Community Forest: London/Eastern England

Thames Chase

New woodlands on the eastern edge of London 10,400ha/25,600 acres

Woodlands, country parks, open spaces and nature reserves centred on Upminster, between the Thames Esturary at Rainham Marshes and Brentwood and straddling the greater London boundary and the M25. Managed as a Community Forest since 1990. 

 A number of the country parks, open spaces and walks within the Forest have disabled access. Contact the Forest Centre or individual sites for more details.

Local Authorities Barking & Dagenham, Essex, Havering, Thurrock

Principal open access sites

  • Belhus Woods Country Park, Belhus Chase and Belhus Park Bluebell woodlands and a former parkland estate near Aveley. Nearby Kenningtons Park is a newly created landscape of willows and lakes. Tel 01708 865628.
  • Eastbrookend Country Park and The Chase Local Nature Reserve 84ha of open grassland, mature and developing woodland and a variety of wetland habitats, much on  reclaimed gravel pits, in a green corridor between Dagenham and Hornchurch, with a Millennium Centre powered by renewable energy. Contact Barking & Dagenham Ranger Service, tel 020 8595 4155.
  • Davy Down Riverside meadows near South Ockendon
  • Hornchurch Country Park Previously the site of RAF Hornchurch and now offering woodlands, lakes and the Ingrebourne Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest. The adjoining Berwick Woods has ponds and rich bird life. Tel 01708 554451
  • Oak Wood and Ash Plantation Woodlands near South Ockendon with a lake designed by Capability Brown
  • Thorndon Country Park south of Brentwood, another historic parkland estate. Adjoining are the ancient woodland of Hartswood and the unimproved grassland of Little Warley Common

Promoted routes Eastbrookend Timberland Trail, London LOOP, Mardyke

Tourist Information Centres

  • Brentwood 01277 200300
  • London. The nearest area at Tower Hamlets or Liverpool Street. For a full list click here.
  • Thurrock 01708 863733

See also the Forest Centre below.

Public transport. The area is served by c2c rail services from London Fenchurch Street to Southend via Barking via Dagenham, Rainham, Purfleet and Upminster, with a connecting local service between Upminster, Ockendon and Grays; and by Great Eastern services from London Liverpool Street to Shenfield, Southend and Colchester via Romford, Harold Wood and Brentwood, with a connection between Romford and Upminster. London Underground's District Line connects Upminster and Dagenham with Barking and Central London. There are also good bus services in most parts of the Forest area. See our Public Transport for Walkers page for more about transport in London and how to find detailed information on services and fares.

Explorer Maps 162, 174, 175
Landranger Map 177

Publications

  • Out and about in Thames Chase, leaflet pack offering a comprehensive guide to all publically accessible sites within the Forest. £2 from local outlets or + 70p p&p from Forest Centre (below).

Contacts

Parks and countryside in London | Walking In London | Parks Index | Information Index