Easily accessible from central London (by tube, or overland rail from Liverpool St) the forest offers vast areas of walking and biking with beautiful dense trees, particularly the 'Up and Down Walk' which is a great leg stretcher in an otherwise pretty flat part of Essex. The Forest Information Centre is a good place to start, where guided trail maps are available. Take a map if you can and a compass is always helpful - as it's easy to lose your sense of direction in the forest!

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/eppingforest
Google map: bit.ly/P4ds3T

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Nothing says autumn like the Van Gogh-ian palette of yellows and oranges that emblazon the British countryside - nothing except, perhaps, a good pint of local ale to wash it all down with. This is why you absolutely must visit Epping Forest in the autumn. You can jump on the tube in central London and half an hour later be at the edge of this expanse of woodland (the largest and oldest in London) to frolic in the crisp autumn leaves and climb the many mysteriously shaped trees or splash through the puddles and streams that reflect back images of the forest from the ground. At the end of any walk, all directions lead to cute villages with quaint country pubs, guest ales, roaring fires and great pub grub. Particularly great is the Queen Victoria in Theydon Bois. Perfectly situated near the tube stop for an easy journey home after that sumptuous steak and ale pie which you'll need after getting lost (there are no signposts in the forest which makes for an entertaining hike) and finally making a beeline back to civilisation. Albeit rather quiet, stately and beautiful civilisation at that.

bit.ly/9nGOqb
Info: bit.ly/6ZlEq5

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