Rockets to Woodland

Starting point: Gunpowder Park car park, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 3GP

A circular valley route discovering the explosive history of Sewardstone Marsh’s wet woodland. The route travels west, following the perimeter of Gunpowder Park down to Sewardstone Marsh, looping around the woodland area before heading north back through the centre of Gunpowder Park.

Directions

• Enter Gunpowder Park via the entrance to the right of the Field Station and proceed along the surfaced path, passing the fuse mounds on the left

• Continue along the path, passing the entrance way on your right and continue towards the Flood Relief Channel

• Follow the path to the left, passing an entrance and Black Ditch West Bridge on your right, and continue

• At the triangular section of grass, bear to the right and continue over a wooden fenced bridge

• Bear left at the next junction, passing the entrance leading to Westway Bridge on your right, and continue south past a bat hibernacula on your left alongside the Flood Relief Channel

• Continue along the path, past the West Pool and past the entrance leading to Cattlegate Bridge on the right and through the walk-around gate onto Sewardstone Marsh

• Continue along the path to the south end of the Park at the signpost turn left, towards Epping Forest

• At the second junction, turn left onto the grass path heading north

• Bear to the left at the picnic area, returning towards the Cattlegate Bridge entrance, through the wooded area

• Turn right, onto the surfaced pathway, returning into Gunpowder Park

• At the information board, bear to the right and continue along the pathway, passing two junctions

• At the third junction, turn right and follow the path up and over the hill back towards the Field Station. (The Meridian viewpoint is a short detour from the route. Turn left at the top of the hill and follow the pathway)