A - Z Challenge 2024 - F is for Forest

This year I'm blogging about my local area.  

My area?  Highams Park which is in the borough of Waltham Forest in North East London, (UK) a little known place that nestles between Chingford and Woodford that most people only come to if they have a specific reason to - if not we usually get bypassed.  Suits us.

Having lived in Forest Gate in East London for 36 years (and for my husband 65 years!) moving was a big deal for us.  But we've been in Highams Park since September 2020 so I feel I know enough about it now to fill out 26 posts! 

We've only moved just over 5 miles but we didn't know this area at all before moving here.  Although of course we did have a good look around when looking for a house and there were a number of things we wanted on our check list.

One thing we wanted was to be near woodland or open space.  Our former house looked out onto Wanstead Flats - open space that's part of Epping Forest.

We used to joke that we had an enormous front garden.

Where we are now does not have the same outlook but we are just a 5 minute walk from the actual forest area around Highams Park Lake which connects to other parts of Epping Forest and this view is pretty good too.

The main bulk of the forest is to the north of us but there are pockets of woodland within walking distance in various directions so we are never short of somewhere to walk.

It's quite nice just to do a circuit of the lake.  The only slight problem during the winter months is that the ground can be quite wet and muddy.  You definitely need good walking boots or wellies (Wellington boots/waterproof boots)

At just over 6000 acres, Epping Forest is the largest open space in London and is managed by the City of London Corporation.  Within walking distance of our house is the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge that was built on the orders of Henry VIII in 1543.

I think we have the best of both worlds where we are now - we have all the amenities we need and easy access into the centre of London but with all this open and green space on our doorstep.