Around Chingford

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It is estimated that about one-sixth of Epping Forest was originally open country, and kept so by grazing by deer and cattle. As grazing declined during the 1970s and 1980s, so scrub and then trees moved in and took over most of this open country, and as a result many plants and animals were lost that require open, grazed habitats. In 2002 a small grazing herd of English Longhorns, a rare breed, were reintroduced to this part of Epping Forest, north of Chingford, and the Conservators hope to extend grazing in future.

This area still has attractive, rolling open country and is particularly good for birds, because of the variety of habitats, ranging from mature woodland via scrub to open grassland, much of it damp. Try a tour from Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge via Connaught Water, Fairmead Bottom and Almshouse Plain to Yardley Hill (from where there are good views west across the Lea Valley), returning via Chingford Plain.

Yardley Hill

Once open farmland, Yardley Hill is now virtually covered with oak and thorn scrub. It has patches of chalky soil where plants such as traveller's joy (wild clematis) and sweet violet grow. From the top there are good views across the Lea Valley reservoirs into north London.

At its foot is Yate's Meadow, which is full of wild flowers in summer and where skylarks and meadow pipits breed.

Chingford Plain

Chingford Plain was under arable cultivation until 1878. Part of it forms Chingford golf course and some of it has returned to scrubland, which attracts many birds. In early winter large numbers of fieldfares and redwings, visiting from Scandinavia, often gather on the golf course.

The Plains

Almshouse Plain, Whitehouse Plain and Fairmead Bottom are interconnected areas of grassland, some of it damp. They are dotted with large patches of scrub and crossed by flower-lined ditches and are good territory for insects and small mammals. There is a scattering of ponds, the best of which is Fairmead Pond, where grass snakes are common.

Connaught Water

Connaught Water is a large shallow lake with wooded islands, made in 1880. The grass around it is cropped short by canada geese, and mallard and moorhen breed on its wooded islands. In the winter the Forest's considerable population of mandarin ducks roost there.

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge is a three-storey timber-framed building, completed in 1543 by Henry VIII. Its purpose was to provide the monarch and court with a good view of the hunt, and hence its upper windows were originally open. It now houses the Epping Forest museum.

Barn Hoppitt & Whitehall Plain

Barn Hoppitt and Whitehall Plain were part of the Forest's 'plains': open areas used for grazing cattle. Barn Hoppitt is the best example of oak wood-pasture in the Forest, with well-spaced ancient oak pollards over sparse grassland with many anthills and a mosaic of scrub patches.

The River Ching meanders through from north to south and its corridor supports unusual shrubs like spindle, buckthorn and purple osier.

Once open grassland, Whitehall Plain has been invaded by thorn scrub which has driven out most of its flowering plants, but these are starting to return now that it is being cut for hay.