Lower Forest

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The Lower Forest north of Epping is predominantly wood-pasture of oak and hornbeam, much of it dense with holly and scrub. Two broad Green Lanes, bordered by a number of re-pollarded hornbeams, divide it into four.

One of the Green Lanes – Stump Road, once the main road from London to Cambridge – runs alongside Cripsey Brook which has many flowers on its margins, including primroses, dog's mercury, wood sanicle and wild angelica. It runs into Wintry Wood Common which is also flower-rich.

Epping Plain at its south-west corner was once open grassland that has been heavily invaded by oak. It has several large ponds with unusual aquatic plants like water violet and a wide range of dragonflies.