Length: 17.3 km (10.7 miles) 4/10
I thought it would be good to have a change of scene and head to the Suffolk/Essex border for this walk in the Stour valley. It passes numerous settings of Constable paintings along with his birthplace and a possible tea stop at Flatford Mill. More of the relevant paintings are mentioned here.
Travel: Take the 1000 from Liverpool Street arriving at Manningtree at 1053 (note there is also a 1002 which is quite a bit slower, getting in at 1112). Three return trains an hour at approx 02, 19 and 52.
Lunch: In Dedham, a pub lunch "with Italian inspiration" is available at the Sun Inn, (tel 01206 323 351), some 6 km into the walk, serving lunch daily from 12 noon to 3.30 pm. This is the suggested lunch stop on this walk. The Dedham Centre tearoom (tel 01206 322 677) in the Arts & Crafts Centre serves vegetarian food from 12 noon to 2.00 pm daily (groups of more than ten should phone to book). The Essex Rose tea room (tel 01206 323 101) is another alternative for lunches served from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. For the situation in Stratford St Mary, a possible late lunch stop, see the walk page.
Tea: The suggested tea place is the National Trust’s Bridge Cottage Tearoom, by Flatford Mill (tel 01206 298 260), open up to 5.30 from May to September. At Manningtree station, the Station Buffet (tel 01206 391114) may also provide a welcome snack before the train home.
Short walk options: If you look at the map you'll see that the walk is nearly a figure of eight, so it is possible to miss out the smaller loop and cut out 4km. Turn right along the Stour Valley Way after Dedham - directions are given in the text.
It may also be possible to catch a bus to Manningtree or Colchester from one of the villages en route.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
T=1.39
2 comments:
You can do this for £15 return on ', hare fares', an anglia promotion
https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/harefares?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnMWkBhDLARIsAHBOftqqJr3pSqw6H2r3HywNQPqyQk-m4dqTn-OORQaZrVQpoGlSMOPLtL8aArPkEALw_wcB
Spotted by my ramblers group doing a Manningtree walk on Saturday.
N=8 assembled on a day w=mostly-sunny-not-too-hot The clever ones had picked up on Pete G’s fares tip. Good progress made to Dedham, though there was a little confusion over the prescribed way through the playing field. Loads of butterflies, mainly brown ones.
Most of us had lunch in the churchyard, then retired to the Sun for a spot of whistle wetting.
After, I think all took the shortcut along the river. Because it’s nicer, not to skimp on miles. OK? Some continued shortcutting to Flatford but about 5 went to look at East Bergholt church.
Then down to Flatford and the obligatory look at the Hay Wain’s pond. And a tea stop where the others had enormous slices of cake. You know me, I’m not one for cake. But I had to do something while theirs was being galumphed down.
Then the final stretch, quite overgrown and well butterflied, to Manningtree station where we only just.caught the 16:19. The shortcutters had caught earlier ones.
Good day out.
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