Theydon Bois & Abridge

Theydon Bois sits on the western edge of Epping Forest in the Epping Forest district of Essex, with a village green and a conservation area that open directly onto forest rides and public footpaths. The Central Line reaches Theydon Bois station (Travelcard Zone 6), giving a direct rail link into central London and making the village a transport gateway between the forest and the city. Local lanes, allotments and parish facilities cluster around the green, and seasonal community events take place on the common ground beside the village streets.

Abridge lies a few miles to the east, in the civil parish of Lambourne, and sits along the River Roding; the village name reflects the road bridge that crosses the river. The settlement is arranged along a high road with riverside lanes and smallholdings, and offers riverside walks that follow the Roding through farmland and willow-lined banks. Facilities are on a smaller scale than at Theydon Bois, and the route network of country lanes and footpaths links both villages into the wider Epping Forest district countryside.