Essex Woodlands Tour (A Coach Trip in Essex)
The "Essex Woodlands Tour" is one of the very popular Coach Trips devised and led by Colin Crosby, the well known Blue Badge Guide, of Colin Crosby Heritage Tours.
These excursions are an enjoyable way of soaking up some Local History.
The coach leaves St. Margarets Bus Station in Leicester City Centre at 8am, and is due back around 9pm.
This is an "Autumn Colours Tour". These tours are timed to show off the trees at their Autumnal best, when the leaves have turned to their beautiful shades of russet and gold.
Colin gives his inimitable commentary along the way, bringing towns and villages to life. This is the factor which makes his trips quite unique.
The coach will wend its way down to the lovely county of Essex, from where Colin originates. Until the Middle Ages, the whole county was covered, apart from the ancient towns like Colchester and Maldon, by a vast forest.
Patches of the forest survive, and on this trip we see some of them, including Hatfield Forest.
There are three stops, each of about an hour.
The first stop is at Chipping Ongar, a delightful old town with the site of a castle which may date back to Saxon times, and an interesting old church.
Then it`s on to Epping, a pleasant town which gave its name to Epping Forest.
And finally it`s Waltham Abbey, founded by Harold II, the King who was killed at the Battle of Hastings. He was brought back here to be buried.
There is also a short visit to Greenstead-juxta-Ongar, for the chance to see one of the many ancient churches of Essex. This Saxon church is the oldest timber church in the world, and dates back to the 11th century.
Other tours in the "Autumn Colours" series have included Epping Forest Tour, Forest of Dean Tour, New Forest Tour and Thetford Forest Tour.
Dates, costs and where to meet
A place on 'Essex Woodlands Tour' costs £23.00 per person, or £23.00 if paying in advance. The coach trip begins at St. Margarets Bus Station, and is running on:
I'm sorry, but there are no plans to run this event at present.
If you would like to book a place on one of these dates, please telephone Colin on (0116) 2611576 or email him at colin@crosbyheritage.co.uk.