Two worlds

Emily Ranken tells of an idyll in a bustling city

by Emily Ranken 29th October 2009

Epping Forest, on the outskirts of London, covers a substantial area of land, but much of it has been destroyed since the city was built over a thousand years ago. It is the last standing part of the ancient forest that once covered the whole of the London area, the remains of which are now unfortunately cut through with busy roads. It is where we go for family walks, eat breakfast on Christmas Day, and where I first learned to identify the age of a tree by how many rings there are in the trunk. It is a peaceful area of green natural beauty – unusual so close to such a large city.