Forest bathing at Epping Forest

Epping Forest runs for about 12 miles from the edge of east London up into Essex, covering around 2,400 hectares. Beech, hornbeam and oak are the main trees, with birch and holly between them. Many were pollarded for centuries, and since the City of London took the forest over in 1878 their crowns have grown very large. The forest has around 55,000 ancient trees, more than any other single site in the UK, and most of it is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

High Beach, an open sandy ridge on the western side, is a good place to start. The visitor centre there has toilets, maps and volunteers, and opens shorter hours in winter. A level, firm easy access trail of half a mile winds through the trees from nearby, and the Beech Trail heads towards Loughton Camp if you want to go further. Paul's Nursery, a former plant nursery now gone back to woodland and grass, still has rhododendrons and azaleas in early summer. There is a tea hut and the King's Oak pub for afterwards.