Copped Hall and Upshire

On Wednesday 5th May we met at the Lodge Road car park in Epping Forest, only recently re-opened after closure for a couple of years due to fly tipping. A large group of us needed splitting up, which occurred naturally as we set off, those chattering at the back and those walking at the front. We headed for Copped Hall past the entrancingly named Bog North. Even with the prolonged dry spell it was indeed still boggy. We entered the Warren Plantation and crossed over the M25 to arrive at Copped Hall. The repaired pediment and new chimney stack were admired but the newly installed light-well could not be seen from outside. Covid restrictions still apply and the house is not open to visitors – even the volunteers on the estate are discouraged from entering.

Down the slope towards the White House we followed Peter Gamble’s night walk route, up past the substantial houses around Copped Hall Gardens. Through the gate and turning away from the stables we walked up past Copped Hall Green, getting off the road each time cars came to and from the stables. The we turned right to Nicholls Farm and then left onto a path bordering Obelisk Field. Last time we were here we saw a herd of deer next to the obelisk but no luck today. The path is used by horses and we were lucky that it had been dry as we negotiated some chewed up dips in the path.

At Obelisk Farm we crossed the road and went into Warlies Park, where the Epping Forest cattle are overwintered. The cattle, and their many young, seemed curious about us and we were aware of their large horns as they moved towards us. We walked up past Warlies Park House, now a business centre and looking very good in the sunshine. Once again we tried to remember the name of the capitals of columns – Ionic, Corinthian and … .We decided that these were Ionic.

A steep climb up the slope away from the House brought us to the Horseshoes pub in Upshire. They staggered a bit when we all trooped in without a booking but rallied magnificently and provided substantial meals. We sat in the rear garden and many coats were taken off as the sheltered position and the sun heated us up.

We walked up the road with full stomachs, past Oxley Wood and up the path to cross the M25. Here Brian did his “Duke of York” routine, sending the group up a steep slope only to bring them down again as he realised his mistake. He only went wrong twice more as we headed vaguely back to our cars. To put the seal on the day, having been sunny most of the time, it started raining soon after we arrived home.

Brian U.   8th May 2021