Welcome to Epping Forest District

During to the current situation, please read the message below and use the link for more information and guidance on Coronavirus and support/services in our district. 

The government’s priority is to save lives and the best way to protect yourself and others from illness is to stay at home. However, exercise is still important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing, so the government has said people can leave their homes for exercise once a day. Please use the following to stay safe:

Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily. You should only go outside alone or with members of your own household. Keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times. Gatherings of more than two in parks or other public spaces have been banned and the police will enforce this. If you have a garden, make use of the space for exercise and fresh air. Take hygiene precautions when you are outside, and wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors

For the armchair tourists, we have put together a collection on videos that we hope will bring the beauty, the history and heritage of the Epping Forest District into your homes to delight and entertain you and give you ideas and inspiration for the times to come when we can all enjoy the great outdoors again. For some there are journeys across our district to bring back memories - of places we've been or past times we can relive. Simply click on the link above and visit our district online!

And for children and families looking for creative activities at home, try the 20/20 Creativity Challenge - click on the link below.

At a time of change and uncertainty it might be helpful to pause and reflect on the peace and tranquillity of our beautiful district. Even at this time of social isolation, our rural location and extensive green belt allows us to enjoy spring turning into summer and nature at work. And our historic sites and buildings, many connected with other significant moments in our past, remind us of how we have triumphed through adversity, as we will once more. Take this opportunity to do some desktop research on the things you will do and the places you will explore in the future. With venues closing and events cancelled, our events listing only shows dates further in the future and these will be subject to review and possible cancellation. Current advice is to stay at home but  when, in the future, everyone is able to get back into the countryside one of our many paths would be a great place to start and you can plan your route and research the heritage and nature you'll find, right now.

Those exploring further into our district will find unspoilt countryside with delightful towns, villages and hamlets plus hidden treasures, such as the oldest wooden church in the world, the CAMRA pub of Essex, the place they made the nation's gunpowder and explosives, and the closest heritage steam railway to the Capital – plus a whole lot more.

Explore this website and discover more information about history and heritage, events and attractions, fine food and drink and places to explore, stay and relax. Also discover more about the district, its history and heritage and, under Ideas & Inspiration, the good and the famous.

Epping Forest forms a direct green link between London and rural Essex and lends its name to a market town and surrounding district that never fails to surprise and delight visitors who discover its many attractions. And all just a walk, ride or tube journey away from the Capital.

Immersed in history, the ancient market town of Waltham Abbey is the last resting place of King Harold and home to the District Museum where you can learn about the district's rich heritage, and the Royal Gunpowder Mills were you can discover the secret history of gunpowder production and rocket development.

Just a few minutes away, the world class Lee Valley White Water Centre offers adrenaline-pumping white water adventure. For a gentler taste of the outdoors, head for Epping Forest, with ancient trees, sunlit glades and a host of events throughout the year. Visit Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge or explore the sites of two large Iron Age forts.

Alternatively, enjoy English countryside at its best along the Essex Way which begins right outside Epping Station at the end of the Central Line. Lee Valley Regional Park, running along the western edge of the Epping Forest district, offers much to the leisure visitor and Lee Valley Park Farms plus Ashlyns Farm at North Weald are popular family days out.

Just outside Ongar, Greensted’s 11^th Century Church is famed as the oldest wooden church in the world whilst at Copped Hall, Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream was first performed. Combine your visit with lunch in the leafy market towns of Epping or Ongar, two destinations linked by the Epping Ongar Heritage Railway, who can take you even further on one of their classic double-decker buses.

Bargain hunters head for North Weald Airfield, host to a weekly outdoor market held Saturdays and Bank Holidays on a former Battle of Britain site, still active today with historic aircraft in the skies and events throughout the year. The Airfield Museum is another must-see for enthusiasts. For the ultimate retail therapy, especially if bling’s your thing, head for Loughton and Buckhurst Hill where you’ll find shops full of the fashion and designer goods that inspired the TOWIE look. You’ll also find plenty of café’s and bars to relax and admire your purchases or plan your evening at top night spots or fine dining in one of the district’s many acclaimed restaurants.

Make Epping Forest the centre for your stay and when you've exhausted the attractions of our district, explore further. London is the obvious magnet but there's also lots to see and do in neighbouring Broxbourne which shares a border with Epping Forest along the River Lee and the Lee Valley Park. To the north of the district is Harlow which offers shopping centres, cinema complexes, a theatre, museum and lots more.