Epping Forest at Chingford: Connaught Water and Highams Park

Off-lead rules

Off-lead allowed

Epping Forest byelaws require owners to keep dogs under effective control rather than on lead; dogs are accepted in law as a natural accompaniment to walkers provided they are kept under control.

On-lead areas: Three dog controls apply on Forest land: failing to clean up after your dog; putting a dog on a lead when asked to do so; and a restriction on the number of dogs that can be walked at a time. Byelaws also require dogs to wear a collar bearing a name and address, the muzzling of sighthounds, and prevent dogs chasing birds or animals.

A Public Spaces Protection Order applies here. The London Borough of Waltham Forest 2014 byelaws cover all Epping Forest Land within the borough. Former dog control orders converted automatically to PSPOs in October 2017.

The walk itself

Start point

Rangers Road, Chingford

Nearest station

Chingford

Terrain

ancient pollarded beech and hornbeam woodland, lakes, grazing plains

Surface

unsurfaced forest rides, some gravel

Mud

high

How quiet

high

Suits a reactive dog

good

Water access

Yes

Swimming allowed

Not stated

Livestock

Not stated

Wildlife

high

Stiles

Not stated

Gates

Yes

Lighting

No

Toilets

Not stated

Waste bins

Not stated

Parking

Not stated

Café on site

Not stated

“Not stated” means our source did not cover it. We leave gaps rather than fill them.

Notes

Epping Forest is grazed by English Longhorn cattle in parts, but their presence in the Chingford section could not be verified from a fetched official page, so livestock is left unknown. Facilities not verified - cityoflondon.gov.uk blocks automated fetching.