Barn Hoppitt

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Barn Hoppitt and Whitehall Plain were part of Epping Forest's 'plains': open areas used for grazing cattle. Barn Hoppitt, across Ranger's Road from Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, 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.