POSTPONED - Exploring The Last Forest
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This is an 11 mile circular walk starting and ending at Bishops Stortford railway station.
After a short walk along a few tree lined residential streets to exit Bishops Stortford we'll head out across the golf course into the wilds of Essex. After crossing the M11, we'll then head north and pick up the Flitch Way. The Flitch Way passes through 15 miles of countryside along the former Bishop's Stortford to Braintree railway in the heart of rural Essex. For those interested in walking the remainder of the Flitch Way, please note the walk that Neil is leading on 18 April 2020 here: https://www.outdoorlads.com/events/flitch-way-disused-railway-line-200418.
We leave the Flitch Way just before Takeley and head south into Hatfield Forest. Managed by the Natural Trust, Hatfield Forest is an Ancient Royal Hunting Forest.
Wikipedia explains that Oliver Rackham, the botanist and expert on the countryside, in his book about the Forest entitled The Last Forest (Dent Books 1976) argues that: "Hatfield is of supreme interest in that all the elements of a medieval Forest survive: deer, cattle, coppice woods, pollards, scrub, timber trees, grassland and fen .... As such it is almost certainly unique in England and possibly in the world …….The Forest owes very little to the last 250 years ….. Hatfield is the only place where one can step back into the Middle Ages to see, with only a small effort of the imagination, what a Forest looked like in use."
Things have not changed significantly since that book was published in 1976.
The walk meanders through the forest and we will find a suitable location to stop for lunch, before later exiting along the south perimeter of the forest.
The final stretch of the walk will take us across field and farms through the picturesque village of Great Hallingbury and past St Giles Church, arriving back in Bishops Stortford for a well deserved drink!
Route and photos gratefully attributed to Kyle N.
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
A packed lunch, plenty of water and snacks are essential today. We won't be passing any shops or pubs along the route as this walk will take you off the beaten track.
At the end of the walk however, we will be finishing at a pub to stop for a drink or two.