Sunday Walk 1 – Ferry across the River Colne

Book 1 Walk 30 – Wivenhoe Circular
Length: 14.8 km (9.2 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:32 Clacton-on-Sea train from Liverpool Street (Stratford 10:39), arriving Wivenhoe at 11:46.

Return trains are hourly at 56 minutes past.

This interesting and unusual Essex walk gets fewer club outings than most because there aren't too many summer weekends when the ferry runs at a convenient time. This Sunday it operates between 2pm & 5.30pm, which is ideal for doing the walk as written: the Wivenhoe side first, then crossing the river in the afternoon for the Rowhedge side. Each leg should take less than two hours.

You should have time for lunch in Wivenhoe before catching the ferry, but there are pubs on both sides of the river so if you're running late you can cross over first. The helpful volunteers who run the ferry are aware of these club walks and will doubtless remind you of the need to get back for the return crossing before it stops at 5.30pm. The pubs in Wivenhoe look to be the best option for some post-walk refreshment, unless you can find some hitherto undiscovered tea rooms.

You'll need to bring Book 1 or print the directions from the Walk 30 page. There's been some housing development in Wivenhoe so the route out of the town may be slightly different from that described, but this is not a difficult walk to follow. T=1.30