Sat 7/1/12 Kick Start 2012! 7 mile Hike in Epping Forest, travel by OysterCard!

OK guys it's time for the annual mince pie stampede!!! This is the last Saturday of the festive season so lets use it wisely!!! Join the entire Green London Team and new rooky Assistant Organiser Rebecca Carberry! Get up and get outside, sitting indoors makes you SAD!! Walking around in the daylight makes you HAPPY, so let's go shed some festive insulation and get a taste of 2012!!

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Starting in the northeast fringes of London, the fantastic ancient woodland of Epping Forest stretches along a high gravel ridge for almost 20km into the Essex countryside.

We will walk out across the leafy forest ground from Queen Elizabeth’s old hunting lodge, marveling at the wooded giants all around us. We can see moss, lichens, birds and all the animals common to the British woodland. We’ll head out to Conaught Water, a fantastic lake which where the biodiversity of the Forest includes striking multicouloured mandarin ducks.

Originally a royal hunting ground Epping Forest was opened to the public in 1878. At six thousand acres it is London’s largest open space, it’s sheer scale is amazing. This is quite a long one so we'll stop for a drink in a pub in the forest halfway. We will finish at another massive pub at the end of the day, loads of room for everyone and good cheap meals so we have the health and the tipple all in one day! :)

Distance: 11-13km / 7-8 miles approx
Walking Time: 3.5 hours approx, excluding lunch stop halfway
Difficulty:7/10 - moderate

Meeting Point 1: Liverpool Street Rail (Overland) Station;
At the four Stansted Express Ticket Machines opposite AMT Coffee adjacent the gates to platform 6.
Meet Time: 10.30 am be there WITH your ticket/valid Oyster card for Zone 5.
We'll be traveling on to Chingford Station. Travelcard zone 5.

Meeting Point 2:If you are meeting us at Chingford be there at 11.30, don't be late as we won't be hanging around.

Date: Sat 7/01/2012

How to find us : My Pic, my phone number 07722 559245. I will be wearing a Green High Vis at the Meeting Point.

Cost:£7.50 no need to pre pay, just show up with the right change!

Those of you who have them, remember your loyalty card! If you don't have one ask us!

This MeetUp gives a 10% contribution of the MeetUp fee to “Putting Down Roots” a gardening project for London's Homeless". (https://www.meetup.com/Green-London-Walks-Days-out-and-Weekends/messages/boards/thread/10460045)

Things to bring:

Plastic bag to put your boots in at the pub. (There will be mud.)

Water!- at least 1 litre

Camera

Bring sandwiches, we will finish the day with a pub meal.

Money for pub

Wear warm clothes, hiking boots, and water proofs, or the nearest thing you have.

For more info see our Frequently Asked Questions:

https://www.meetup.com/Green-London-Walks-Days-out-and-Weekends/messages/boards/thread/17073472

The Victoria line has planned closure this weekend.

Plan your journey here:

https://www.meetup.com/Green-London-Walks-Days-out-and-Weekends/messages/boards/thread/11007891