38 EPPING FOREST
up a little mossy hollow, until the Theydon Road
is reached. On the farther side of this is an open
heathery plain nearly bare of trees, owing to forest
fires, at least this was the case until recently, but
now countless young birches give it a pale green
cast in the summer. After crossing the road,
keep along near the thicket on the right-hand
side. The tall firs on the left show the position
of Copped Hall Wood. Our route lies at right
angles to this direction. At the northern apex
of the plain a well-defined track is found. This
keeps along the side of the hill which slopes
down to the left to a little stream, on the opposite
side of which stand the fine beeches of " Epping
Thicks"—probably the best grown trees in the
Forest. At the point at which some villas on
Piercing Hill come fully into view, 300 yards
ahead, turn to the left, down a little hollow, and
crossing the intervening stream into the " Thicks"
rise the opposite slope to the wide Green Ride.
Follow this ride to Epping.
I am aware that my directions for this walk are
somewhat vague. From the absence of landmarks
this is inevitable. It is of course needless to
adhere rigidly to the actual route I have attempted
to describe, which is susceptible of a number
of variations, but if a general north-easterly direc-
tion is preserved from the old British Camp, the
pedestrian may get bogged or hung up in a
thicket, but he cannot go far wrong. It is at any
rate well worth trying, for I should be inclined to
select it as the most varied and attractive walk of
any in the Forest. It is dry in all weathers
throughout nearly the whole of its course.
ROUTE M
LOUGHTON TO THEYDON BY BALDWIN'S HILL
AND OAK HILL
51/4 miles
Follow the ridge of Baldwin's Hill as far as
Golding's Hill ponds, as described in Route P, or