The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 2.84 miles (4.57km)
Time to walk: Easy walking on Common land so around 1.5 hours at an amble
Difficulty: Flat, easy & on well-drained surfaces
Parking: Park in the Common Car Park opposite Whipps Cross Hospital
Public toilets: At the start & end of this short walk
Map of the route:
Whipps Cross is located near Epping Forest in East London & gives easy access to Common Land scenic walking around nearby Whipps Cross Pond with connecting paths into the forest
This wasn’t a walk that was planned, but a sad, dash, family visit to Whipps Cross Hospital enabled it to happen – so this is one for Bev 🙂
1. Park in the Pay & Display almost opposite the hospital…
Turn left & follow the path along the edge of the pond passing the cafe & other buildings
2. The path skirts the pond…
…& passes through some beautiful wooded area
3. Simply keep following the track around the pond to eventually arrive at another footpath heading off to the left…
Follow this & bear right at the fork to arrive at the Pelican Crossing
4. Cross ahead & carry on along the path past the large tree…
At the next crossroads of paths walk straight ahead
5. The track now enters into the woods again…
This really is beautiful walking – just keep following the signs
6. The footpath signs will shortly ask you to bear left up a slope…
…& then across an open space & a footbridge
7. Follow the signs ahead & then bear diagonally right…
…where it emerges from the bushes & heads up a grassy bank into an open space
8. Continue in the same direction & down to the underpass…
Pass into & bear right, crossing a cycle path & onto another footpath
9. Now we’re heading back pretty much in a straight direction as the path enters the wood again – this really is lovely walking
Continue ahead across the open space
10. Carefully cross the road & keep going in the same direction…
We’re now back on the same side of the park where we started this walk
11. Keep following the footpath signs & eventually you’ll see Whipps Cross Pond on your right again…
Bear right to arrive at the Pond again
12. Now simply turn left & walk back to the car park & start of this walk…
So that’s the end of a beautiful walk that I wasn’t expecting to do.
Sadly a few hours later we received the sad news we had been expecting
But walks are always a great healing therapy, enabling us to process both good & sad memories…
So to Bev…we remember the fun times & all the laughs…this one’s for you my lovely
Go Walk!