Essex Walks
These walks around Chipping Ongar in Essex offer something for every pace, from a short family-friendly stroll to a full countryside adventure.
The shortest route loops around the high street and the historic 12th-century Ongar motte and bailey castle site, making it perfect for a gentle outing with a stop at The Kings Head.
The longer routes take you further afield along stretches of the Essex Way, exploring open farmland, riverside paths and the nearby villages of Greenstead, High Ongar, Toot Hill and Stanford Rivers.
With mild climbs along the way and options for refreshments at The Green Man Pub & Courtyard as well as The Kings Head, these walks are ideal for stretching your legs and enjoying the fresh Essex countryside.
Download the Essex Walks App to follow these routes with real-time GPS navigation.
Walk information
This first route is a simple and very short family-friendly pub walk around Chipping Ongar.
The walk takes you through the high street where you'll find the pub, and then it takes you on a little loop around the outskirts of the 12th century Ongar motte and bailey castle site.
Walk information
The second route is a longer route that you can enjoy of you want to stretch your legs a bit more.
It heads west out of Chipping Ongar along the Essex way and the walk is made up mainly of open farmland, peaceful fresh air and a visit to the little village of Greenstead.
Based on 9 user ratings
An outstanding walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
First-hand experiences
Excellent walk in July amongst the wheat fields. Highly recommended.
Positive: This was our first ‘Essex Walks’ trek and we found it very enjoyable. We were presently surprised by the wonder little medieval church en route which was wonderful. The walk itself really took us away from any urban areas and deep into the countryside, which is what we were seeking. ......Negative: Though generally good, the signage on key parts of the route was somewhat lacking, and caused some confusion, however, we didn’t get lost which is the main thing!
Great walk around Ongar and Greensted. Walk 2 takes in the church of St. Andrew which is the oldest wooden church in the world. Be sure to keep an eye out for the footpath sign at the halfway point or you will end up the wrong sode of the hedges!
Lovely walk, couple of roads to cross, 1 stile,refreshments at beginning/end. Take water for dogs/self.
Excellent walk the gps was a bit random but footpaths were clearly marked
Walk information
The third route option is a long countryside walk that also enjoys a large stretch of the Essex Way.
This time however, it heads out east from Chipping Ongar, past the Ongar Castle site and out into peaceful open farmland and alongside the River Roding.
It also visits the village of High Ongar on the way around giving you another option for a pub if you need refreshments.
There are some mild climbs on this route.
Based on 8 user ratings
An outstanding walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
First-hand experiences
A lovely walk on a warm day - the last bit seemed to get mixed up on the app, and theres also another little pub on the way through the town called forresters pub which is cute.
A beautiful walk through farms, villages and countryside. The last mile of the walk goes through a field which is currently impassable, so keep going round the edge past the playground until it rejoins the route back into the town. Will definitely do this one again!
Other than two busy roads to cross, the walk was predominently on footpaths. Muddy and slippery in parts in wet weather, so care needed as necessary depending on individual circumstances.
What a lovely walk, lovely views beautiful winding river, great pub, really nice afternoon
Lovely countryside.
Quite overgrown in parts, but great scenery, particularly by the river.
Very nice, lovely walk, especially along the stream where we saw egrets and a heron
Walk information
This final route is basically an extension of the second route heading west out of Chipping Ongar along the Essex Way.
It basically offers a lot more open countryside, fresh air and exercise as you explore the area and it visits the villages of Greenstead, Toot Hill and Stanford Rivers.
There are some mild climbs on this route and there is an alternative pub in Toot Hill if you need refreshments half way around the route.
Based on 4 user ratings
An outstanding walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
Navigate the walks
It's like sat-nav, but for footpaths.
Choose a walk and follow the pointer showing your live position on the route map, so you always know you're on the right path.
The app works without a phone signal, so you can keep following the route wherever the walk takes you.
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