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ESSEX, BEDFORDSHIRE & HERTFORDSHIRE
Takeley to Wall Wood circular walk
This 9.5-mile (15.3km) walk in Essex starts from the disused railway station at Takeley and continues cross-country to the ancient Wall
Wood, before returning to Takeley. Along the way, look out for St John the Evangelist Church, Woodside Green, Stane Street Halt and the
renowned Doodle Oak.
Information
Address: Hatfield Forest, Takeley, Essex, CM22 6NE
OS map: Landranger 167
Activity: Walking
Easy: There are a number of obstacles on this trail. For
further details, please see Terrain section.
Dog friendly: Dogs are welcome under close control
and must be kept on leads around the Hatfield Forest
lakeside area. Please dispose of dog litter responsibly.
Full trail: Miles: 9.5 (km: 15.2)
Access: Challenging
Duration: 4 hours 30 mins - 5 hours
Terrain
This walk incorporates paths, stiles, tree roots, ditches
and footbridges. It gets muddy in wet weather, so
you'll need appropriate footwear.
Total steps: 12
Start point: Old Station House, Takeley. Grid ref: TL562211
1. Starting at the Old Station House at Takeley, access Flitch Way from behind the
building. Turn right and walk under the railway bridge. Continue for about ¼ mile
(400m) until you reach the Forest Way footpath. Turn left and follow the path
downhill. After about 10 minutes, cross a field boundary and continue downhill. In 10
more minutes, you'll reach another field boundary and enter a wood. Cross a
footbridge, go slightly uphill and turn left out of the wood. Follow the path down the
field towards a stile.
2. Cross the stile and head diagonally to the left, towards the far corner of the field. There,
you'll find another stile. Cross this and turn right down the lane. Go over the road
culvert and then uphill until you reach a T-junction with the Takeley Street to Hatfield
Broad Oak road. Turn right and visit the church of St John the Evangelist on the right.
3. After visiting the church, turn left out of the gate and retrace your steps, turning left
again and heading back down the lane until you reach the stile with a green on your
right. Follow the footpath signs across the green and eventually you'll come to a small
footbridge – cross this into the field. The path heads across the field, but if it's muddy
or filled with growing crops, turn right and walk around the field boundary, rejoining
the path going into the next field. Follow this path downhill through another field
boundary until you reach a made-up path. Turn right and, passing Pincey Cottage on
your right, rejoin the Takeley Street to Hatfield Broad Oak road. Turn left and follow the
road for 200–300yd (180–270m). Be careful, as this road can be busy.
4. On the right, you'll find the Doodle Oak entrance to Hatfield Forest. Enter the forest
and turn slightly left. Heading along the open ride, keeping the tree line to your left,
keep going until you reach an exit gate onto the road. Turn right and follow the road
until you reach the entrance to Wall Wood on the left. Enter the wood and head straight
ahead on the path. At the end of the path, feel free to explore Wall Wood.
5. When you've finished in Wall Wood, head right at the end of the entrance path. The
path will take you to an exit onto Woodside Green, which is also cared for by the
National Trust. Turn right towards the road and, when you get there, head down the
road past the Wall Wood entrance, continuing until you reach the National Trust
entrance gate into Hatfield Forest on the left. Continue past this gate to the next
entrance on the left (the one you exited previously). Enter the forest here, go straight
ahead and then, when you arrive at a fork in the path, hook a left.

6. Head straight on, keeping to the left-hand ride with Emblems Coppice on your left.
When you reach the open plain, skirt around the right-hand side of Forest Lodge, a
16th-century former hunting lodge. Follow the made-up path, passing through a gap in
the tree line. If you don't wish to visit the lakeside area, turn left and go to step 8.
Otherwise, head straight ahead down the ride through Collins Coppice. Upon reaching
the bottom, turn left and keep going until you reach the end of this ride. Bear right
along a small path until you reach a gated footbridge. Cross this bridge, then turn right
and follow the side of the dam until you reach the path along the side of the lake. Turn
left and the Shell House, café area and toilets will be in front of you.

7. When you've finished at the lakeside area, turn left at the café and exit through the gate
into the car park. Head straight across the car park, looking out for the very tall Cedar
of Lebanon tree. Cross two small footbridges and head around the tree. Continue up
the wide ride in front of you, and when you reach the top, you'll be on the plain close to
Forest Lodge.

8. Head right along London Road, then bear left across the road, keeping the treeline to
your left. You're now in the 'London Bridge' area and should see a small plantation to
your right. Continuing on, you may see piles of coppice on your right that have been
left in the open to 'season'.

9. Almost opposite Spittlemore Coppice, you'll see the Portingbury Hills and the visible
remains of an Iron Age settlement.

10. Still keeping to the left tree line, continue on what is known as Shermore Brook – look
for an area of reclaimed wood pasture. Just after, if you look into the trees, you'll find
the site of the Doodle Oak, with an information plate.

11. Keeping to the left, bear round to the right and exit the forest through the Elman's
Green gate. If you fancy a snack, a small diversion down the path in front of you will
take you across the main Bishop's Stortford to Dunmow road and on to the café in
Thremhall Park.

12. Turning right out of the Elman's Green gate, head along the old railway bed, through
the five-bar gates. On passing the fourth gate and the last forest entrance gate,
continue a few yards until you reach the site of Stane Street Halt. Continue for a mile
along the Flitch Way until you return to the Takeley Old Station House.
End point: Old Station House, Takeley. Grid ref: TL562211