Route Summary
- 14 km from Pub on the Park on A104 (Epping New Road)
- 350 metres beyond junction on the left with Rangers Road
- go LEFT through gate opposite ‘City of London – The Warren Office’
- T LEFT by car park and tea shack
- 1st RIGHT
- T RIGHT on Rushey Plain HIGH BEECH
- 1st RIGHT as road bends left
- T RIGHT towards WAKE ARMS @
- @ 1st exit to rejoin DD Route Km 19 (24 hour Garage on left).
(@ = roundabout)
Dunwich Dynamo routing through the Epping Forest is simple; straight-on, straight-on, straight-on. If you’d prefer not to take the long drag up Epping New Road (aka ‘the old A11’ or A104) on an ‘A’ road, where the motor-traffic speeds, this quiet option is open to anyone. A strong headlamp, and tyres 32mm or wider, are recommended. It’s especially nice if you’re riding a DD on a night other the the Saturday night nearest a full moon in July.
Running downhill North from Woodford Green you feel the temperature drop. Street-lighting ends. Trees block any moon and you may find yourself in the first real darkness of the ride.
Rangers Road, from Chingford, enters on the left, 350 metres further on, a discreet gateway on the left leads to the former Fairmead Road. Take extreme care stopping as there may be faster traffic behind you who may be over-excited, taking selfies or otherwise distracted. Make your way though the gate to the roadway. Turn off your lights and wait a minute in case any JFTRL (Just follow the red lights.) pilgrims follow you. If they do warn them that you’re going off-route and they follow at their own risk.
Fairmead was a public road until the 1980’s. Its surface has declined as the Dunwich Dynamo has risen to traditional status. In the early DD editions it was advertised as a ‘scenic’ alternative route. Can anywhere be scenic in pitch-dark? Fairmead’s gradual deterioration is most noticed on the stiff climb up to the car-park, which has big holes and a barrier for cars. Take care.
Pass a car-park with a tea-shack popular with motor-cyclists. Turn left on to a tarmac road. Fork right, pass through High Beech, turn right at T junction, then as the road bends left turn right onto Forest Way. Turn right at T junction with Woodridden Hill (A 121) and shortly first exit at the big roundabout to rejoin the DD route at the 24 hour garage (km 19).