Event 9 – Hiking in Epping Forest [REPORT]

When everyone gathered for the hike in Epping Forest (some struggling as they had had a “big” night previously), there was just one common complaint: everyone present had had a hell of week; at work, in London, in life. That soon melted away.

We were blessed with glorious weather; there was a nip in the air, yet sunshine was plentiful and basking. Taking the mood of the group (there were six of us), we opted to just amble into Epping Forest with no plan, no map and end up where we would end up.

Walking into Epping Forest was almost magical. The sights and sounds of busy London disappeared as we were ushered into the tranquilly of the wood under a canopy. It being Fall and all, the simple pleasure of crunching leaves under-foot seemed to return all of us to a simpler childhood state of mind, and along the way we randomly shot down different paths, passed a serene lake and waved to contented people trotting by on horseback.

By the time the group emerged from the forest, everyone had big smiles on their faces. The effects of the week and any big nights had melted away. It will sound so cliché, but I cannot emphasis enough how just a simple walk in the woods can really relax and open people up. It’s a great way to meet other people and be natural.

We headed to a pub to have a few well earned nibbles and drinks. And then the theme of AYMP reared it’s head again; what are we doing next? Someone suggested something about nature again, but perhaps on horseback? There was lots of nodding.

We’ll see…

More photos from the day

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This post is part of Event 9. To see all Event 9 posts, click here.