Strawberry Hill Ponds, Mount Pleasant and Connaught Water from Barn Hoppitt

This circular walk with ascents and decents in Epping Forest explores paths in Warren and Strawberry Hills before you go back across Hill Woods. You finally walk along Connaught Water and go back to Barn Hoppitt.

Technical sheet

4287485
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.27 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 118 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 125 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 112 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 40 m

Photos

Description

Park your car in Barn Hoppit car park.

(S/E) Walk Warren Pond Road on the left and turn right when you reach the gate n°118. Follow this path which bends left along Warren Pond and big oak trees. Past the trees, continue Epping Forest Centenary Walk for only 350 metres until you join a large plain. Go straight across this plain before you enter a second one.

(1) Bear immediately left at the right angle in the second field towards the grassy path along the trees before you reach a larger well-marked path. Follow this main path (which crosses The Ching) for half a mile before you almost reach Ranger's Road. Follow the last muddy path on the right which joins an open field for 500 metres before you reach Epping New Road past the gate.

Cross over the road next to the petrol station heading to the path in front of you. Go slightly up the path (can be very muddy!!) until you bear left in the open field. Go up the path in the woods for 150 metres before you reach a large well-marked path. Turn left and go down until you join Manor Road (gate n° 104 Powell's Forest north).

(3) Cross over Manor Road heading to the path in front of you (gate n°102). Follow this path which goes up Warren Hill before you reach a curving road (gate N°97 Warren Hill).

(4) Go slightly left to the path which joins a fork after 150 metres. Continue straight ahead this track for 500 metres until the next junction. Bear right and immediately left. Go straight ahead for almost half a mile going past Strawberry Hills Ponds and Earl's path Ponds.

(5) Leave Earl's Path car park on your left, then cross over the road heading to the gate n°84. Continue the main path which bends slightly left. Then, ascend the short steep section before you join a small open field.

(6) Go straight across this small field heading to the fork and turn left. Use Epping Forest Centenary Walk until you join Mount Pleasant car park.

Cross over Epping New Road, go through the gate n°69 and turn left. Follow this way for 350 metres before you bear left at the next fork. Continue the large path for one kilometre before you reach the gate n°82. Turn left and right next to the small car park.

(8) Cross over Cross Roads and continue the Epping Forest Centenary Walk (main large path) until you reach an open field.

(9) Go across the open meadow on your left along the trees leading to a gravel car park (metallic gate n°89 Fairmead Oak). Past this gate, bear right and walk Fairmead Road for one kilometre.

(10) Ignore the first path on your right but take the second one along the field. The path goes straight into the woods. Leave the footbridge on your right continuing until a junction signpost.

(11) Go straight to "Connaught Car Park", go past the car park and follow the path which bends right along Connaught Water. At the next junction signpost, leave the lake following "Butler's Retreat". At the next junction, turn left and quickly right still following "Butler's Retreat".

(12) Go straight for 450 metres before you reach Butler's Retreat. After a well-deserved snack, cross over Ranger's Road to go back to Barn Hoppit car park.(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 62 m - Barn Hoppit car park
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 40 m - Whitehall Plain
  3. 2 : km 1.97 - alt. 66 m - Petrol station
  4. 3 : km 2.53 - alt. 61 m - Manor Road
  5. 4 : km 3.17 - alt. 63 m - Warren Hill
  6. 5 : km 4.47 - alt. 75 m - Earl's Path
  7. 6 : km 5.69 - alt. 96 m - Field
  8. 7 : km 6.34 - alt. 103 m - Epping New Road
  9. 8 : km 7.63 - alt. 98 m - Cross Roads
  10. 9 : km 8.59 - alt. 68 m - Fairmead Road
  11. 10 : km 9.55 - alt. 52 m - Fork
  12. 11 : km 10.09 - alt. 49 m - Connaught Water
  13. 12 : km 11.18 - alt. 60 m - Butler's Retreat
  14. S/E : km 11.27 - alt. 62 m - Barn Hoppit car park

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 1 review

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Clarity of route map
5 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : 03/04/22
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Great directions and the map was great at showing the way. Some of the hills were very steep, so if you have any health conditions, please be aware. Otherwise, nice walk.

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