Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Upshire Walk & Site of Boadicea End Game?

Off message but went for a great country walk on Sunday around Upshire in Essex.

Check out the free Essex Walks website.

I thought that I knew the area quite well but this 5.5 mile walk was different and apart from the distant buzz of the M25  (and crossing the motorway), it was very quiet and we hardly saw anyone until the end of the walk.

Near the start is "Boadicea obelisk" which you can see in photo on right (in between are deer running away from us). Which is probably just an 18th century folly but local tradition says it marks the site of the suicide of the Iceni Queen Boadicea following the defeat of her army nearby by the Romans.

You can walk over a broken barbed wire fence and visit (trespass?) the obelisk but there is nothing written on it. It is strange place and I found it very atmospheric. Who really knows what happened here?

The rest of the walk was lovely with lots more history and going up and down hills with great views but nothing too strenuous. The final bit, cross country in Epping Forest proper was another highlight. This is a recommended walk only 25 minutes by car from Newham, London.

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2 comments:

Essex Walks said...

Glad you liked it!

John Gray said...

Another great route Essex Walks