Blakes

Epping sits at the southern edge of Epping Forest, one of the great ancient woodlands of southeastern England, and it's in this leafy corner of Essex — close enough to London's northeastern suburbs to feel accessible, yet genuinely removed from the city — that Blakes makes its home. The forest and its surrounds have long attracted golfers, and the area supports a cluster of established clubs that take full advantage of the region's naturally undulating, well-drained terrain.

Blakes plays to a par of 71, which typically signals a layout with a mix of shorter, more tactical holes alongside standard par-4s — rewarding placement and course management as much as raw power. Essex parkland courses of this type tend to feature mature tree-lined fairways, firm turf, and the kind of quiet, enclosed atmosphere that makes a round feel like a proper escape.

Without deeper records on its founding or architect, the honest recommendation is to arrive with an open mind. Essex has quietly produced some characterful private and members' clubs, and a course in this setting rarely disappoints.