North Weald is perhaps best known for its airfield which opened in 1916 but became famous in the Second World War as one of the most important and active in Essex.
The airfield now houses one of the largest Saturday markets in the country.
Early on in our 4 ½miles (7.3km) walk we pass the restored Railway Station.
A group of volunteers have been working for years to restore the once-abandoned Epping to Ongar line.
Once away from the village we skirt arable fields to fragments of what was once ancient forest to arrive at Toot Hill, where you can break the outing with a quiet drink at the Green Man.
The return, mainly along the Essex Way, provides good views across the countryside along paths which have been trodden for hundreds of years.
Park in the Village Hall car park (CM16 6DB).
Visitors to the Common have half a dozen places allocated to them on the right-hand side - if these are occupied there is plenty of availability in nearby side roads.
1. Start: Leave the car park with the village hall to your right and take a path to the right under a weeping willow onto Weald Common going right with a children’s play area over to the left to enter a strip of woodland.
Follow a track with houses to the left and cross a road to a fence and follow a path to the left.
Climb over and follow a fenced path to the left of the station.
2. ½ mile/0.8km: Cross the railway via two gates and continue forward along the right edge of a field.
At the junction, keep walking forward toward Cold Hall Farm.
Pass to the left of the farm then, at the corner of the field, go left with the hedge on the right. Before a gate and old step-stile go right along a left field-edge to a wood.
3. 1 ½ miles/2.3km: Veer left into the wood.
Almost immediately you will see Seven Springs Lake on the left.
The lake maintains its level because, as its name implies, it is fed by seven springs.
The woodland is one of the remnants of an ancient forest which was destroyed in the quest for increased food production during the post war years.
4. 1 ¾ miles/2.9km: The woodland walk develops into a delightful, hedged path.
Ignore a right fork and reach a water tower.
5. 2 ¼ miles/ 3.7km: Turn right, passing the Green Man.
At about 40m before a telephone box, turn right at a finger post to cross a stile and follow the hedge on the right.
When this swings away keep your line to the far right-hand corner. Continue along a hedged path then, ignoring side paths, the right edge of a field.
At the next boundary follow the way-marker diagonally left across the field to a gap in the hedge.
6. 2 ¾ miles/4.6km: Turn left continuing the Essex Way along a heavily rutted broad track which you will follow for 1 mile/1.6km.
After the track swaps sides with the field border you will see, over to your right a solitary tree. This is a Wild Service Tree which, because of its rarity, was preserved when the rest of the woodland was destroyed.
7. 3 ¾ miles/6km: Enter Ongar Park Wood and keep forward ignoring all side paths until you cross a dry ditch and reach a major cross track with two short barrier posts and a bank beyond.
Turn right on the cross-track, this track is an ancient roadway and you will notice the banks on either side surmounted by trees.
Eventually the track swings right to a lane by Carisbrooke Farm.
8. 4miles/6.6km: Turn left, pass the entrance to the Burial Park on the left, and go under a railway bridge.
Turn right along Waterman’s Way and go left to the main road. Turn right passing the Kings Head to return to the Village Hall which is on your right.
The West Essex Ramblers is there for walkers mainly in the Epping, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Waltham Forest Area.
There are 17 more Ramblers Groups scattered across Essex which you could join.
Whichever Group you decide on, you can walk with any Ramblers across England Wales and Scotland for free.
- Dave Evans is from West Essex Ramblers, for information go to: west-essexramblers.org.uk
Share