Considering a few nights in the area in the summer.
I know the forest is very large so is there a particular area which has good access as to the Forest and is it any good for running in?
Otherwise, I had been considering a few nights in Saffron Walden or even Southend area.
I’ll have a car so open to recommendations on where is nice to stay and places to head out and visit, all ideas welcome.
Thanks
I haven’t been but my mum goes wild for Mersea. Frinton on sea is also meant to be nice.
Off to clacton next week….havent been for many many years but will report back!
The Oyster Shack is a must.
Southend is a bit of a dive these days. I’d opt for Leigh-on-sea instead - it’s a few stops closer to London on the train. Old Leigh on a nice day with a pint of ale from the Billet and a pint of prawns is great. A few nice places to eat on Leigh Road too, plus a few B&Bs to stay in.
Mersea is really nice as @hungerfortrinkets says.
Bata Heritage Centre tour in Tilbury is interesting.
Not that familiar with Epping Forest I’m afraid.
this ^^
Epping Forest itself is lovely but not that huge so an afternoon walk and a trip to the oyster shack and attached pub is a lovely time. Waltham Abbey is nice to look at for a bit and there’s a couple of nice pubs near to it in the old town.
Depending on when you’re going, the Epping to Ongar railway will likely have an event on. The beer festivals in the summer are good fun.
A really lovely day trip from Stratford (or the line that goes out via Chelmsford) is to go to Manningtree on the train, and then do the circular walk around Constable Country (Flatford and Dedham Vale)
So much this, do not bother with Southend for staying in.
Old Leigh at least has a bit of character, and the other part has some decent places to eat (Stop the World was the last cafe I went to there, they had good cake)
Definitely recommend Leigh. Easy to get to and nice places to eat and drink and walk around
If you go up to Saffron Walden, Audley End is a solid English Heritage property.
epping forest is great for running. lots of decent trails. could prob do a nice 15-20 mile round route. cant say much about the surrounding towns but if you’ve got a car, epping is pretty easy to get to from the m11.
walden is really nice but not much to do. can probs see all the good stuff in a couple of hours. good place though if you wanna get to epping or cambridge. some nice runs round the local villages and countryside.
Yep go to Leigh
Oh yeah. It’s nice there.
Nice pizza in Ugo, nice beers in Hopsters.
Could do a nice walk to Hadleigh Castle from Leigh, couldn’t you?
The Norwich line. Put some respect on the man’s name
Another vote for Leigh. We occasionally go walking in Epping, but every time I’ve gone for a drink near there it’s full of geezers with one syllable names looking a tad leery.
Hi, I’m just re-visiting this as I’m possibly going to a gig at Oslo venue in E8 area so thinking I may get a hotel/airbnb somewhere like Walthamstow or Leyton say - i.e on the London Overground or easy to get back to from the venue - then visit Epping Forest for a run or walk the next day.
Is there any area you can suggest would fit the bill in terms of being easy to get back to from Hackney after a gig with decent access to Epping Forest? All the better if there are nice coffee places etc nearby. Thank you
Oslo is right next to Hackney Central Overground that goes into Stratford, not the one that goes into Walthamstow.
Stratford would be a good spot, as you can then catch the Central Line to Epping Forest way, or the Elizabeth Line, or any of the other train lines out to Essex and or Suffolk. There are better cafes in Hackney, Leyton or Leytonstone, though.
If you are keen on Walthamstow, then you can walk from Oslo to Hackney Downs, which is on that line (Chingford is the terminus).
There’s a Travelodge right next to Oslo and, as @marckee says, you can get the train from Hackney Downs to Chingford. Hackney Downs is a 3 minute walk from the Travelodge.
Thanks for all the above, it’s very helpful.
I’m mainly concerned with staying somewhere with good access to Epping Forest - i.e short walkable - so where would you recommend please?
Epping Forest is big - is there a particular part of it that you want to see?
Loughton station is probably the closest if you want to walk to High Beech or the Oyster Shack,
I probably wouldn’t stay within a short walking distance personally, especially if you want good coffee. Stay in Hackney or Stratford and get the tube to Loughton, as others have said.