Length: 21.0 km (13.1 mi) [shorter or longer options]
Ascent/Descent: 205/209m
Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ¾ hours
Toughness: 3 out of 10
Take the 10.13 Southend Victoria train from
Liverpool Street (Stratford 10.20, Shenfield (Crossrail) 10.28),
arrives Wickford 10.51.
Return trains are every 40 minutes, i.e. Battlesbridge
15.58, 16.38, 17.18, 17.58 etc (change at Wickford). SWF:
4 mins earlier (change at Wickford).
Buy a South Woodham Ferrers return
(same price as a Battlesbridge return).
This surprisingly diverse and rural walk avoids industrial and suburban
features often associated with walking in Essex, but instead leads through
plenty of rolling grassy fields, along quiet lanes and through a smattering of
woods, before heading through the enchanting – Essex Wildlife Trust run –
Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Reserve. After a short stretch along the
reservoir itself it then heads for the lunch Café on the Water or The Old
Windmill, both in South Hanningfield.
The afternoon route leads through more pastures, valleys and wooded strips, before descending into the Crouch Valley and following the tidal River Crouch for a short stretch into Battlesbridge past its famous Antiques Centre.
Walk Options
Bus Line 13 (Chelmsford – Wickford) gets you to or from the lunch
options in South Hanningfield: 12.16-->12.27 Wickford to The Old Windmill;
14.39-->14.51 The Old Windmill to Wickford.
An Alternative Finish in South Woodham Ferrers loops around the town through a fenland nature reserve, some
saltmarshes and along the tidal River Crouch with its mudflats, sailing boats
and plenty of birdlife. It is especially attractive at low tide. From 20.0 km (12.4 mi) to 29.7 km (18.5 mi).
Lunch: Café
on the Water at the Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Reserve
(8.3 km into the walk, open to 16.00) or The Old Windmill
in South Hanningfield (8.8 km into the walk, food all day).
Tea
Battlesbridge – There are
several cafés and tea rooms in and
around the Antiques Centre (for details check the pdf) plus The Barge
Inn (a little off route away from the station, food to 17.00) and
The
Hawk Country Pub & Restaurant (by the station, open all day).
South Woodham Ferrers – A couple of options are passed
on the various shortcuts into town (check the pdf for details) plus The Railway is right by the station
(open all day, Wild Thyme Street Food served).
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files
click here. t=swc.157
1 comment:
N=9 assembled at Wickford station and set off together but soon lost sight of 1 who was not seen again. The other 8 stayed together until lunchtime when 6 opted for a pub lunch and were joined by a picnicker for coffee.
3 lingered in the pub, planning to take the bus back to Wickford, 3 continued the walk to South Woodham Ferrers and 2 followed the route to Battlesbridge and had a look around the antiques market before heading to the station. All 5 of the afternoon walkers ended up on the same train to Wickford where they caught the 18.11 back to London. A nice walk in w=warm-sunshine-with-a-pleasant-breeze.
Post a Comment