Forest bathing in Essex

Essex is better wooded than its reputation suggests. Epping Forest runs down the western edge, six thousand acres of ancient beech and hornbeam pollards cared for by the City of London. Hatfield Forest near Bishop's Stortford is a medieval royal hunting forest that has barely changed, with pollarded hornbeams and oaks around a lake. Towards Southend, Hockley Woods is the county's largest ancient wood, mostly oak and sweet chestnut, and Thorndon and Weald country parks near Brentwood add old oaks and hornbeam within easy reach of London.

Forest bathing in these old pollard woods is a slow business: two or three hours covering very little ground, time standing among trees that are several hundred years old, and usually tea at the end. Epping is on the Central line and Hatfield has a cafe, which makes both easy for a first session. See each guide's profile for dates, venues and prices.

Hatfield Forest is a gentle first visit, with National Trust parking, a cafe by the lake and level ground throughout. Thorndon Country Park has a visitor centre and car park at its north end, and Epping Forest's visitor centre at High Beach has parking and waymarked trails.