Best walks to or from Brentwood

Brentwood Station to Billericay Station

Starts along roads, then opens into countryside across farmers' fields (paths can be faint where recently seeded) and becoming more urban but quiet on the approach to town through Hutton Mount.

Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Romford Station to Brentwood Station

some great views of London. A varied, undulating route: grey urban roads out of Romford, then green and pleasant parks, nature reserves, common land and farm fields, with some steeper parts. Mostly good paths but some muddy and boggy sections near the M25 crossing; barriers and stiles exclude wheels. Briefly joins the London Loop near Harold Wood Park. No facilities in the middle section. Crosses from Greater London into Essex.

Tough: steep ascents. 12km.

The A127 crossing has a central refuge but no lights, so requires care. Some stiles in poor repair before the M25 road bridge and boggy lower-lying paths; the entrance to Tyler's Common from the south-west is unclear.

Lunch: Shops and pubs at either end but no facilities in the middle.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Brentwood Station to Basildon Station

A mostly straightforward, unexpectedly hilly route through beautiful woodland and across farmland with lovely views, including Thorndon Country Park and Harts Wood. One large clay field with no obvious path is a challenge; a tricky and largely unmarked section near Little Burstead. Plenty of unsurfaced paths and a few stiles. Passes through Thorndon Country Park and along the edge of a golf course. Can be muddy clay underfoot. Herongate has two pubs and benches mid-route.

Tough: steep ascents. 18km.

A short section along Billericay Road has only a narrow verge and needs caution; the path from the Green Lane byway south of Botney Hill Road is largely unmarked across a scrubby field and a wet clay field, with a barbed-wire fence to cross.

Lunch: Two pubs and benches at Herongate, with a bus stop, roughly mid-route.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Brentwood Station to West Horndon Station

A route through pleasant woodland leading into a country park and which you walk the length of. A long field section usually contains grazing cattle. A couple of sections through the park are overgrown and not easy to pass.

Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.

The connection between the top of Thorndon Country Park and West Horndon requires crossing the busy A127 Southend Arterial Road, which is very unsafe and effectively cuts West Horndon off from pedestrians. The crossing of The Avenue is on a busy corner with poor sight lines; a marked crossing about 50m back is safer. Grazing cattle in the long field section; some overgrown paths.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route