This week on the map
Find the places mentioned in this edition. The outline includes the forest and its neighbouring towns.
3 things to know about this week. Full detail is below the map.
Shops, cafés, restaurants & pubs
Local finds and changes around the forest.
Nothing to report this week
No business updates are included in this edition.
Road closures & access
Things that might affect getting around the forest.
High Beech, Loughton water mains replacement
OngoingLoughton
A roughly 19km, three-year mains replacement across more than 60 roads in Loughton. Streets already finished this year: Queens Road, Spareleaze Hill, Hillyfields, Woodbury Hill, Rectory Lane. Streets with work underway or starting around now: Traps Hill (Jun-Dec 2026), Kings Hill (Sep-Nov 2026), Carroll Hill (Sep-Dec 2026), Hillcroft (Oct-Dec 2026). England's Lane and Staples Road are scheduled Aug 2026-Jul 2027. Not confirmed again this week -- worth checking before relying on it.
Sources: Thames Water project page, Thames Water: Loughton mains replacement begins, Epping Forest MP correspondence on disruption
Bakers Lane / Cottis Lane, Epping carriageway improvements
OngoingEpping
Multi-phase carriageway reconstruction near Bakers Lane / Cottis Lane, Epping, with signed diversions via St John's Road, Coronation Hill and Lincolns Field. A July 2026 residents' letter put final surfacing around 26 July 2026 (subject to change), but no later update was found -- status as of October 2026 is unconfirmed. Not confirmed again this week -- worth checking before relying on it.
Sources: Essex Highways: Bakers Lane / Cottis Lane project page, Essex Highways progress update, 6 March 2026
Shorter car park hours
OngoingEpping Forest car parks
Car park opening hours shortened from 7:00am-8:00pm to 7:00am-6:30pm from Monday 15 September 2026.
Open riding season
OngoingEpping Forest
Open riding (horse riding off the designated riding routes) started at 00:01 on Friday 17 April 2026. End date for the season not stated on the source page. Not confirmed again this week -- worth checking before relying on it.
Baldwins Pond dam investigation works
OngoingBaldwins Pond
Cognition Land and Water Ltd is carrying out site investigations to inform future improvements to the Baldwins Pond dam. A public consultation is expected to follow, with construction expected to begin in spring (year not stated, presumably 2027).
Events in the forest
What's on this week, and what's coming up over the next month.
This week
Top Picks: litter pick at Hollow Ponds
This weekHollow Ponds, Epping Forest
Free, volunteer-run litter pick at Hollow Ponds, part of the Epping Forest charity's recurring 'Top Picks' series.
Source: Eventbrite: Top Picks collection
Coming up in the next month
Archives on Show: Epping Forest
RecurringThe London Archives, 40 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HB
Free, one-hour drop-in sessions (1pm or 2pm) on Epping Forest's archives, run on multiple dates. Check the listing for the next date -- none is reliably current as of this verification. Not confirmed again this week -- worth checking before relying on it.
Source: Eventbrite listing
The forest's grazing cattle
Epping Forest's conservation-grazing cattle move around the forest through the year.
Where the cattle are grazing
No change this weekAmbresbury Banks
The forest's grazing cattle haven't moved paddocks this week — they're still in the same area, close to Ambresbury Banks.
A little closer to the forest
Local discoveries, things to do and updates for your next visit. You do not need the app to enjoy the Ledger.
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Keep me in the loop →Take the forest with you
Epping Forest Finds is a free map for your next walk: find nearby cafés, ancient trees, paths and places to pause.
Works with no signal. Load the map before you leave. Cattle positions update when you are online; offline you see the last saved locations.
The app is in early testing. Already have access? Open the map and add it to your phone’s home screen.