3.
FOREST UNDER SNOW by ERIC HOOPER
Of recent years there has been few
chances of seeing Epping Forest under snow
but Tuesday, 23rd January, 1979 was one such
day, and at a latish three o'clock I used
the opportunity. In the first minute I was
passing the small detached but mature wood
where the late Walter Spradbery lived in his
isolated and rusticated cottage, "The
Wilderness". To me the whole copse is always
"the wilderness" and its enchantment under
snow set the seal upon my walk.
Crossing the salted and unusually silent
All at the "Webster's Warren Wood" inn, I
made obliquely for the broad ride leading
down to Connaught Water. Already the forest
was my own in the sense that not a footmark
was to be seen, and I certainly refrained
from turning round to confirm that my own
imprints had already destroyed the pleasant
illusion. It brought back memories of the
1930's and '40's (even some of the '50's)
when it was not difficult on a summer week-
day to spend hours walking these woodlands
and rides and rarely meet a soul.
At the lower end of Connaught Water,
the Ching flowing down the sluice to become
a brook once more, was as musical as a
boulders-strewn stream on the edge of Dart-
moor. Across the water some 200 yards away
one could comfortably count 100 Mallard
speckling the surface. As I stood, one pair
got up, flew purposefully towards me low over
my head, with monosyllabic comment, and
immediately wheeled back to join the throng
again. There was no panic, but almost the
entire flotilla thenceforth glided smoothly