the Redbridge…
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This walk takes me to the far east of the Epping Forest District to Chipping Ongar, at the end of the Epping Ongar Steam Railway line. The more modern 14th century name of Ongar was thought to mean ‘Grass Land’, with the pretext Chipping coming from an old English word refering to ‘Market Place’. Ongar…
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