Length: 17.3 km (10.7 miles) 4/10
This week we are heading back 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 fairly upmarket pub lunch 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 cutting 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 from one of the villages en route to Manningtree or Colchester.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
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3 comments:
The short cut route is actually really pretty - a lovely walk along the Stour.
14 at the appointed time, and one on the train half an hour later caought us up at Dedham, making #15. It was #hot-and-sunny of course. Although the afternoon of this walk is more memorable, I really enjoyed the morning, which had a reasonable amount of shade and especially the descent into Dedham was easy on the eye.
There was a certain amount of indecision at Dedham about where to have lunch, which version of the walk to do, whether to stop for a drink, whether to try and go swimming . . . in the end 10 opted for the short walk, and I have to say in the afternoon heat I was glad not to have gone further. As for swimming, it was very noisy at Dedham Lock with beatboxes blaring and a big gang of youths having fun in the water. I hear that one of the long walkers attempted to get in further up the river.
Meanwhile we chose not to go to East Bergholt despite much moaning from one walker; all 10 short walkers stopped at Flatford, some having an overpriced beer as it was too soon after lunch for cake; and most of us had further refreshments at the station buffet. Some took them on the train but I think six of us waited for the next one, the slightly delayed 1620 which unfortunately brought us back in the peak of the evening rush. Another top day out.
5 of us did the full route, and then had a lovely and very welcome cream tea in Flatford Mill NT tea garden. After saying goodbye to the others who took the short route using the Stour Valley walk, we walked along the pretty riverside path. After this however, there is a longish stretch of tedious road walking. This may be welcome during the muddy months, but we were wishing that a longer route incorporating the Stour Valley path was possible.
We arrived at Manningtree station and allowed two trains to go past whilst we enjoyed cold drinks from the bar in the outside seating area. This is a lovely walk, and it appears to be scheduled mainly in the summer months, so maybe a few tweaks could be made to reduce the road walking.
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