From the station, we walked uphill to Manningtree church where we joined the Essex Way which we followed most of the day. We reached the waterfront and followed the Stour estuary to Mistley, famous for its twin church towers and its witch finder. We left the riverside to walk across pastures, woodlands – passing old oaks including Old Knobbley – and wheat fields. We had our picnic lunch Continue reading SATURDAY 22 JULY: MANNINGTREE to WRABNESS (ESSEX) (LINEAR) →

After leaving Chigwell we enjoyed a relaxed walk through Roding Valley Meadows Local Nature Reserve and its lake onwards up through Buckhurst Hill and then up through the edge of Epping forest and its famous oaks, then onwards to the white timber-framed Elizabethan building which is Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Hunting Lodge, built for King Henry VIII in 1543. Continue reading SATURDAY 15th JULY: CHIGWELL to ENFIELD LOCK (LINEAR) →

This was pretty much the perfect walk, nearly 15 miles & neatly divided into 3 parts. We left Lewes via a lovely walled garden where children rehearsed for what appeared to be a mediaeval pageant or perhaps, being Lewes something more alternative, & an unusually easy-going cat allowed itself to be played with by a small child & then seemed to join its family on a blanket for a picnic. We then flew – well, something like that – up the first mighty incline onto the South Downs Way & our first glimpse of the sea. The path curved around Continue reading SATURDAY 8 JULY: LEWES (CIRCULAR) →

A lovely walk yesterday following the Ridgeway long distance trail from Wendover to Tring.  Another good turn out of 17 walkers on a fine, if chilly, morning. We headed through the village of Wendover and past St Mary’s Church where a Spring fayre was being set up in the graveyard. The walk took us into Wendover Woods which were full of bluebells. We walked through a large field of cattle with their Continue reading SATURDAY 29th APRIL: WENDOVER to TRING (LINEAR): →